Some months ago I bought a Velvet Acorn knitting pattern for a cute fox cowl. It is knitted in super bulky yarn - not something I have in my stash, so when knitting yarns began to appear in local advertising, I set out to buy enough to make cowls for my 5 year-old twin granddaughters. I settled on Shiver - very soft Moda acrylic - it was the thickest yarn I could find locally in foxy sorts of colours, soft, very washable and nice to feel. I figure they are more likely to wear an acrylic hood than a woollen one in our climate anyway.
I decided to use up the left-over wool making an adult-size stripey one - without the ears. At the very least it will be a warm head cover for a homeless person.
I'm not sure how much practical use these will be in an Adelaide Winter, but the girls certainly think they are a lot of fun.
15 comments:
LOL, they are cute, and larger than I expected when you see them worn! I imagine they are pretty warm. Maybe they will take a trip to the mountains!
they will be wearm and cosy in these,I am sure they get cold days in Adelaide.Have you not made one for yourself!!
Very cute! love the models.
No, haven't made one for myself, Margaret. I still have an Aran hood I knitted when living in Scotland in 1972 - where I really needed it. It is lovely - but gets worn once a decade or so!
Thanks Monica and Katherine. I think they are pretty cute too! The fox cowls are a hit - and making their way to school! Glad I used acrylic which makes them light.
I'm wondering if you used the largest size needle recommended and the correct size yarn. Is that why yours seem bigger than the ones pictured in the original instructions? Is there a variance given in the pattern instructions? I'm considering buying this pattern.
Sinjin, The pattern suggests a different size needle for adult and child. I used a slightly smaller size needle than recommended for a child. As mentioned in my blog, I had trouble getting super bulky wool - it isn't that common in Australia. I suggest you knit up a swatch to get your tension and make a judgement. The pattern knits up loosely and large - as is intended to judge by the photo on the pattern. You can easily vary this with smaller needles.
Sinjin, The pattern suggests a different size needle for adult and child. I used a slightly smaller size needle than recommended for a child. As mentioned in my blog, I had trouble getting super bulky wool - it isn't that common in Australia. I suggest you knit up a swatch to get your tension and make a judgement. The pattern knits up loosely and large - as is intended to judge by the photo on the pattern. You can easily vary this with smaller needles.
I bought this pattern last week and am making one for my daughter (adult size). I am a beginner and can't figure out the instructions when switching from the cowl to the hood (beginning page 4 of the instructions). Do I switch to straight needles? What does it mean to "turn so the inside of the cowl is now facing you."? Do I turn the cowl inside out? Sorry for questions...I can't find any other help online. Thanks!
Hi Sue
It looks as if the version of the pattern you have may have been updated since I bought mine. Mine reads, at the end of page 3,
"Hood:
You will be working your hood on the remaining stitches:
52 (adult) 48 (child) 44 (toddler)
You will be working your hood back and forth in rows on your remaining stitches (NOT working in the round). This will leave you an open front."
It then goes on, on page 4, to a heading of "teens/adult" and instructions for rows 1 and 2 which are repeated for the hood. There is no mention of the inside or outside. These seem a bit clearer than yours.
The guist of it is, when you finish the bit in the round, (which goes over the shoulders) you then work back and forth in order to form the hood with an opening for the face. The hood bit is a simple rectangle that you will fold in half along the top and stitch to form a join along the top of the head.
You can use the same circular needle - just stop at the end of the row (where your marker was) , turn, and knit (or purl as per the pattern) back again - as you would with straight needles. You could, in fact, change to straight needles, but you don't need to.
When you knit in the round, knitting every row produces stocking stitch, with a right and wrong side. To get the same effect knitting back and forth you need to knit one row and purl the next. The side facing you when you are purling is the wrong side of the work. I think this is what the reference is to the inside. When you are working the hood part, back and forth to creat the hole for the face, you will be mostly knitting when the outside is facing you, mostly purling when the inside is facing you.
I hope this is relatively clear. Feel free to email me at jillian.dellit@uni.sydney.edu.au if you need more help.
Oh man! This is sooooo much help! Thank you! I think I get it, and now can't wait to get home from work so I can continue....I'm not crazy about working in the round so I may just switch to straight needs for the hood. Thanks again! You are a lifesaver!
I am ready to make the hood and the inside of the cowl is facing me. Do I need to reverse it so the outside is facing me to begin the hood? Thanks!!!!!!
Hi Julie. If the inside of the hood is facing you, you would begin the hood with a purl row, then a knit row when you come back the other way. It the outside of the work is facing you, begin with a knit row. Once you are knitting back and forth, rather than in the round, you need to knit the rows with right side facing and purl the rows with wrong side facing. You're nearly there!
Hi, how did you get this pattern as I have been unable to find it anywhere
Dawn x
The pattern is available from the link in the first sentence of the blog. It links to Ravelry and is still active.
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