In my first year of knitting, way back in 2003-2004, I was intrepid. I wanted to learn all I could about yarn and stitches… I had a very patient knitting group, all of them much more experienced than I was. They helped me learn many things – and one of the best things was how to be fearless. When I wanted to start a lace pattern pretty early in my knitting career, with some of the nicest yarn I had ever worked with at the time (a gift from one of the group members) I didn’t blink. I just went for it.
…
Fast forward to 2010. Project was not forgotten, but was not “dealt with” so, it was continuously buried in my yarn closet. While I was pretty fearless back then, I didn’t have patience and stay power, so it was set aside for another time… and consequently never finished.
Back then, I knew nothing about construction and gauge. So, when I pulled this project out of the closet over the weekend (part of the big clean out for the wood floor installation), I decided to just deal with it. In the process of working through a few more rounds, I remembered the basic lace pattern that I had started on years ago… and I realized that this project could be repurposed and made new again – this time as a scarf or a cowl.
So, I did just that.
…and then I wrote the pattern for it…
…and made it available for free on Ravelry…
:: Blushing Lace Cowl ::
Funny that I jumped in so readily back then, and now I don’t knit much lace (if I can help it)… but as I was knitting up one last repeat, I realized it isn’t all that bad. Of course, this is a simple lace – not charted or complicated. Easily memorized. Doable. It’s quite a liberating feeling to have a project off the needles after nearly 7 years.
…and I happen to have some more Rowan Kidsilk Haze – just enough to make another version of this cowl – that I would be happy to give away to a commenter… leave a comment if you are interested in 1.75 balls of KSH in the 606 colorway! I will choose at random on Sunday evening (October 3rd).
…
Socktoberfest is nigh! I am quite excited about our sixth celebration – and some 1300 people on Ravelry are also excited! It’s not too late to join the fun! You can join us anytime in October. While I am planning to cast on for the Through the Loops Mystery Socks, I also decided to get a jumpstart on another pair of socks – that’s 100% allowed in Socktoberfest! the KAL with no rules! – and I cast on with some old stashed yarn from 2006… back when Socks that Rock was in it’s infancy. This skein was a gift, and it’s been waiting in the wings for a few years, now to become the Flammegarn Socks from Nancy Bush’s Folk Socks book – a simple slipped stitch pattern with a ribbed cuff.
Bring on the socks!!
This looks like a great project for Christmas knitting. After socktoberfest of course.
Lovely cowl in a great shade of Kidsilk. Congrats!
I’m full on excited for Socktoberfest, and will be knitting along with TTL as well. Can’t wait for Friday!
Wow! Love that 2nd photo of you!!!! Really beautiful cowl too! Nicely done
Yay yay yay! Tomorrow is October.
I am casting on a baby hat. Maybe I’ll swap it for a pair of socks instead. I can hardly wait for Socktoberfest and your latest pair of mystery socks.
Last, but not least, the blushing cowl is gorgeous. The color looks so pretty on you, and I am headed over to Ravelry right now to check out the pattern!
It’s a beautiful cowl! Lusciously soft looking!!
I’m not normally a cowl person, but this one is really pretty. It looks so light and airy! The colors look so nice on you.
Way to be resourceful and come out with a great FO in the end! That color is so lovely and electric, it goes great with your blue shirt and eyes. I’m sure it’s cuddly soft, too, just the thing to feel comforted and keep the chill away. It’s another great example of your knitting fearlessness
Ya know, I’ve not been particularly interested in knitting socks for a while now, but I’m actually thinking of casting some on for Socktoberfest. I’ve been wanting some knee or over the knee ones to wear with skirts in winter, perhaps now is the time…
Wow! So pretty! I was looking at the new patterns on Ravelry and screech! Is that Lolly? So pretty!
Oh, yeah! I would love that KSH!
The cowl is so pretty, and I love that shade of red. I love the socks, too—Socks that Rock yarn is just the best!
I’ve got a couple sock wips and a new sock project to cast on tomorrow for Socktoberfest—can’t wait!
The cowl is lovely, and a person can never go wrong with more KSH.
The color is AWESOME for you! Isn’t it the best feeling to be done with something that’s been lurking in the back of your mind for so long? I finished off a sweater last year that was both my first sweater, my first cable project, and my first charted pattern (a Forecast). It was SO liberating and I sewed in a zipper so it actually fit!
For Socktoberfest, can I just finish up all my sock-yarn projects? They’re not actually socks…
Beautiful! I’m off to see the parameters of Socktoberfest. I’ve got a pair on the needles, and would love to start a second pair – I just don’t think I can knit a pair in a month.
love the cowl color & my socktoberfest yarn came in, ToFutsies, I’m so excited to make my first pair of socks!
The cowl is stunning. And actually, I’m planning to celebrate Socktoberfest with my first ever pair of socks – shocking, I know!
I’m ending my anti-sock phase now and have some Crazy Zauberballs in my stash waiting for my needles.
Well, I would love a chance to work with some KSH. Do you think it’s itchy around your neck?
Love your blog.
Love your cowl.
Love your photos.
Would love to win! ( :
Such a nice pattern! And I love your color choice. I will definitely be making this for the cooler weather; seems like a nice gift item too.
Who doesn’t want some yummy KSH? Love that color; it looks fantastic on you
Please enter me in the running. That cowl is so gorgeous and I would love to try some KSH.
Thank you.
A beautiful result. Love the cowl.
Gorgeous cowl. Lace is tough in the beginning, especially with hairy yarn but eventually, you do get the hang of it!
I’d love the KSH.
Love that color!
Happy Socktober! Such a lovely cowl – and even more beautiful with that KSH!
I have been visiting blogs for inspiration for fall knit gift giving. Your cowl has inspired me to try a lace pattern. I have never done that before. Glad i stumbled across this just in time for the weekend
Lovely cowl and great color–I just downloaded the pattern. Thanks for writing it up!
it’s so pretty!
Hi Lolly, glad to see you are back at knitting again. I also had a hard time getting into it this summer but have picked it up again with a vengeance this week. I love that color! I’d love to knit this pattern up, with or without winning the remaining amount you will be giving away. Off to check out the pattern on ravelry! Have a good weekend.
Love that color. It is really beautiful. First time commenting, but I really enjoy your blog and have for years. And I really like that you have diverged into talking about your travel, your vegan lifestyle and yoga. A well rounded blog stays interesting anc current!
So glad I just found your gorgeous blog via Flickr! That KSH cowl is just stunning! Thanks for sharing the pattern.
its beautiful! Great advice for a newbie like me on the art of fearless knitting! Great color in yarn as well, id love to win it!
Thank goodness you finished that cowl, it is so stunning! Love your sock yarn too!
Such a cute cowl! I’m a sucker for lace, even though it takes a lot of patience and a lot of tinking back, for me anyway. I’m also a sucker for red, and it looks great on you!
What a lovely color! It looks fantastic with against your eyes and hair!
Love this so much! Hope I win this drawing because the color is so dreamy and it looks so perfect with the pattern–this would be my go to cowl this winter. xoxo
Great pattern! Thanks! I have a small stash of kidsilk haze, but that color is amazing.
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Such an elegant pattern. I think these will make wonderful Christmas presents for my 5 sister-in-laws! Thank you so much. Long time reader, first time commenter…