Rowan Felted Tweed has captured our hearts. If you aren’t already knitting along in our Play With Color KAL, more colors of Felted Tweed have just arrived, which means more colors to choose from for your 7 Color Scarf*, your Astrid* hat, Lindgren* mittens, Pressed Flowers* shawl, Play With Color Cowl*… wait—what?
Yes—my striped and cabled cowl finally has a name, thanks to the lovely commenters on our Facebook page. For now, the free pattern for the Play With Color Cowl* is only available from GYI with your purchase of Felted Tweed, but it will be posted on Ravelry at the end of the knit-along.
If you know me, you know I regularly “geek out” when I find new knitting tricks and tips. With the Play With Color Cowl* off my needles, I wanted to cast on for the Astrid* hat, which starts with 1×1 ribbing.
The look of 1×1 or 2×2 ribbing can always be improved by using either an Alternate Cable Cast On or switching between long tail cast on knits and purls, as Cheryl Brunette shows here and Purl Soho demonstrates slingshot-style here. My vote, however, for the most elastic, attractive ribbed edge always goes to a tubular cast on.
I had been using a version of the Long Tail Tubular Cast On1 with a slight modification2 (see my Geeky Footnotes, below), but I couldn’t resist researching other methods for Astrid* to achieve that smooth, rolled tubular edge.
For knitting “aha moments,” I often turn to Roxanne Richardson’s YouTube Channel for her Technique Tuesday videos. Sure enough, my knitter’s brain was blown by her tutorial for a Tubular Crochet Cast On. I used it for Astrid* and am completely happy with the results. Yes, it has a few extra steps, but foolproof wins out over fussy. I have a new favorite.
Geeky Footnotes:
1 I do still love a long tail method for creating a tubular cast on—what if you don’t have a crochet hook and waste yarn handy when you want to cast on for ribbing? The first tubular cast on method I ever learned involved picking up stitches, demonstrated here by Eunny Jang. Then I found Ysolda Teague’s video. Eureka! It’s so much easier to make, even though it has the slight downside of creating twisted knit stitches that must be worked through their back strands on the first set-up row. This Purl Soho video shows the same method. This video shows a fiendishly-clever trick for a gap-free way to join a tubular edge in the round and uses the same method as the two above but demonstrated in the Continental style.
2 Another version of a long tail cast on for ribbing that doesn’t produce twisted knit stitches in the first row is the Italian Cast On, and, once again, Roxanne Richardson, a.k.a. Rox, has a clear explanation in this video. The edging it produces isn’t truly tubular but—fun fact—you can turn an Italian Cast On into a tubular edging by adding two or four set-up rows of alternately knit and slipped stitches—and that’s the modification I’ve been using. As Rox says, there are many ways in knitting to end up in the same place, and I originally learned the Italian Cast On from this 2006 blog post, even though it shows a completely different way to achieve the same cast on.
Now it’s show time! Time to showcase finished projects. On the subject of tubular cast ons, I encountered a completely unfamiliar version when making a Churchmouse Ribbed Watch Cap & Beanie*. It starts with a backward loop cast on—not my favorite—and in the unlikely event I were ever to make another deep brimmed hat with sock yarn (like this madelinetosh Tosh Sock) on 200 stitches in all 1×1 ribbing with US 1/2.25mm needles, I would use ANY of the tubular cast on techniques mentioned above before using the one in this pattern. Just sayin’. But I do like the hat.
Our customer Molly recently rediscovered knitting and enjoyed having her skills come back to her as she knit the Wheat scarf by Tin Can Knits. Her yarn is Malabrigo Rios. Gorgeous.
Saritha also picked Vintage for her own Wheat—bet you can’t tell it’s her first FO ever!
Steven, an accomplished sweater knitter, used the traditional “Modified Drop Shoulder Sweater” pattern from Ann Budd’s Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns for his handsome pullover. He held strands of Trendsetter New York and Sugar Bush mohair/silk Drizzle together throughout for one cozy, classy sweater.
The remaining FOs all come from our customer Bonnie and represent her “output” since November. I think I need to spend more time knitting!
First up, her Arrochar* cowl from Meg Gadsbey. The pinkalicious yarn is Malabrigo Rios.
Below, the Cache Pullover* by Laura Spargo Anderson. Yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash.
Above, the Odila Cape Pullover* designed by Heidi May in Cascade 128 Superwash. Below, Kristen Rettig’s Gingersnap* in Berroco Ultra Wool.
Warmest Wishes*, a pattern from Sophie McKane, in Berroco Vintage Chunky.
Next, the Logan Hooded Poncho* from Muki Crafts, also in Berroco Vintage Chunky.
Here’s the Wee Gol Tee* by DesiLoop designer Sheta Shankar Khatri. Yarn is Classic Elite Liberty Wool.
The Lodgepole Pullover* was designed by Sara Gresbach. Bonnie used Ewe So Sporty from Ewe Ewe Yarns. Begun for big sister, it fits little sister.
Above, a Frosty the Polar Bear hat for each granddaughter from the book Knitted Animal Hats by Fiona Goble. Below, Koala Hat*, created by Cassandra May. All hats knit from Berroco Vintage Chunky.
For this OOAK mother/daughter mitt set in Malabrigo Rios, Bonnie had fun mixing and matching parts of different patterns.
Below, a slouch hat that’s another of her own patterns, knit from stash yarn topped with a bright I-cord bow. She made the pompom-topped Sidewinder Beanie* in Malabrigo Rasta with plenty of growing room. Pattern from Aspen Leaf Knits.
And finally, another Bonnie “original” in some bright and colorful mystery stash yarn, a muff for her younger granddaughter to keep little hands warm.
Keep on stitching, everyone!
Note: Patterns marked with an asterisk (*) are available at Gosh Yarn It!