Oceanos Cowl

Malabrigo March is here! I actually got started a month early, or two, (apparently I need to work on my patience) and now have quite a few Malabrigo finished projects to show.

First is a neck warmer for my dearest love. He requested a scarf and then at the last minute decided a smaller neck warmer would work better.  After choosing the yarn, (Malabrigo Worsted in Oceanos), he choose this pattern. After reading through it, I figured it would be easy and not take that long. WRONG!!!!

Let me explain.

I ended up having to cast on three different times just to get it correct. First, I read the instructions incorrectly and casted on in the round. The second time it was too few stitches (not a problem with the pattern but rather Dustin wanting it to be larger in size). The third time, too many stitches (Dustin decided it was too big now). Fourth time was a charm! I was finally off and knitting, and then the pattern started to come easier.  Now I was really cruzing... that is until I reached the first button hole row.  Rip, rip, rip! Try that again.  This time it was not my fault. The pattern has an error, and you should knit a row in between the button rows.

I ended making quite a few modifications to this pattern.  Here is what I did.

*I used a worsted weight yarn
*Cast on 104 sts (if I were to make this again, I would cast on 96... but I won't be making another one)
*I worked the pattern for 3" before the first button hole.
*Worked 7 rows of K1P1 before bind off.

This was by far one of the most challenging and frustrating patterns I have worked yet.  I don’t necessarily think that it is a difficult pattern to work (it is actually quite easy and the end result is just lovely), I just think it has difficult instructions.  They way the pattern is written, makes it extremely difficult to follow... resulting in lots of ripping and lots of frustration.  I almost gave up on this project several times just because of the pattern instructions.

In the end, I'm glad I finished it.  It was a challenge, and helped me to grow in a little patience (mind you not very much, but a little), and the hubby loves it - which makes it all worth it. After blocking the cowl, it grew quite a bit.  Then after a few times of wearing it, it has stretched out a little more.  Hubby kept complaining that it wasn't tight enough, so I removed the buttons from the button band edge and moved them in a little.  Now it fits perfectly.  And just in time for spring!  Hopefully it will get a lot more wear next year. 

Raverly Link
Pattern - Pretty Bird Neck Warmer by Knitting Pretty in DC
Yarn - Malabrigo Merino Worsted, in Oceanos
Needles -Size 8
Buttons - Purchased at LYS
Date Started - Nov. 17, 2010: frogged project and re-cast on December 1, 2010

Date Finished - Finished w/out buttons 1/2/11; finished with buttons 1/28/11
Total Hours - 9 (this includes the 4 hours I put into it and had to frog)

PS - My favorite yarn store, Mr. Yarn, (best prices around for Malabrigo yarn) is having a Malabrigo March Madness Sale on their already discounted prices.  Head on over to their shop and get some Malabrigo goodness.