Your fabric looks so beautiful. It will indeed grow a bit when you block it, so I say, get close to 12 inches, then block and I bet you will be right on the money. You are making me want a red & green pinwheel cushion for holiday festivizing!
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That’s a great post. I will toss in my 2 cents though, and say that with these patterns by Kaffe, dominance is not the issue that it can be in multi-color stranded colorwork, such as Alice Starmore-style knitting. Kaffe is using 2 colors per row, and as long as you handle them consistently, you are going to be fine.
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Congratulations to Team Kaffe Giftalong winner Rebecca @beccabdesigns on Instagram! Coins and Boxes cowls for her library’s knitwear drive shown here. Keep stranding, y’all! xoCristina
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These are both so stunning. I love the way Becca played with the boxes motif especially.
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Now that I have tried out the Rowan tweed I find the yarn is so cooperative and easy to knit with. I am using the prescribed size 5 needle which makes a wonderful flex and stretch to the yarn, couldn’t have asked for a better combination.
The pillow cover I am knitting is the first trial of Kaffe colors, not quite as was shown on the book but, I sorta mixed as I went, it is such fun to experiment. Also, I’m knitting in the round and will try a steek for the second time ever. Whew such trial-and-error is an adventure!
I do find the stockinette stitch in the beginning curling too much for my exuberant start, so the next time I’ll add in a few garter stitch rows to relax the project while I am knitting.
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A belated thank you, thank you, for the compliment and encouragement — after being sidelined with a family emergency. I’ve managed to knit the front of my pillow and wonder why I haven’t started stranded knitting sooner! The pinwheel pattern is so easy to memorize, too - it’s all right there in front of you. Now I have to decide whether the back will be solid or patterned! Maybe striped. . .
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Hi Dawn!! I was in the same boat — had never done any color work other than stripes or Log Cabin but I don’t count that. But I was SO excited about MDK FG13 that I tried knitting using my e-version because I was out of town and my shipment didn’t arrive before I left. I did the coin cowl. Is it perfect? No. But the better question: Is it wearable and/or gift able. Good enough for me!!! Courage, my friend, courage. Just try it. It really isn’t near as hard as I thought it would be. I did practice on a washcloth, but I’m thinking the stranded yarn in the back isn’t such a great thing for a washcloth.And cotton isn’t as easy to work with as wool. You will LOVE what you create. I promise.
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My Christmas has arrived. Well, almost all of it. I am so grateful for the Shade card. Now I know what I’m missing and will order the rest. Santa is so good to me.
is
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I grafted the live stitches and mattress stitched the cast on. If I were doing it again I’d do a provisional cast on.
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Here’s what I started before my Rowan Tweed arrived. Kinda funny, because Kaffe is all about color and this is his pattern minus all the color. Oh well. A friend had asked for a Black and Tan scarf. I did the mistake rib on the same sized needles (because I didn’t have multiple sizes with me) but of course it rolled, so I spent hours take out the first part. I found a yarn store and bought smaller needles. Following the directions has its benefits. This was my first stranded color work (well after the washcloth). I’m happy with the outcome and intend to gift it.
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DREAM stash!
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I love these neutrals so much! So modern and cool.
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I love it anyway. Very sophisticated.
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Twenty-four Appleseed Coasters later…toss the confetti for @Buckeyelisa, this week’s Giftalong winner. Happy stranding, team Kaffe, xoCristina
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Thanks, Christina! I’m so excited to have won. Since coming home from the holiday weekend I’ve been super swamped and a neighbor’s son lost his blankie. It’s emergency knitting time here and it’s not pretty. We are trying to replicated the lost blanket knit in some acrylic that is no where near the beautiful wools I’m used to working with but when a three year old needs something we must push through. Can’t wait to get back to knitting through all the color work options in the Field Guide. I’ve got another OTN and waiting.
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I’m so envious of that stash!!!
A backless pillow looks good from the front. One more to go, and the next one’s coin (and square). Then they’re going to be gifted along. . .
#mdkgiftalong #mdkteamkaffe
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Wow! Also, YES to the shade card. I’m using it to sub colors from my small stash of leftover historic colors.
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I loved the boxes because of the triple strands in those middle rows. I think that pattern could be knit in a quite fine yarn and still be basically windproof. Life in Michigan is especially harsh for those of us that grew up in the South and we really need that extra insulation.
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