An unblogged project made it’s way into my 8th Blogiversary post – shocking!

High time I told you all about it don’t you think?

The cowl in question is “The Purl Soho Stitch Block Cowl” – a beautiful cowl using 3 different slip stitch patterns and written to use Purl Soho’s own Worsted Twist yarn.

It’s available free here: The Purl Soho Stitch Block Cowl

This is the pattern piccy that blew me away…

I had a couple of (expensive!) skeins of this yarn in pale blue left over from my Purl Soho Pullover (Yes, the one Ben shrank in the washing machine-sob!) and I also had some lovely cream Jaeger Merino, reclaimed from Keats, a frogged jumper from long ago – it was Aran weight but I figured it would work. I saw this as a virtuous stash busting opportunity and rushed out to buy one skein of lovely expensive Madelaine Tosh in dark blue for the third colour (Stash busting 4 out of the 5 skeins needed is good, right?)

So how did it turn out???

I think the colours worked!! I love all three of those patterns but the way the three colour tweed looks like trebles in crochet is particularly pleasing 🙂

This was a romp to knit but quite a mind bender. I was convinced I had gone wrong in the first few rows as I had “purl bumps” on the right side where there shouldn’t be any bumps. After undoing and redoing a few times I took a leap of faith and just followed the pattern. It turns out that after a couple of rows you “knit the stitch below” and slip those purl bumpy stitches – this is what makes that fabulous pattern. I have to compliment the pattern writing too – the technique was expertly described with detailed clear pictures so I won’t go try to reproduce it here – just read the pattern!

I suppose you want to see the finished garment now huh? Not an easy one to get a good photo of!!

Ben snapped a piccy of me in his games room with the cowl just over my jumper (That is the French Cable jumper BTW)….

Then we tried my “My ears are cold and it’s snowing!” look, for running to the station at 07:00am…

Then I decided it does look better with my Duffle coat – This is my “So, My train is late AGAIN” face 😉

But this is a better piccy – lovely and warm and cosy 😀

Completed Knit Report
Name:	Stitch Block Cowl
Pattern:	By Purl Bee of Purl Soho
Yarn:	Purl soho Worsted twist, Jaeger Merino Aran and Madelaine Tosh vintage worsted
Pattern Problems:	None – but you do have to trust the pattern.
Pattern Modifications:	Use one aran and 2 worsted yarns – made the width a bit inconsistent but it doesn’t notice when worn
Washing and Wearing:	Very warm but a bit too long and bulky for my small frame – should have made it a bit shorter.
Knit It Again???:	Maybe – a great stash buster and fun to wear
Difficulty:	Quite hard. Definitely not for the beginner.
Rating:	4/5
Other Postings Relating To This One:	None