Blue Faced Leicester – Confessions of a Fibre Strumpet

I was chatting with a friend briefly yesterday, who happened to mention a real lack of time of late and it really struck a cord with me. I know I’m not alone in feeling like I’m constantly playing catch up and these intrusive thoughts can end up causing a problem.

I wonder if it’s a pressure we put on ourselves because of social media? I confess to having to fight with myself on occasion, not to get drawn into the latest pattern to grip the knitting world, or take up a new hobby – macramé anyone? It’s hard though and it’s in our nature to want to belong, so we join in, even if we know we don’t have the time, so something has to give – right?

I’m drawing your attention to the photograph of the cowl I’d completed but gifted before taking a snap of the finished item from the last post.

Some of you will have no doubt seen me knitting it and a good few of you were surprised to hear it wasn’t for me as they’re definitely my colours, so much so that I was a little tempted to keep it 😉 Dina and I purchased the yarn from The Knitting Goddess stall at Yarndale last year after spotting their pretty sample garment, which was in very different shades and of which they’d sold out 😦 Undeterred we opted for something different, me thinks years of living in my technicoloured world might finally be having an affect (step away from the black and grey clothes).

The pattern is called the Mirrored Linen Stitch Cowl by Joy McMillan, who owns The Knitting Goddess with her husband Bobbie. The yarn I’ve used is their Hand Dyed Chunky Roving which is 100% Blue Faced Leicester. It feels as soft as it looks too and the striking contrast in colours really makes the Linen Stitch pop.

The beautiful shade is called Semi Solid Red

and this even more gorgeous one is called Turquoise Haze

Fortunately, the lovely Dr. Sock had recently knitted a scarf in Linen Stitch and we had searched for the best cast off method to use at the time, so I was ahead of the game and knew to go with a sewn cast off. 225 stitches and a couple of hours later (at least it seemed like it), the cowl was complete.

The eagle eyed amongst you may have noticed that there’s a twist in the cowl and if you look at the pattern on Ravelry there isn’t. I was horrified 🙈 when I noticed and even took it off of my needles and tried it on to see what it would look like. By happy coincidence, it’s probably made it sit a little better, making it snugger and as a result cosier 👌

The recipient agrees – but she would, wouldn’t she?