Seeds & Stems by Hannah Thiessen

Seeds & Stems

Knitting
October 2020
Garden Wool & Dye Co. Local Wool Cormo Fingering
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
25 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches
in Stems Pattern, blocked
US 6 - 4.0 mm
340 - 680 yards (311 - 622 m)
Single Loop (Double Loop)
English

The stitch pattern across this cowl is made to resemble seed pods and tiny sprouts; signs of spring and the cyclical nature of each season. Celebrate the emergence of each new panel in a slightly rustic, fingering weight wool: I used Garden Wool & Dye Co.’s Local Wool, a Cormo Fingering weight sourced from Dresow Family Farm in Minnesota.

Sizes
Single or Double Loop

Finished Measurements
Circumference: 25 (50)“ / 63.5 (127) cm
Width/Height: 16” (40.6 cm)
Note: Measurements are taken blocked and unstretched but this fabric is fairly stretchy.

Yardage
340 (680) yards / 311 (622) meters of fingering weight
If substituting another yarn, look for one that both is lightweight and has good structure. Cormo as a wool fiber has considerable bounce, and good replacements include Targhee, Rambouillet, Merino that has not been superwashed, and other similar wools.

Find a woolen-spun yarn with lots of air, if you can, for a truly delicious cowl, or use a worsted-spun yarn for greater stitch definition. The Garden Wool & Dye Co. yarn has a bit of a thick-and-thin quality, which enhances the organic nature of the piece.

I have suggested some alternative yarns in the pages of the book:
Little Grey Sheep Hampshire 4ply - UK
Woolly Mammoth Fibre Company Natural Sock - UK
JDMS Mohonk Light - US
Sincere Sheep Equity Fingering - US