NOTES:

1. For DK/sport, cast on 290 on size 15 needles to get 58” around. I knit 53 rows plus the bind-off row to achieve 14”.
2. Crocheted cast-on gave me the most even-appearing edge, but I see that others have had great success with other methods.
3. When you have to set your knitting down, remember when you come back to be sure the second (left-hand) stitch from the last K2tog is still on the left needle. It’s very easy to just pick up the needles and knit the next 2 stitches together - but you’ll find several rows later a gap in the herringbone. You can easily check for missed stitches every few rows by looking at the back of your work - if there’s any interruption in the chain appearance, you know you’ve missed that second stitch of the K2tog.
4. When I had to rip out a few rows to fix a mistake, I used a size one 32” circular needle - just slipped it very easily under each slanted stitch in the row of the mistake. Once I got all the stitches on the smaller needle, I could rip away with reckless abandon! It acted like a lifeline. Then I slid everything back onto the 15s.
5. When starting the next round, pull the first couple of stitches snug so as to avoid a loose, sloppy join. I got better at this toward the end of the project, and those joins are far less noticeable than the earlier ones.

02/09/11: Off the needles and blocking now. Updated photos coming as soon as blocking is dry. I am a new madelinetosh fan! This is a beautiful yarn - photos don’t capture all the subtleties of hue and shade. There’s a warm peachy color to Calligraphy that you really can’t see in photos.

02/05/11: I switched to tosh merino DK because I just couldn’t stand the pilling of the Moss Loop-d-Loop. It’s a soft and lightweight yarn and a lovely color, but it’s so dang felty and sheddy the cowl looks like it’s been worn for a hundred years and it’s not even off the needles yet. I set it aside and may finish it later just because I can see no other use for this yarn - and I’ll just use the cowl when I’m walking the dog in the woods. I love the stitch definition in the tosh merino DK, and it is a pleasure to knit.

02/03/11: Almost finished when I got to thinking that it looked too small around. Took it off the needles and measured it, and sure enough, it’s 48” instead of 58” around. I must have been unconscious when I cast on only 220 when I should have cast on 290 (to get gauge with the Loop-d-Loop). Ripping out and starting over.

01/30/11: Canceled my order for Blue Sky Alpaca Worsted Hand Dye and instead am using Moss Loop-d-Loop from my stash. Knit a full skein on 17s, decided it was too loose and have started again on 15s.

01/29/11: The crocheted cast-on is definitely the way to go with this cowl. Also, after knitting large test swatches with both size 15 and 17 circulars, I’ll stick with the 17s. I thought the stitches were too big on the 17s, but the 15s made for more of a close fabric and the 17s kept the pattern loose and crunchy. Just waiting for the replacement yarn to arrive!!

01/28/11: Knit a full skein on 15 circs. Got 9 rows. It’s very easy and enjoyable to knit this. HOWEVER. The ply of the Louisa Harding Thistle makes for a ridged appearance that I don’t like. I have ordered the Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dye to knit this project because it has a smoother appearance that does not distort the herringbone pattern. I will frog the Thistle and use it for another project. Meanwhile, I picked up a little pearl from emmylouhelmuth’s project page in which she cast on with single crochet to get a better edge. I’m going to try that while I wait for the Blue Sky Alpaca to come in.

01/25/11: Cast this on and ripped out about a hundred times. Even though I always cast on loosely and consistently, I had trouble working the needle into the stitch. I tried casting on over 2 needles, but the stitches were much too loose then. Switching from long tail cast-on to knitted cast-on helped a lot.

After knitting 3 rounds, I decided the size 17 circulars were too big, so I started yet again on size 15 circulars. Three rows in on the 15s, it looks a lot better. All this even after knitting up multiple swatches to test the stitch pattern and cast on! But now it should go straight on from here, and I should be able to watch TV while knitting this.