Thursday 25 September 2014

An Autumn Ta-dah.....







Last year I bought quite a few balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino in some rather delicious shades. With my blankets, I buy cheaper yarn, all odds and ends and different brands. The blankets are mostly big ones, and they get used and abused by the Bears. Buying luxurious stuff for blankets just isn't practical, so I keep the good stuff for small little personal projects.





With the Debbie Bliss yarn, I couldn't make up my mind whether I wanted to make some cushions or some sort of accessory for myself. I wanted to be patient and wait for just the right idea to strike me. It took a year, and it came in the early hours of the morning. Low light, complete and utter silence and hot milk in hand.

After dismissing the cushion idea, I decided that I wanted to make a cowl for Autumn/Winter. Okay, so that decided, what kind of pattern? I have loved doing my ripple blankets so I did think a ripple cowl might be nice. But then, looking at all the shades together, I decided the only way to go was a little granny square cowl. I had bought the yarn on a particularly lovely day trip to Winchester. The sun was shining and I sat on the grounds in front of the Cathedral, admiring my yarn, sipping a take away coffee and marvelling at how beautiful the Cathedral was.




The only thing that held me back with this project a little was a feeling of 'wasting' a lot of yarn. Making a cushion, I'd have got a lot more out of my yarn. Making granny squares, you waste a lot of yarn needing 'tails' to be able to thread in. With cheap yarn it's not much of an issue, but with the nicer, more expensive stuff, I couldn't help but feel a tad aggrieved that I was going to be throwing a big chunk of it away.

However, the end result MORE than made up for the feeling of waste.

I was drawn to these shades. I think they work really rather well together.......and I am glad that I waited to find the perfect project to use them on.












I would have done a little model for you today to show what it looked like on, but alas, I'm rocking the brightest red lips today, and there is a huge colour clash, so I'll save that for another day.


I am quite giddy with love for this cowl.

I've named it the 'Winchester Cowl', to reflect the wonderful memory when purchasing the yarn. I have a little yarn left over. Perhaps just enough to make a small pair of wrist warmers. Nothing 'sickly' matching, just something to tone in. I'll keep you posted.

In case you were interested, here are the yarn details:

Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino DK

White 100
Amber 066
Teal 203
Clotted Cream 065
Light Blue 202
Baby Pink 601
Mint 003


A few other details about the cowl are listed in My Ravelry Projects.



xxx

41 comments:

  1. So beautiful and gorgous ! I like it ! It's funny how the choice of the colors for autumn changes according to the persons... my autmonal blanket is so different but both have the right shades of the season !! That's why I like reading blogs ... thanks for your photos ... like always... so beautiful ! Have a nice day !

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  2. Your colours are gorgeous together, you've made such a pretty cowl. I've made a giant granny blanket in mid range priced merino, the cost coming in probably around the £100 mark and I wince as it is dragged around the floor by the children! Never mind... Anyway, I've enjoyed visiting you today and love your images as usual. Hope you have a lovely Thursday, Sam xxx

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  3. What delicious colours, and so beautifully made as always. I know what you mean about children and blankets, no cashmere for them! I shall look forward to seeing the wrist warmers, that is something I need to make too I think. CJ xx

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  4. Owh, I love it! Good decision to wait for the perfect project! It's nice to have memories of a lovely day connected to it...
    The 'sickly matching' cracked me up - it's going to be a stayer in my vocab. ;-)
    Have a lovely day, Haafner (poppy red lipstick day ;-) )

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  5. your colours are gorgeous!!!! angie

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  6. It is beautiful, such lovely soft colours! xx

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  7. Such beautiful soft colours, with just the right feel for a gentle autumnal palette....it's just perfect. I too, worry about wasted yarn, and luxury yarn being used for blankets, and then used and abused....my angels can't even 'respect' cushions.....so I love your idea of using some beautiful yarn for a small project for myself.....on that note, I'm going to zip off to find just such a project, and think of what lovely yarn I could treat myself with....maybe for my birthday....thanks for the inspiration lovely....your cowl is just so gorgeous. Sassy -xXx-

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  8. Beautiful and the colours are gorgeous.

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  9. Such a pretty project & the colours are so soothing. I collect nicer wool for me to use when I'm a little more accomplished, until then I stroke it!

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  10. I love nice yarn and those colors are beautiful! How luxurious that yarn is going to feel this winter.

    Cindy Bee

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  11. I am usually a big bright bold colour girl but these muted almost pastels are totally gorgeous :) They work so well together, I think I have pastel envy :)
    Jillxo

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  12. Such nice shades! Simple and beautiful project!

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  13. What a wonderful cowl and what a great colour-selection.
    Best wishes
    Anja

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  14. It's so beautiful; I love those colours. You must be incredibly patient to be able to wait a year, but it was well worth waiting for. x

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  15. GoRgEoUs!!! I love it. The pastel colors you chose are very much YOU. Would love to see it on, but we'll wait until those lips are toned down a bit. I never where red lipstick. It just doesn't look good on me. I bet it does on you with your dark hair. Lovely project! I love the little grannies. I just finished a big doily and a BIG mixed granny blanket. Started a new doily last night in a dark blue called Blue Hawaii. I'm not sure about a dark blue doily, but we shall see! What are you going to make next? Come by for a visit and see my blanket..it will be a couple of posts down the page by now. Love reading your blog!

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  16. What a lovely cowl!!! Do you mind if I make myself something like that...it is never going to be as beautiful as yours...but I could give it a try :o)

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  17. ~ ♥ ~ So light and beautiful. Love to come here everyday to read your word and see beautiful things..
    Thank you for sharing Vanessa ~ ♥ ~

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  18. Lovely colors,and i love theese small squares.
    Hugs

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  19. Bellissimo lavoro e i colori sono un amore!
    Baci Maria
    maria-mylittledream.blogspot.it

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  20. It is gorgeous, and if you are in love with it and are going to wear it then there is no waste to even think about.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  21. Oh so so pretty! Bring on the colder weather so you have lots of chances to wear it! Chrissie x

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  22. It is beautiful and the colours look so beautiful together. Like you I use cheap yarn for blankets, but like to use any expensive yarn for something nicer and more personal that won't get "thrown about". I think that this is a wonderful use for this yarn and it will also be a wonderful cowl for you to snuggle up in!!! xx

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  23. Oops! I thought I already left you a comment earlier?! Well, it is absolutely beautiful, I love the idea! :) And it works really well in the colours you have put together!!!
    Have fun wearing it!
    Ingrid xx
    http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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  24. What a neat little cowl. I think you made the right decision. You will enjoy this cowl so much more on a daily basis than a cushion. And look! YOu got left overs!!! Maybe a pair of mitts to go with it?
    Xxx
    Annette

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  25. ...very very nice :-)
    Hugs and kisses from Tatjana

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  26. What a joy to visit your blog!
    This is a wonderful job!
    the colors are so beautiful!
    I am happy to see you still so creative!
    Congratulations, a beautiful blanket!
    Have a nice day!

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  27. Oh Vanesa, this is so good! DB has some lovely colours doesn't she and your selection is just divine, and those tiny grannies were absolutely the right way to go. The border sets it off beautifully too and basically I love everything about it! What a clever, creative talent you are. I just finished a knitted cowl, but now I want one just like this! ;)

    S x

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  28. Lovely! Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino comes in such yummy colours, it's hard to choose, but I love your choice. Have a great weekend.
    Jane xx

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  29. So very lovely! Doesn't Debbie Bliss just have the BEST colors?

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  30. Love those colours together, it's perfect
    Clare x

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  31. Oh it's simply beautiful! I LOVE everything about it!! xo

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  32. Oh my those colours are lovely x

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  33. What a beautiful piece of work, I love the colours, it puts me in the mood to pick up my hook again.

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  34. How lovely! I adore your tadahs! This has inspired me to finally finish the neck of that poncho that's been waiting since last year. Still in time for autumn though. :-)

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  35. It's absolutely beautiful! Nicely done m'dear :)

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  36. It's so lovely! The perfect use of some special yarn. :)

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  37. I absolutely LOVE the color combination - very nicely done, as always! :)

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