Today is really a FO Friday: I have my finished Marshmallow Fluff cowl to share! The Yoda hat was done and in the mail by 1, so after that I had nothing to do but knit on the cowl, and I was binding off by dinner time.
The good: it was a great pattern for this yarn. The simple design makes the yarn the star, which was my intention. I love the fit, with it high enough to burrow my face into when the wind blows. It was an easy, fast knit.
The bad: it itches!! I have sensitive skin, so really any wool around my neck isn’t great. I can tolerate some with less prickle, but this yarn, as gorgeous as it is, has more prickle than I’m comfortable with. But my brilliant Knitting SIL suggested lining it, and I love the cowl enough that I think it’s a fantastic idea. It will make it even cozier! I want to find some fuchsia fleece, I think.
The ugly: my attempt at Kitchener stitch to graft it together. Let me start by saying this was only my second attempt at Kitchener (but my first turned out A LOT better than this). Also, I didn’t try to alter the process for the purl stitches vs the slipped stitches. I went with purl all the way across. It looks great on the inside, but here’s the right side seam:
The rows don’t match up! That bothers me a lot. My knitting SIL said Kitchener is always off by half a stitch, so maybe that’s part of it. I’m not expert enough with grafting to know how much is operator difficulty and how much is expected. Regardless, at this point I wish I had just done the 3-needle bind off the way the pattern instructed, and the way Mulch and More Crafts did with the ridge on the inside. Lesson learned: sometimes the pattern designer really does know best!
Recap: I used Vice Yarns Well Hello Big Boy, which is listed as a super bulky, and I used the whole skein. I knit with size 15 needles. Many thanks to Sarah Kraly for the free pattern, and thanks to Jenna at HardKnitLife for the idea and for playing along…if she’s started knitting yet! 😉
If you’ve decided to make one, I’d love to see your photos and hear your experience with the bind off!
bonnyknits 
I like your cowl and nobody will notice the bind off really! Your knitting helper is adorable 🙂
Thank you! I confess, he’s my favorite puppy. 🙂
Your supervisor (dog) is so cute as he(she?) sleeps on the job!
I like your cowl, and your SIL had the same suggestion I was going to give 🙂
Mine used less yarn than the pattern said (about 65yds) and came out to gauge/size using smaller needles (although my yarn was a little thick’n thin it must really be super bulky? or I knit loose?)
Haha! Yes, that’s Jack. It’s hard work keeping track of the yarn! LOL
Love the colors! Lining it sounds like a great idea.
Sniff Sniff… Your cowl looks great. That’s a great idea. Kitchener stitch UHG…
Yeah, Kitchener isn’t my favorite to do, but when it works well, it’s awesome!