Blocking Trials and Honey Cowl

I got to work last night blocking my Pole Cardigan which is knit in Madelinetosh Vintage in Tart. I put it in the water and instantly the water turned red. Not pinkish or a reddish tinge, I mean RED. So, I rinsed out the water, rinsing off the sweater hoping to get some of the color out and tried again hoping for a lesser shade of red. Nope, still RED. I kept trying rinsing and soaking eventually the water started fading but I still couldn't get it to stop running or turning quite red. This went on for hours I should tell you. So, what did I do? I turned to my trusty friend Jessica who is knowledgeable on all things Knitteth. She suggested that I try adding vinegar to the water. Which I tried and it worked wonderfully.

Now, it's laid out to dry. Hopefully it will be dry before this weekend as I want to take it away with me this weekend to Chicago.

I wove in the ends today on a Honey Cowl knit with Madelinetosh Tosh Light in Amber Trinket. I knit this as an early Christmas present for my friend Deb. This is the third Honey Cowl I've knit and I'm done knitting them. I love how they look, but I was bored knitting it this time. I love the colorway though. The picture doesn't do it justice. I held the yarn doubled and used all but about two feet of it. It's only 9" wide, which is as wide as I knit the other Honey Cowls and they have worked perfectly. With the yarn held doubled, the cowl is so thick and squishy. 

I had a moment of Startitis take over me while at the yarn store the other day. Never good to go in there without a project. I really should know better. I grabbed the nearest yarn to me and started a cowl. The yarn was Classic Elite's Mountaintop Chalet and the cowl is knit like a scarf then joined. Urgh! I'm basically knitting a scarf. I'm two thirds completed and will hurry and get it complete in the next day or so, as I'm eager to get something more interesting on the needles. Am I the only one who ever casts on without thinking the project through and regrets it later. 

I always think there is too much fun knitting out there to be knitting on something you don't enjoy. However, I'm determined to not add to the list of UFO's that are hanging around this house, as I've been trying really hard to reduce them. So knit on with the scarf/cowl I will.