I'm Inspired

My Inspira Cowl is finished and blocked. I really, really want to start another one. It was quick to knit and you get to see so many colours.

Pattern: Inspira Cowl (free on Ravelry)
Yarn: Classic Elite Liberty Wool
Sample: 2 balls of 78109 and 1 ball of 78107
Needles: 5mm, 60cm
Version: Steampunk

How was the cowl blocked? After I finished knitting it, I put it in a bucket of cold water with a squirt of Soak. I let is sit for 15 minutes and then I dumped out the water. I gently squeezed the cowl to get out excessive water and then laid it out to dry. I didn't use pins and don't usually use them unless it's a lacy shawl. Twice a day I would rotate the cowl so that it wasn't folded in the same spot to dry. This can cause creases on the side.

I borrowed this from the Soak website about washing (blocking) your knits

cleaning your knits with soak

• Check if it’s colour fast. Rub some Soak on a hidden part of your item and rinse after two minutes. If there’s no bleeding, you’re good to go.
• Prepare yourself for some dirt. When you hand wash, you get a whole new perspective on the dirt and oil in your clothes – you’ll probably see it in the water, especially if you haven’t washed your piece in a while. If the water is really dirty, pour it out and soak a second time.
• Don’t worry about colour. Gentle cleansers like Soak can pull excess dye out of knitted items. So if you see dye in the water, it’s okay. It won’t harm your item. It comes out of your clothes in the machine too, you just don’t see it there.
• Get the water out. Squeeze out as much as you can, but be gentle. Don’t wring or twist it and don’t lift it up and let the weight of the water stretch it out. Roll it up in a clean towel to absorb water, or if your machine has a gentle spin cycle, just spin it away.
• Lay it flat. Place the item on a towel, reshaping as you go (for the knitting-uninitiated, this process is called blocking). Lay it flat in a spot with good air circulation on all sides. Flip it over so it has a chance to dry on both sides.
• Knitters, Soak your swatches. Measure your stitch count when the swatch has dried; the stitches will relax and the block will likely grow in size.

I was looking through pictures on my computer and found an Inspira Cowl that Beth knit. I just emailed her and asked if she knew where it was. I want it in the store :)

One last cowl. This sample that is hanging in the store.

Do I take balls home to start another one while watching the World Series tonight??