Monday 10 November 2014

Blue Shells Cowl, Hart Labeur in Borgerhout, and a quick stroll around a Fort

Welcome back!

Hope you had a nice restful weekend? I bet you have been busy making things!!! Or did you take advantage of the good weather?

Thanks for all your responses with regards to the Silver Shells Cowl in my last post! As mentioned before, I was a bit unhappy about how the cowl was crocheted in a rectangular flat piece and then had to be joined up.

So last Monday I managed to buy some more of the merino wool (SMC Select Extra Soft Merino Color), this time in the blue colourway (05282) and began chaining the first stitches on the bus later that night.

This time I joined up and began crocheting in the round. It was finished early Saturday morning (after a quick trip to the shop to get extra yarn!) Note that this yarn has about 3 shades of blue and some lovely Magenta, it is quite different from the grey version I used before.

Close up of the new Cowl
03.11.14 Crocheting in the round
04.11.14 Crocheting the smaller Shell stitches
04.11.14 CurrentWIPs

In the above photo you can see the current projects I was working on last Tuesday. Apart from the Shell Stitch Cowl I was also adding more rows to my colourful South Bay Shawlette and I had started some knitting with Drops Alpaca Boucle (I am making a supersoft neckscarf).

Hart Labeur

Here you can see the wonderful ladies from the Knitting Group Hart Labeur who meet in Borgerhout. This was the first Group I discovered about 19 months ago. The ladies have been meeting here a long time and are very friendly! It certainly helped with learning more Dutch, because we all love to chat!!!
(You might spot my colourful Shawlette lying on the table!)

04.11.14 Hart Labeur Knitting Group (Borgerhout, Antwerpen)
...and here photographed from the other side!
 Here are some photos of the finished Blue Shells Cowl - Ta-dah!!!

08.11.14 Blue Shells Cowl finished

Both Shell Cowls next to each other

Modelling the new Cowl

A quick Stroll around the Fort


Saturday afternoon we managed to go on a quick walk around one of Antwerp's forts - Fort 5 in Edegem. It is surrounded by water. I enjoy going for a walk there. The paths had some work done on them and are easy for everyone to walk on, young and old. Usually we encounter plenty of joggers, as well as people with children and dogs, going for walks. This time we got there late in the afternoon and had to hurry, since the gates are being locked at 5pm in the wintertime! We didn't want to get locked in!!!

Here are just a few photos capturing my impressions!

Entering through one of the fortress walls
View from the other side of the walls
Gorgeous Autumn colours
Pretty Seed Heads
These Seed Heads!!! I was so determined to photograph them in close ups, that I never noticed that my long black cardigan was totally covered in them afterwards!!! They cling and stick to anything and are tricky to remove!!!

I was lucky to get these few photos, as the light began to fade quickly!

Hope you enjoyed this little update! I have got more to tell you, but that is for another post!

Please leave me a little comment, I love to read them all!







16 comments:

  1. A nice cowl and merino is so warm...
    And the pics with seeds.. I like nature pics.
    Miss.

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  2. Hallo Ingrid! Weer onvermoeibaar aan het werk! En zo'n mooie creaties!
    Je natuurfoto's zijn prachtig! Ik denk dat ik je voorbeeld ook eens ga volgen! Maar welk resultaat het zal opleveren, dat valt af te wachten!
    Op 11 november ben je welkom in Zurenborg en de 13 de gaan we in de namiddag bij Madam Woll! Tot binnenkort? Lieve groetjes!

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    1. Dankje, Christine! Ik zal vanavond graag meedoen! :) Ja, nu is het makkelijk zo mooie foto's te maken! Tot ziens!!! xx

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  3. I love the cowl in the dark colors too!
    Oh I don't like when stickies attach to sweaters and fleece. Good luck getting them out nicely

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    1. Thanks, Kathy! It seems a versatile pattern! Oh, well I tried my best to remove them all, the fact that the cardigan also contains mohair has made it extra challenging!!! xx

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  4. Der blaue Cowl sieht traumhaft schön aus. Ich sehe deine Arbeiten immer wieder gerne!

    Liebe Grüße, Didi

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    1. Danke, liebe Didi! Und ich koennte mittlerweile Deine schoenen Streifensocken gebrauchen, es wird kalt hier!!! :) xx

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  5. The blue cowl is beautiful, I love the colours in the yarn, perfect for the cold weather. Your outdoor pictures are stunning, so pretty.

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    1. Hi Lorraine! Thanks! You know me, I love all sorts of yarn with different colours in it!!! xx

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  6. I didn't dislike your first cowl in any way - I really liked it in fact! - but, I appreciate that you didn't like the joining, it is a difficult one isn't it. However, I love your second cowl and can tell the difference - in a good way!! I hope that you love and wear them both. xx

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    1. Hi Amy! Heheh, I know what you mean! With the blue version you can just put it on without having to check that the join is always at the centre back. This also means you can vary which colours are 'at the front'. I've already worn the grey one a lot during the last few days! xx

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  7. Love that blue yarn for the cowl. I'm sure it was much nicer to make in the round.

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    1. Yes, Gillian, so much easier to continue going round! xx

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  8. Your cowls are gorgeous! I love them both. I especially like the unusual shape, the way it drapes over the shoulders. It must be nice and warm and the design is so pretty and feminine. Well done!

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    1. Hi Jennifer! Thanks!! What drew me was initially the shells pattern (which actually is quite easy), The shape didn't show up so well on the original pattern illustration (see link on my original post)! I like it as well, it makes it extra snuggly!!! xx

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