Inspiration
Cozy Cottage
Phew. One week out from the launch of Field Guide No. 26, and my Field Guide No. 25: Botanica project is finally done and dusted.
*sigh*
Dee Hardwicke’s Cottage Throw is as delightful to have and to hold—and not as daunting to knit—as it looks. If this design is in your queue, kick it up from the “when I’m retired” spot to “casting on as soon as the yarn gets here.”
We’ve got all the how-to you need:
Handy Tips for Stranded Colorwork
That’s probably more than you need. The colors and variety and rhythm of Dee’s charming motifs kept me going through six panels.
Preliminary color stories
There’s really no way to go wrong building your own palette of Atlas colors.
Apply that Black and White filter to check contrast. You want two motif shades in each trio that stand out against the background.
Here are my picks panel-by-panel.
Mallard + Clementine and Tutu
Whisper + Truffle and Cedar
Cedar + Leek and Tutu
Seaglass + Cedar and Barn Red … and Clementine and Pear
Navy + Pear and Natural
And because I loved this combination so much the first time: Cork + Mallard and Barn Red.
All together now! (You can see better that whisper is the palest lavender shade in this shot.)
I used 2 skeins each of Seaglass, Mallard, Cedar, and Navy and 1 skein each Barn Red, Cork, Leek, Natural, Pear, Truffle, Tutu, Clementine, and Whisper. Instead of knitting a seed stitch border in a single color, I knit each side in garter stitch in Clementine, Leek, Navy, and Natural and then I cast-off in a contrasting color.
And here is the Field Guide sample in the palette of Atlas picked by Dee.
Cottage Throw Classic
Seaglass, Shale, Navy, Peat, Cork, Tutu, Barn Red, Whisper, Pear, Natural, Leek, and Truffle. The number of skeins you need of each color is right here on the Cottage Throw Pattern Library page.
For a blue ribbon winning version of Atlas colors against two creamy yarns, take a look at Kathy’s version here on Ravelry.
Get cozy!
Your throw is sooooooooo beautiful. Was it really that easy to make?? I have never knit stranded colorwork, so the panels seem especially daunting to me. I love your color combinations. This project is still very intimidating to me. Does anyone else suffer from my reservations about this pattern??
Excellent advice, Gina! Start small, Kimi. Stranded colorwork (like pretty much everything in knitting) is not as hard as it looks.
It really is not hard , why not start with the mitt pattern to get the hang of colorwork. But really as long as you keep your stitches spread out nicely to keep the floats from pulling too tight you will be fine. I want to make the throw but I’ve put myself on a use up what I have before I buy more yarn. I have partial skeins of atlas ( from my blanket of joy which I adore)to use to make mitts with .But now that I see the panels, I’m thinking a panel would be perfect for a runner on my cedar chest.
This is just beautiful . I too am intimidated by stranded color work. So maybe I will try “swatching” some color work samples. I am also on the yarn diet, trying to use up some of my humongous stash, LOL
Yes! Start small. Jillian is brilliant on this: https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/flat-knitter/ Look at those fun little swatches!
Oh my, the stranding does not bother me, I enjoy stranded knitting. I am retired. I am thinking it might take such a long time …
Wow—great color choices. But I particularly love the border with all the color changes—an inspired idea!
Thanks!
One of the many things I love about knitting is seeing how different the same design looks in different colors. Great job Christina!!!
Thanks, Jan!
I love this SO much! That cork + mallard + barn red makes me want an entire dress of those colors. Such beautiful work and now you get enjoy the feeling of it keeping you warm. Love!
I want to see that dress, Jeni! Brilliant idea.
Many thanks to Kathy for all her helpful comments and hints! Love her color choices and the finished product.
It’s so interesting to look more closely at how these colors play together JUST ON THESE THREE (I’m counting Kathy’s on Ravelry) blankets. What patterns do the colors create when looking at all six panels? And all beautiful! Congratulations!
Cristina, that is a work of art! And love! The color combos are gorgeous !
Thanks, Mary Lou!
This post is a great reference to view Atlas color combos for future stranded colorwork patterns. Very helpful, thanks Christina!
Looking forward to what you come up with, Ann! The knitting with Atlas thread in the Lounge is here: https://forums.moderndailyknitting.com/t/i-made-it-with-atlas/8669/148
Christina, this is just gorgeous. You are an inspiration.
Thank you, Susan!
Love this
The throw is stunning! So beautiful.
It looks like there are only two colours per row. This makes the colourwork easier. As some of you have said, it’s not as hard as it looks. Thank you for the inspiration!