Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Knit a Cowl Using Simple Mosaic Designs

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Mosaic knitting is such a fun and easy technique and a great way to do repeating graphic colorwork designs in two colors. It makes projects look more complicated than they are, and it’s really fun and pretty fast to knit this way, since you’re slipping stitches to make the pattern.

The Edda Cowl from Mieka John is a great way to get a lot of mosaic colorwork practice if you’ve never tried it before. It’s worked in sport weight yarn with two mosaic sections separated by garter ridges. Another garter ridge at the end gives you a place to join the cowl into a loop.

You have the option of knitting the pattern flat or in the round as a tube. If you knit it as a tube, you have to purl every other round because the mosaic pattern is worked in garter stitch. If you knit it flat you need to sew the side seam along the length of the cowl to turn it into a tube. In both instances you need to graft in garter stitch to attach the short ends to each other. You’ll also need to work a provisional cast on.

The pattern includes two sizes, for kids and adults. If you want to use a heavier weight yarn on the project you could try making the child’s size with DK or worsted weight yarn so it doesn’t end up so much wider than was intended. Mosaic patterns are usually pretty easy to alter if you want to make it a custom width or length, too.

The pattern is available on Ravelry.

Looking for more fun mosaic knitting patterns? I have a roundup of mosaic knitting projects you can try. It includes socks, a sweater, blanket, bag and more. And speaking of mosaic knit blankets I can’t resist sharing the Mosaic Diamonds Blanket pattern again because it’s such a beauty!

[Photo: Mieka John]

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Sensory Fun and Learning with Ice Cream Inspired Activities

When it’s hot outside it’s fun to do any kinds of activities that involve ice, water or anything cold. Check out my water and ice activities here, and read on for sensory and science experiments using and inspired by ice cream, and maybe grab a sweet treat after you’re finished. 

In the Playroom has a bunch of ice cream inspired STEM challenges that would be great for older kids. These include things like designing an ice cream cone holder that will hold cones upright, making the highest stack of “scoops” (using cotton balls) and making a cover that can keep ice cream from melting so quickly. The challenges and printable pages kids can use as they work on their experiments individually or in teams are included in a free download. 

This ice cream water table from Happy Toddler Playtime doesn’t use real ice cream, but you could try chilling the shaving cream for the fake ice cream base (though cans of shaving cream should not be frozen). Or just throw some ice cubes in there while you play. 

You could also make fluffy ice cream slime (not edible) with this recipe from STEAMsational Family and use that in a sensory tray or table if you like. 

Happy Toddler Playtime also has an ice cream cone volcano idea, which is the classic baking soda and vinegar project with an ice cream twist. 

Turn building an ice cream cone into a lesson about sharing with this idea from Extremely Good Parenting. Read the book Should I Share My Ice Cream? and then make paper into an ice cream ball you can share with someone else (or just make for fun). 

Learn about states of matter and sequencing with a melting Popsicle experiment (you could also do with ice cream) from Mrs. Jones’ Creation Station. This is a good one if you have a sunny spot on the playground or in the yard where kids can observe and time the melting of a frozen treat, ideally while eating their own. There’s also a free printable for kids to record their observations if they didn’t get too sticky.