Randomly on what I swear I thought was Wednesday

1. Without a word of a lie, I just about fell off my chair 10 minutes ago (that’s right, at the end of the work day) when I found out it was Thursday. What the hell happened to Wednesday? I demand the return of Wednesday! I know it’s never been my favourite, but I would have made the most of it.

2. Thursday is my favourite day of the week. I wish I’d known it was Thursday so I could enjoy it.

3. My final (and yarn containing) suitcase was returned at 11:10 last night. Me and my unseemly collection of self-striping yarn has been reunited. I was cool with buying new pants, but the yarn?

4. I am knitting a cowl. I know, right? I wonder when the world will get tired of cowls. Probably once I have one to go with every outfit.

diamonds 2015-03-26

(Diamonds go around, in A Bevy of Swans DK, in the colourways “I forget” and “I lost the ball band.”)

5. I’m stylish like that.

6. Also, it says it’s an infinity scarf, but I think it’s a cowl. I’m not clear on the difference.

 

115 thoughts on “Randomly on what I swear I thought was Wednesday

    • I second that. I hope they’re the same thing so that I can call all “infinity scarves” “cowls” instead. Cowl sounds cool and makes me think of Batman while infinity scarf sounds like a cheesy prop-piece from one of those time traveling chick flicks where instead of doing something awesome like seeing dinosaurs people go back in time and muck or un-muck their relationships.

    • I think “cowl” wraps only once around your neck, whereas “infinity scarf” screams “wrap me around as many times as you can before you choke”!

      • note to self: When reading this blog- DO NOT DRINK HOT COFFEE as it will be spewing all over the key board and the powers that be will definitely frown on replacing it! LOVE your definition

      • Yup, I second that–cowl once around, hopefully creating a pocket of warmth around your face, and any sort of scarf, infinite or not, is gonna go around at least a couple of times…I note that Infinity Scarf no longer seems to have to include a half-twist to make the edges continuous, which I think was the source of the name originally–now a big continuous loop qualifies, I guess since it has no ends…a knitter’s example of the evolution of language!

  1. I got that same kit from Alisha. Different colorways though or i’d help you out with the names. i think inifinity scarf must be a fancy way of saying long cowl.

  2. I’ve always been under the impression that an infinity scarf was long enough that it would have been a scarf if it wasn’t sewn in a loop, whereas a cowl’s length is long enough to go over your head but just too short to twist and loop around your neck…

    • I’ve heard the term “Mobuis” used for the ones with a twist. You know, like what happens when the instructions tell you to “join without twisting”, and…well…you know…

    • I am that age, but really weekends are the only days I am sure of. The activity at homes near me let me know it is the weekend, LOL. That and my son will sometimes come for a quick visit.

  3. I’m such a nerd. I thought “I forgot” and “I lost the ball band” were the names of the colorways. Sheesh. Still think they’d make cool names though.

  4. I have always thought the Infinity Scarf was the scarf with the twist, to resemble the mathematical symbol for infinity, which looks like an Arabic figure right, only it’s on its side. Shout out to Cat Bhordi: is this the same as a Moebius scarf?

    There’s a great verse by a man named Piet Hein (I think) that ends with the words: Eight is infinity standing on end.

    • Piet Hein was a Danish scientist and poet, and notable (in my eyes at least!) for his great poem:

      Little cat,
      Little cat,
      Little cat in the road!
      Whose cat are you?
      Whose cat are you?
      Damn it, I’m my own cat.

  5. Wow. Those are the exact same colorways I’m making my new socks in. Weird how those different dyers keep naming things the same.

  6. Perhaps your Wednesday happened while you were trying to get back to Canada. So glad your wool stuff made it to your place safely.

    • Love it. It absolutely makes sense, actually, and it reminds me of how I felt knitting that infinity scarf for Christmas. Presbytera, I think your next knitting project should be a dictionary of quirky knitting definitions (preface by Yarn Harlot). I can volunteer the terms that need defining, if you’d like.

  7. I think an infinity scarf is a möbius, which is a one sided figure. It has a 180 degree twist. A cowl is simply round. Gorgeous colors!

    • Yes! An “infinity scarf” is actually a knitted mobius strip, which has only one edge and one surface, due to the twisr in it. (Dad was a math teacher, Mom was a knitter. It is also possible to sew a mobius dress, but that would be for another blog.) The scarf could be any length, but the longer ones make a great cowl when looped a couple times aroung the neck. Cat Bordhi has turned the concept into wonderful knitted pieces, including cat beds.

  8. Yay for wool stuff finding it’s way home!

    I agree with other commenters – an infinity scarf is long enough to double wrap (or more) and a cowl in general is a short scarf sewn together or knit in the round that saves you from boredom and cold quicker.

  9. I think the lines between cowls, infinity scarves, and moebii (not sure of the plural form!) are blurred these days. All I know is that for warmth, I require a neck covering that comes right up around my ears without any gaps for cold air to penetrate. So glad the important part of luggage made it back to you.
    My daughter made it all the way from Silicon Valley to Toronto with her luggage (including her Trellis Waistcoat), only to have VIA Rail lose it between TO and Kingston. Finally, it was retrieved from Montreal and returned the next day. Phew!

  10. I’m pretty sure the term “cowl” is just not fashionable any more. I was recently knitting a cowl on a trip, and had the following conversation no less than three times:
    Other person: “What are you making?”
    Me: “A cowl”
    Other person: blank look
    Me: “An… infinity scarf type thing?”
    Other person: “Oh! Okay.”

    It seems like most people who aren’t knitters either have never heard the term “cowl”, or only know it in the context of “cowl-neck” sweaters and such.

  11. I was assuming that this cowl would have a twist like the Möbius strip but it doesn’t. So I wouldn’t call it an infinity cowl. I think the designer meant to say that it twists around your neck once or twice.

  12. Thank you for posting the name of this pattern, I saw it at Fiber Festival but without a tag to tell me what it was. Adding to my Ravelry queue!

  13. I hope that your yarn coming back to you means that mine may someday come to me. A package shipped from .. has simply disappeared, since March 4 now. The company says that they are not responsible. USPS states that since I am an international customer, the company must initiate the request for information about the package. The company states that they have asked repeatedly for information (sure, in one business day) so they obviously have no intention of following up with this. So disappointing. Of course I will not be ordering from there again.

    • I had a package from Schoolhouse Press do the same thing. When I realized that a month was a rather long time for a package to travel from Wisconsin to Manitoba, I emailed them. And they sent me another package!!! What great customer service!

  14. I call days like that the “whoops, where’d it go?” days.

    So very glad the suitcases all returned from the void. I sometimes dream of wandering the lost luggage warehouse.

    It’s funny that I was just looking at some Socks That Rock called “the skein with no name” yesterday. I haven’t knit socks in a long while, but I think I need to find my ball winder . . .

  15. I lost most of this week as well and somehow it is now Friday afternoon and children are out of school soon for end of term break, why does time collapse in on itself like this so that the more you need/plan to do the less time you have to do it in?

  16. we can only have wednesday if I dont have to relive today again. Today sucked. A lot. it doesnt help that I have knit zero stitches in at least 2 days. I’m sure that’s adding to my stress levels.

  17. Suitcase was lost in some twisted timewarp thus rendering it Thursday instead of Wednesday when it was finally returned? Beautiful circular neck warmer!

  18. A cowl is worn closer up to the neck, it is smaller, more of a tube. An infinity scarf is a scarf with no end, it is infinite (a longer tube). It can be worn “cowl style” if you wrap it and it ends up close to the neck (cowl neck). Either can be done with a moebius twist.

      • i made a cowl for my sister last year and e-mailed her questions about colors she wanted. i titled the e-mail sistah cowl and she thought I was calling her a cow!

  19. So, I totally checked the yarn website to see these hilarious colorways and find out if there are more colorways that have such funny names. Now I’m a little sad that these aren’t the actual names. Totally would have bought them for the names. We need this in the knitting world. This should be a thing.
    Other than that, my week was just about the same. So funny. I went to my weekly stitch’n’bitch on Wednesday and really enjoyed it and, come Thursday night, was 100% convinced that I need to get going for stitch’n’bitch night…

  20. Only started following you last year (my loss) so maybe others know the answer but why is Thursday your favourite day?

  21. This may have been answered already (I haven’t read all the comments) but a cowl is a single loop whereas an infinity scarf/cowl is one that can be double (or even triple) looped around your neck. I prefer infinities but cowls are cool too. x

  22. Ugh – I hate when I lose a day. I spent all day yesterday thinking it was Friday, referring to things happening “tomorrow” to my husband and him looking at me like I’m bonkers and having to tell me “tomorrow” is not Saturday.

  23. That is a pretty cowl. Please share when finished. I so enjoyed “Crazy in Texas”. You always manage to make me laugh which is a good thing.

  24. I completely agree with the sentiment that there won’t be enough cowls until I have one for every outfit! Getting dressed today, I realized the cowl that I’m plotting would have gone just perfect. I may just have to cast on this weekend…

  25. Glad to hear that all your yarn got to you safely! Losing luggage is always so stressful and a hassle — I was once stranded in Berlin for three days without my bags (and I’d be staying for a month), and it was awful.

    • That is the reason my carryon luggage always has a couple of sets of underwear. (Of course I have to finish the socks that I am knitting on the flight before they are part of the package!) I have (so far) never had any luggage lost but it is only a matter of time. (Especially now that I have said that!)

  26. I always thought a cowl was any length of tube you put around your neck, while an infinity scarf has a purposeful twist in the tube, so it looks like…an infinity sign.

    But I’ve noticed in stores and some patterns, infinity has become a common name for cowl. Seriously triggers my OCD.

    • Ooh, so glad you mentioned the Leyburn socks… those have been on my Someday List for so long I forgot all about them.

  27. I tend to think of a cowl as a short infinity scarf. Cowls sit up around the neck, sort of a turtleneck sweater minus the sweater part. Infinity scarves hang down like scarves should.

    The half-twist makes it a moebius, obviously; that’s the definition of a moebius strip.

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  29. Okay, you thoroughly confused me. For a moment there, I was thinking it is Thursday now, when it is indeed Friday. I’m glad I’m in good company! So glad your yarn made it home. There must be something about lost luggage arriving at 11 PM, as that is when I got the phone call about my lost suitcase. Go figure.

  30. A couple of months ago, I had a lengthy interaction with another shopper at Joann Fabrics. She was looking for an Infinity Scarf pattern to make for her niece, Couldn’t get my WiFi to connect and find examples, or find a pattern in the store. I finally advised her to check with niece and find out exactly what she had in mind. I hate the name Infinity Scarf, since it appears to have infinite meanings. For me, it would be the long mobius that wraps around at least twice, or hangs down the front looking really cool because of the twist.

  31. In general infinity scarf, mobius scarf, and cowl are used interchangeably these days, even though they aren’t really correct.

    By definition a cowl is a large loose hood, especially one forming part of a monk’s habit. So a cowl is large, loose and can be used as a hood. Usually they wrap twice or more to form the base and the hood part.

    An infinity scarf (outside of having a really dumb name) is a long loop of fabric, sometimes they are wide enough to wear as a cowl, but mostly they are just long loops that can be worn different ways: i.e. left to hang or looped in different ways.

    Mobius scarves are a subset of infinity scarves, long loops of fabric, but there is a 180 twist in the fabric so that there is only one surface. Often these are cowl-like as well and are worn the same way an infinity scarf is.

    Basically both infinity and mobius scarves are based on the concept of a cowl, but aren’t always worn the same way.

  32. I knit all the time and love it. However, I don’t use yarn that would cost $40.00 to make a pair of socks or $80.00 to knit a cowl.

        • If you search through the Yarn Harlots’ blog, she mentions working with Patons Wool, Patons Kroy, and other yarns that are not luxury yarns. She has made lovely things with them as well. She spent years on an extremely tight budget while she and Joe were raising their three children. I loved reading about how she would have wept with joy if she could have found some nice yarn at a thrift shop when she was younger, and her plans to donate some of her stash to the thrift shop. (In Yarn Harlot Cast’s off).

  33. I recently bought a ball of yarn (okay, 2) because the name was “She Speaks”. They also make a colorway called “She Dances”.

    I did ask if they have a colorway know as “He Listens”. It should be a complement to “She Speaks”…because we all know he only listens if ignoring her doesn’t work!!! (or there are no sports on TV!).

  34. I thought that cowls are shorter and infinity scarves longer? But I don’t know – I don’t keep up well enough to tell the difference!

    Either way, that’s a gorgeous colour, and I actually just designed a pair of mittens that will be going up soon that are in that same pattern and it’s such a fun stitch!! I love the colours you’re using!

    Have an awesome Friday.

    Katie =^..^=

  35. Probably once I have one to go with every outfit. (cowls that is; this is a quote from YH.)

    That is a news flash everyone. The Yarn Harlot has outfits, and shes accessorizing them!

  36. I have recently started posting pictures of my yarn with the ball band on my project page in ravelry at the start of a project. This way I can reorder the correct yarn if I run out, or look at wash instructions, and I don’t have to worry about losing the yarn bands.

  37. On my return from my last trip to Alberta one of my 2 suitcases went AWOL and it was a week before I got it back. Part of me was wishing it would never be found and I would be compensated for its loss. It was the one with my clothes, and I would have enjoyed shopping for new clothes. And the one with the yarn made it back on the same flight with me, so all was well. Clothes can be replaced; yarn is another story.

  38. Hey, they go by faster when you retire! I worked for 50 years, and I had a desktop calendar–so I would know what day it was. Now I am retired, don’t have a calendar, fill each day with joyous things and never know what the day and date are!

  39. I’m of an age where every day is much the same, so I call it the weekend for any day of the week. I don’t keep track of time by a watch, I rely on my hunger pangs to let me know when to eat. At my age, days seem quite the same and I like it that way. Lost a day? No worry you’ll find another one next week.

    Love the yarn ball names and color ways…I’d like one that says Where’d I put that yarn? Or where are my size 8 needles?

  40. I don’t know about cowl, from the one I’ve knitted from a knitspot club and other patterns I’ve seen it does not seem cozy all around your neck like an infinity/mobius would. Cowl seems to me to be sort of stand-up-ish-ness? Not intended to keep you warm, just look good. Don’t listen to me though, I’ve knit at least a couple dozen of Cat’s mobius scarves and they keep me and mine very warm

  41. So this week I took my older son to his swimming lesson. Got there on time, teacher took register, had his lesson, teacher spoke to me about how he doesn’t pay enough attention, got dressed, left. Only sitting in traffic on the way home did I realise that it was Thursday…and his lesson is on Wednesday! I feel your pain. I think they might have deleted Wednesday this week and we are the only people who have noticed!

  42. Of course, you know you could knit yourself some slacks. Knitting those slacks would probably not take much longer than knitting a miniskirt for that 11 & 1/2-inch B-word doll (yeah, she of all those “Dream Houses”). Yeah, the sewing and blocking could take an eternity, depending on what is on TV. However, you theoretically still could have knit yourself a new wardrobe before your flight was called at DFW airport.

    Also, the difference between “cowl” and “infinity scarf” lies in how many times you can wrap it around your hips and still pass it off as a wraparound miniskirt.

  43. Hi I’ve stumbled upon you as I was looking for some help and read about your diesel smelling wool! My odd problem has happened because I bought an Aaron cable knit in a charity shop (goodwill) and it smelled a very tiny bit musty – so I have washed it on a cold wash with a tiny bit of wool washing liquid and now immediately it came out of the wash it STINKS of chemical / mothball . So awful I have had to put it outside! Any ideas of why and how to solve this anyone? Many thanks – Susie from UK xx

  44. Oooooo, I love the diamond-making floats on that pattern. The Mahajana Flying Gloves pattern would match that beautifully if you have yarn left over and….oh, I don’t know……feel like knitting something.

    I love the blue and yellow colorway shown on the website!

  45. It’s okay, there will be another Wednesday soon enough!

    When will you show us pictures of all the “wool stuff” that has come safely home?

  46. I don’t know if you have seen this, but the website has now updated with the new names!
    “I forgot” is “Pompey” and “I lost the ball band” is “Parted”

  47. I didn’t read all the comments (hangs head in shame), but Harry Nilsson said it best about Thursday. I’d give you a link, but I dunno how to do that in a comment box. I prolly should have prepared better… Just Google Harry Nilsson Thursday. Go on now!

  48. Pingback: Randomly on what I swear I thought was Wednesday | StitchTalk.com

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