Cuddle me or the mohair?

Mohair is one of my most favourite fibres, I have a colour exactly right for Drops pattern 122-16.

Puddle from Garnstudio is my choice for the border. We have other brands of boucle, and they are lovely, but this particular one has large, luxuirious loops that require intentional focus to cast on and knit with. Great candidate for practicing mindful knitting.

There is a dove grey Puddle as well, quite suitable for this french navy mohair

It took only a few pleasant evenings to make this item, once my friend and super star kniter Geri helped me decode the pattern. To quote Geri:

Cast on 96 stitches.

Knit garter stitch for 4 rounds. Then insert markers every 24 sts.

at 4" of length, decrease 1 st on the right side of each marker (92 sts).

Then every 2 inches, decrease one stitch at the marker alternating decreases on the left of the marker with decreases on the right of the marker for a total of 6 decreases. (88, 84, 80, 76, 72 sts). 

With the decreases alternating on the right or left of the markers, it will prevent a vertical line of decreases. 

Then knit another inch to 15" of length before binding off.

In summary:

Cast on 96 sts, Knit 4"

Decrease on right side of sm to 92 sts. Knit 2" (6" length total)

Decrease on left side of sm to 88 sts. Knit 2" to 8" of length. Decrease on right side of sm to 84 sts.

Knit 2" to length of 10". Decrease on left side of sm to 80 sts.

Knit 2" to length of 12". Decrease on right side of sm to 76 sts. 

Knit 2" to length of 14".  Decrease on left side of sm to 72 sts.

Knit 1" to total length of 15". Bind off.

I think the purpose is to decrease in a more random way, as opposed to creating vertical decrease lines down the garment, which would have distracted from the texture and shape.

After the casting off and tidying up the ends, time for that finishing touch.

Brushing the stocking stitch to improve the nap makes for super cuddly, especially when there is a lovely, toasty young woman inside.