Cold weather is surely the best time to finish up a few projects. This was my week to finish up four cowls, and it was just in time! Between children and me, they've been in use ever since coming off needles.
This cowl, using bulky weight Malabrigo Rasta, knit up in a day and is very pretty. I love Rasta because of its reliable quality, beautiful colors, and warmth.
My Blue Lagoon Cowl, using the Caera Cowl pattern, took quite a bit longer than that. The pattern was a fun, challenging knit. Not too difficult for a beginning cable knitter but complicated enough that it never dragged.
This cowl was knit for my daughter using an organic merino yarn out of Maine. I haven't encountered this yarn, Natural Colors Merino Bulky from Swans Island, before. I wasn't sure about it at first — it's a round knit yarn and I was concerned about stitch definition. But after finishing this cowl, I'm certain the yarn is a hit. I liked it so much that I'm using it for a hat to go along and I know I will be adding more of this yarn to my stash this year.
Finally, I finished Pam Allen's State Street Cowl in Quince Puffin for my Mom. You will have to forgive the bad picture — I promise to get one of my Mom in it over the weekend. But I was so excited about this pattern I wanted to share it. Although this can be worn as a bulky scarf and it looks great that way, I like it even better pulled down like this to stay warm while drinking tea and talking with friends or watching a game on tv. I've cast on a second one for myself — like all of Pam's patterns, this one is well thought out and fun to knit.
This is probably a high water mark for me: most finished knit items in one week. But the combination of cold weather and simple, quick projects in bulkier yarns made the knitting fast and enjoyable!
Fun to see your projects – and to see how much Ellie looks like you.