cowls

Within the last few days I got to enjoy two nice 700 mile drives, one from Chicago to Tulsa,OK and one from Tulsa to Minneapolis. In about an hour or so my mom and I are going to scout out a couple yarn stores in the area. I brought several projects and plenty of yarn (a backpack and messenger bag full), but I've finished several things/don't want to work with the rest. Anyway, the holidays + traveling make for excellent knitting time.

Around Christmas I went on a little cowl kniting spree. I made my mom the Ice Queen cowl with beads which she LOVES.


Pattern: Ice Queen by Rosemary Hill
Yarn: Kidsilk Haze colorway 583
Needles: US 8
Started: December 23, 2008
Completed: December 25, 2008

She's going to make something like it in black for my sister-in-law. She's been knitting in the car too, working with Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino doubled with Rowan Kidsilk Haze in shades of blue. She made a nice cowl for her sister and I got to help her with the lace edge.

About a week ago, I made two other cowls.



Pattern: The Guy Next Door Cowl by Devin Fred Fredrickson
Yarn: Hand Jive Knits Nature's Palette Bulky thick and thin merino
Needles: US 13
Started and Completed: December 26, 2008

This yarn was awesome to work with and I have about a quarter of the skein leftover. The fabric is exceptionally squishy and has great texture.



The same day I got that yarn at Three Bags Full in Northbrook I went over to Nina in Chicago for the first time. The shop is really sleek. Everything is very organized and well lit. You just have to barely pull the yarn out from the shelf and it hits the light perfectly so you can get a good look at the true color, very inspiring store. I scored a habu textiles kit and a few skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Melange that resulted in this.



Pattern: improvised
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Melange
Needles: US 6
Started: December 27, 2008
Completed: December 28, 2008

I loved working with the heathered colors of melange. I improvised this simple design and it entertained me as I waited in line for an hour at Wool and Company in Geneva, IL for their 40% off almost everything sale Saturday morning. I controlled myself and got what I needed. I didn't walk out with a garbage bag full of yarn like many others.

I guess this holiday break has been full of knitting stores and it's not over yet!