What a week! It has been a week truly jam-packed with knitting. I finished a great big deadline project on Wednesday and dispatched it by Pony Express (aka USPS). I’m just about finished a second, smaller, deadline project which will take wing via FedEx tomorrow. Whew! Funny thing about knitting, though…I just can’t seem to get enough. No amount of it seems daunting, somehow. I’ve acquired some lovely things in the mail this week as well, which I’ll detail in Monday’s post 😉
In the meantime, let’s talk about cowls. If there is one item I wish I had more of, this is it. If I could drop what I’m doing this weekend, I’d knit one. One of the best things about the humble cowl is that they lend themselves to so many treatments. Color work of all descriptions, interesting stitch patterns, even sampler-style arrays of pattern and texture can play across the surface of a simple cowl.
I THINK THESE NEXT FEW COLD WEATHER WEEKS MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD TIME TO THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT KNITTING A SNUGGLY COWL. SO ON FRIDAYS BETWEEN NOW AND GROUNDHOG DAY, I’M GOING TO OFFER A WEEKLY DISCOUNT ON A DIFFERENT COWL PATTERN FROM MY RAVELRY STORE.
Today’s pattern, the Dalrymple Cowl, is worked in mosaic color work, a technique you may remember from the recent Tess Mittens. Mosaic is a tremendously flexible style of knitting that creates complex looking color work without stranding or floats. Only one color is worked at a time, so it’s as simple as knitting stripes. Mosaic can be worked flat or in the round and because there are no floats to carry, it remains beautifully stretchy. Almost any color work pattern can be converted to a mosaic pattern with a little thought. This chart is presented by Interweave Knits in an article from May 9, 2017, “A Well-Kept Secret: Mosaic Knitting”.
I’ve chosen wintery, watery shades for this particular incarnation, but you don’t have to. In fact, this simple color work technique invites color play! A dramatic mix of worsted weight jewel tones would look great with a neutral colored coat. Create an all-over neutral look by choosing three shades of gray or white-on-white. Wouldn’t it be interesting to use three different textures all in the same color range? Say, a silky strand, a fuzzy angora or alpaca strand and a nubby, pebbly strand? It would be subtle, but pretty, I think. Make it your own!
So! Using the coupon code DALRYMPLE22, skip over to my Ravelry shop, take 50% off the pattern and knit yourself something pretty this weekend. The coupon code is valid through Friday, February 2, 2018. Have a great weekend stuffed with happy knitting!
