Knitting For Cold Days

 

In this post, I mentioned putting a scarf on my face and neck every time I go out to do chores in the excessively cold weather.  When I pulled my little short entrelac knit scarf out of storage this season, I noticed it has gotten a few holes in it.  

Since it's kind of short for the purpose I want it, and the ends easily work loose from under my coat while I'm moving, thus making it not stay around my face and neck as I'd like--it was a project I did for a learn entrelac class back in 2014--I decided not to try to repair it, but that this year I would knit a new cowl to wear instead.

Well, Monday was not just super cold and windy, it was also a holiday (MLK Day), so I figured that was a good excuse to take some time to start that new cowl.  Maybe I could get it finished yet this week and be able to wear it for the rest of the nasty cold spells that will come our way before spring gets here.  (Also, we were forecasted for two days of below zero temps near the end of the week, so I felt like having a new cowl by then would be a good thing.)

I went looking for a (free) pattern, found one all ready in my files, then looked in my yarn stash for a suitable yarn.  Found what I needed, in a color that I liked, and got to work.

First was winding the hank into a 'cake'.

Winding the yarn in to a 'cake'

Not edible, but this cake does look yummy!

After that, I got right to knitting.  The pattern called for a size 10.5 needle, which I apparently don't own.  My choices were use a 9 or use an 11.  Hmm.  I tend to knit a little tight, so I went for the 11.  I didn't want the cowl to end up too tight and not able to go over my head.

I knit on that cowl every (cold) afternoon for the next few days.   Often, the Yarn Thief would snooze on the couch next to me, keeping her eye out for a chance to jump on my yarn.  She doesn't try to grab the cake and run off with it as much as she did in her younger days, but she's still tempted.  In fact, as this cake got down to only the outer inch or so left, she did stick her face in it, mouth wide open ready to snatch and grab.  Unfortunately for her, I had been keeping one eye on her while I knit and foiled her attempt at yarn thievery.

The Yarn Thief monitoring my knitting

I finished the cowl on Thursday, just in time for our subarctic weather moving in that night.  Of course as soon as it was off my needles, I had to try it on for size. 

Turns out it's not tight in any way, shape, or form, and I probably could have gotten away with using the size 9 needle afterall.  Oh well.  I've worn it lots since Friday morning, and it works well, definitely better than that little entrelac scarf did.

A true color photo that also shows the stitch design.

Pattern used is Journey Through Time Cowl (free from KnitPicks)

Yarn is Wool of the Andes Superwash Bulky in colorway Clarity (which apparently is discontinued; I've had this yarn a while).  I used a full skein and a little bit of a second skein, using size 11 needles (interchangeable tips) on a 24" cable.