Saturday, January 10, 2015

Spring Shoots Cowl

Okay, I've had enough of winter already - time for spring please!  Yes, the snow is lovely and yes, it's cozy inside by the fire, but it's coooold!

So cold that I actually made the cat a sweater:


You know you're a crazy cat lady when...

Really, though, our poor baby had mats and we had to get him shaved.  I felt like the worst kind of cat mommy (what is wrong with me - cat mommy?), leaving my precious charge in an unfamiliar place so they could knock him out and cut off all his hair???  Someone call PETA on me.

But then he was just so sad and shivery and I couldn't let the poor, little thing catch kitty pneumonia, right?   So I did what any crazy knitting cat lady would do and I made him a sweater!!  Adorable, right?

ANYWAY, what I was trying to say is that all this cold has me dreaming of those little green shoots that mean rebirth and renewal and the return of warmer weather.  Hence the name of my newest original creation, the Spring Shoots Cowl:


It's a simple cowl in Shibui Knits Baby Alpaca that's knit flat to the desired length and finally grafted together to make one continuous piece.  This would be an excellent piece for a first stab at lace!

I know chevrons are (or were) everywhere right now, but I was playing around with lace patterns and this one just screamed "spring!" to me.  The lines are simple and clean, and inexorably shoot upwards with spring's eternal optimism.  Plus, the yarn is SO soft.  You will absolutely want to squish it against your face all year.  I think I might even wear it tonight!


I'm really in love with these photos, too!  Bristol Ivy and I went out to Mackworth Island for a little photo shoot and she did such a marvelous job.  Just beautiful and so flattering!  I'm sure you guys know what a genius she is at knitting design, but she has such a wonderful talent for photography.

Give it a try!  Let me know what you think!  I'm anxious to see how you guys like the pattern!

That's all for now - be well and stay warm.

-Allie