holy cow(l)

i like cowls. my friends like cowls too. so i made a bunch.

(also i’m taking a short break from cardigans because seriously, one more of these knit-like-a-fruitcake-for-seven-days-then-realize-it’s-all-been-for-nothing experiences and i will start hurting myself. and others.)

this first one is yet another willow thingy for a friend with some unexpected preferences in color. i had to order the yarn for this number all the way from the U.S. because, for some incomprehensible reason, the requested combination of pinks, limes and yellows is not readily available in regular merino color charts.

it’s 100% “twisty” type of merino with different shades in each ply. according to the nice lady who dyed it, the color is called “spring in bloom”. i’d be more inclined to use the term “skitsovärjätty” (look it up) instead, but i’m terrified my friend will punch me in the mouth if i say such things out loud. so i won’t. phew.

then there’s the cowl i made for myself with the yarn that i’m totally prepared to have immediate sweet sex with in case such an endeavour ever becomes physically possible, koigu kpm. the color is so perfect that i’m stumped for words. no human language is worthy of its splendour. and the best thing is it only took one 50g hank, so i still have one hank left! ye-heargh!

i wasn’t sure about the sizing because i like my cowls very close-fitting, so just to be safe i deleted one of the chart columns and cast on with 99 stitches instead of 110. which turned out super. the upper body part is long enough so it can be folded (like in the first photo) for extra warmth, or pulled up to the ears for extra coverage. managed to avoid the death traps of ambiguity too when reading the pattern, so high five!

if the cowl above is one i’m willing to have sex with, then this next one is more of the i’m-ignoring-you-because-you’re-so-fugly type. i hate it. i hate making it. i hate the yarn, i hate the pattern, i hate the very thought of having to go back and work on it. like giving sharp needles to fire ants and sticking them both into my ears.

you just don’t do it for me

but as you’re by now well aware, letting go is not an option. so i keep hoping it’ll finish itself. some underpants gnomes type of solution could work. or maybe i should just dye it black or something. anyone have any experiences dyeing malabrigo lace?