January Two

This second day of January 2020, dawned gray and kind of icky but the sky is peeking through the cloud fingers now in slices of blue.  It could end up being one of those brilliant winter days with crisp fresh snow and the sharp edges of sunlight.  

And I am knitting.  I did allude to something else, but I have to do this thing first.  Isaac wanted me to make him a cowl that was longer than the one his mum found.  Not longer in diameter, but longer in depth.  His existing cowl demands you choose neck or nose.  It cannot quite do both.  When you have outdoor recess, covering both is important.  Now that the yarn is here, I can begin.

I am using two patterns to make this.  The first is pretty basic, to give me the right circumference.  I am using the Basic Hat pattern from Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. It needs to fit comfortably over your head and yet be a bit snug so it sits and stays in the cold, so I am knitting one size smaller than I would if it was a hat.  I really hope this doesn't come back to bite me.

The second pattern is Biellese. I fell in love with the slip stitch pattern Corinna Ferguson uses on this shawl and I think Isaac's brilliant strongly contrasting colour choices are going to look perfect in it.  I have plans for a sweater or vest using this little pattern, plans that go all the way back to the demise of St Denis Boreale. I purchased the yarn in the closing sale. I may even make a shawl using this delicate stitch pattern.  BIG love on my part.  

I'm not sure how long I can knit on this in one sitting.  I like to use an Ott light overhead, and it illuminates the reflective strands wonderfully well.  

But...All the movement and light catching those strands us making me a wee bit seasick.  

That part was completely unforeseen but I do prefer to work with the light.  I am going to parcel this out with big blankie knitting.  It should be a good combination.