Speedy Cowl

The air is crisper, the nights are longer... it's that time of year again: knitting season.

Although, there are some of us who don't mind knitting year-round.  As a matter of fact, I started knitting this cowl while I was on vacation down the Jersey Shore, looking from the second floor balcony right onto the beach.  Knit, knit, knit, crash, crash, crash (those are waves).

I came across this adorable shop prior to my trip - Home Made - because they had a specific yarn in a specific color that I was out of and couldn't find locally (more on that debacle in the knit capelet post).  We stopped in on our way to the shore to pick up that yarn, and because it was just a five or ten minute drive from the house we were renting, I went back later that week to look around longer.

While browsing the shop - which bears a similar resemblance to Finch - I spotted this beautifully bright hot pink striped cowl.  It's called the Speedy Cowl, and despite the name, it's not a quick knit.  It is, however, an easy knit - linen stitch all the way.  I bought the exact yarn used in the sample because how could I pass up this pink?!.  

I love the look of the linen stitch.  It's a bit more time consuming (in the same way seed stitch can be), but it's simple to do.  This project can (and was) easily done while watching TV, listening to your favorite podcast, or with your morning cup of tea.  Apparently, the linen stitch is reversible, but I prefer the "right" side of it.

You'll notice that my two outer pink rows are not equal.  Oops.  Also, I need to get the hang of this blocking thing.  I tried steaming with the iron, but I ended up with a still lumpy cowl that smelled like wet dog.  Or wet sheep.  So I hand washed it in my bathroom sink, and the entire bathroom now smells like an Irish farm on a rainy day.  I can't wait for this thing to dry...

Pattern: Speedy Cowl

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Maxima: 2 sk. Natural, 1 sk. Shocking

(I only needed to knit a few rows using the second skein of Natural)