Dear Kay,
Why is everybody so crazy for cowls?
I know I am.
I mean, it’s just a scarf that you stitch into a loop. There’s nothing special about THAT.
Or maybe there is. I have a pile of them around the house at this point, and there’s something about the looping of a cowl that is more fun than just wrapping a scarf around your neck.
Up top there is my almost completed London Cowling. The first one was a skinny cowl. This one is double length, because I a) had three skeins of this yarn and b) love a double-looped cowl.
I like the way cowls are all about texture. It’s a simple thing. Nothing to get hung about. I particularly love this London Cowling cowl because the texture is fine and small scale. A spring cowl.
A cowl is the opposite of a shawl, where I feel the need to show off its majestically complicated pattern by walking through the parking lot with both arms outstretched. “Has anybody noticed that this looks sort of like BIRD FEATHERS?”
I will put in one more plug for Blue Sky Alpaca Silk. When you mouse over the shades here, each little dumpling of yarn is more beautiful than the last. Gorgeous shades, don’t you think? Makes me want to knit every single color.
Love,
Ann
I too questioned cowls until I started loving them. I think it is because the risk of losing one/leaving it behind is much lower than your basic scarf. Plus they are plain fun to knit.
When it’s really cold, a cowl is easier to pull up over your mouth or to wrap around your head. It’s just a lot more flexible and warmer than a scarf, plus it looks cute!!!
I’d love me some plum!
Cowl love! Me too. I think it is just as you said–color and texture in one package, not too large. And they always fit!
Cowl love! Me too. I think it is just as you said–color and texture in one package, not too large. And they always fit!
Cowls don’t have ends that unexpectedly flop into your coffee cup. Not that I would know.
I am obsessed with the pattern “London Cowling”. I have it memorized and am knitting the fourth or fifth one now. I too want to make it double length. In fact I want to rip out all of the previous ones and make those double length also. I think it would be even cooler that way….
I guess I have a cowl/infinity scarf obsession. I’m even digging out my old scarves and sewing the ends of them together. Arrrgh.
Lordy, now listening to The Clash…. What is it about you dear people?! Much more and I will transform to a gray-haired headbanger. No, No! Arcade FIre and Black Keys as far as I go! Will not mention the spontaneous lusting for John Arbor merino, either. jdu
Cowls were the dumbest thing ever, until I made one (a simple little crochet jobby-do for my dad’s gf, who seemed a little too classy for a simple scarf). Now I want to make honey cowls for my whole body. Little ankle honey cowls, big old boobs honey cowl, just all over honey cowls. They are so relaxing!
Well, yes.
Also, when are you guys going to put out another book? It saddens me that there is no Modern Daily Knitting for the crochet world.
I like it because when I hang up my coat, I can hook it over the hangar/hook and it won’t slither to the floor like a flat scarf will. Or even fall off my neck if I unwrap it.
Kathy B, I think I love you! So glad you’re enjoying the pattern! B x x x
Kathy B, I think I love you! So glad you’re enjoying the pattern! B x x x
One of these I’ll be brave enough to try a cowl but for now I’m sticking to scarves. Do you have any idea how hard it is to stick to a yarn budget when you show so many lovely yarns colours? 🙂
I can wear a cowl and look like I know what I am doing. When I wear a scarf or shawl, that darn thing has a mind of its own and I always have to fiddle with it while I am wearing it. It wears me down and I feel like a fool. In a cowl, I feel smart and chic.
The thing about the cowl is the cozy. It’s just Sooooo cozy.
Love cowls and infinities! In my family, even the men love cowls and infinities–I think they like the cleverness of never having to worry about them slipping away and never having to do any artful arranging.
Blue Sky Alpaca Silk is fabulous (the hand, the drape, the color), but I am one of those people I thought never existed: someone who finds that alpaca itches like poison ivy:(
Love cowls and infinities! In my family, even the men love cowls and infinities–I think they like the cleverness of never having to worry about them slipping away and never having to do any artful arranging.
Blue Sky Alpaca Silk is fabulous (the hand, the drape, the color), but I am one of those people I thought never existed: someone who finds that alpaca itches like poison ivy:(
Love cowls and infinities! In my family, even the men love cowls and infinities–I think they like the cleverness of never having to worry about them slipping away and never having to do any artful arranging.
Blue Sky Alpaca Silk is fabulous (the hand, the drape, the color), but I am one of those people I thought never existed: someone who finds that alpaca itches like poison ivy:(
In my family even the men love cowls and infinities. I think they like the cleverness–they don’t have to worry about them slipping away, even if they are loosened, and they don’t have to worry about arranging them artfully.
Have been enjoying my Decibella but now it looks like I need to do a London Cowling. MDK: all the cowls fit to knit. I don’t have to worry about a spring one, though. We seem to have decided to skip that event here in MN.
I am a total cowl-girl. Sometimes I feel guilty, but eventually if they get borrowed, and not returned, I’ll realize I have plenty more. They have cured me of the scarf obsession. Wonder what will cure me of the col obsession!
Hi! I am not among those who are crazy for cowls. I hate having to pull something over my head all the time. That said, there really are a lot of lovely patterns out there, and I don’t mind knitting them for those folks who will wear them.
Cowls are good. That cowl is lovely. I’ve been trying scarves that button, sort of psuedo-cowls, for the sake of length, loopiness and cool buttons, but they don’t work as well as a real cowl.
Standing in line at Gale’s photo booth at Rhinebeck, I saw the longest loopiest wordiest cowl ever draped around its creator. She calls it ‘Ticker Tape’ and it’s on Ravelry and I nearly mugged her for it but I’m too polite.
Move over Honey Cowl – the London Cowling is my new obsession – have to have it…NOW!!!
Pretty new here (pretty new knitter!) but have to say, I went to the library yesterday and was mysteriously compelled to drag home Radioactive. Like, right then, even though I went there after something else. Came here to look up your cowl pattern name again, and blam, know why I had to have that book. Nice subliminal messaging. Hope the book is good!
Terrific lighting in that photo! Shows the yarn texture and stitch definition so well. Thanks for my daily fiber fix!
Laura! Go into the closet with RADIOACTIVE. The cover GLOWS IN THE DARK I AM NOT JOKING.
Love, love. Just sending love.
I love them both, but I am still wearing the same store bought (not knit) scarf almost exclusively for the past 3+ years. It has the coziness of recognition and the place of convenience on a hook by the door. I should move a cowl there. Then I would wear it to pieces instead.
Crazypants! Thanks for the heads-up, Ann. I would have missed that about the cover entirely. It really glows!!
I also prefer kitchner to 3 needle, and need total concentration, even a simple “have you seen my…” will throw me off. And if you put that seam in the middle of the back of your neck, who’s gonna know?
“Passionfruit” is a rare sophisticated shade of pink. I met it in person and persuaded it to come home with me. I now see that its destiny is to be a cowl.
Blue Sky (started to abbreviate, but can’t call this yarn bs) alpaca silk is definitely one of those yarns for me – Color & texture are perfect. I think I look for reasons to use it. Fyberspates Scrumptious range does the same thing for me. Yummmm.
Catching up on my reading, and just had to say: Strawberry Fields, forever.
Lovely cowl. You make me want to cast on for yet another.
Where is Kay? Where is Kay? Where is Kay? Get the idea?