There’s something so promising about crossing the threshold of a new year. Each of us has the same thoughts running through our minds… This is the year I’m going to do _____! This is the year I’ll give _____ up. This is the year I’ll start _____. This is the year I’ll work on myself, take up a new hobby, be kinder to a certain person or let a fragile friendship finally break. I always look at a new year as a sort of spring-cleaning for the soul. Take a good look around, clean things up, dust it off, start fresh and with purpose. It’s the universe’s way of giving us a do-over every year.
As we look back on 2012, it was a rollercoaster year, as many tend to be. Whenever the morning news does those year-end retrospectives, I always end up with tears running down my cheeks, both from laughter and sadness. Am I a sap? Perhaps. Or maybe I’m just human and it’s amazing how both long and short a year can seem once we take a good look back on it. If you need a reminder how fast time flies, look at the children in your life. Remember they were so tiny you could hold their entire body with one hand?
I always make a list of resolutions around this time. Over the years I’ve scaled it back and tried to be both optimistic and reasonable. A lot can happen in a year! A friend said to me this morning that she had heard something on the radio about making a small personal change each day of 2013. Imagine all the changes that could happen over an entire year! That’s 365 days worth of self-improvement! I’m being a little more realistic and trying each week to do something better for myself. 52 vs. 365 seems more achievable.
I’ve also made a resolution to knit more things for friends for no particular reason. You don’t only need to knit for birthdays, holidays or special occasions. What about knitting a cabled cowl for a friend just because?
I offer up Daphne’s Cabled Cowl, named after a talented and kind knitting friend. The cowl is knit up in Cascade’s STUNNING Magnum Handpaints. The variegated color ways are to die for and with one hank equal to one cowl, you can knit one up for all your friends in a different color way! I was always a big fan of Magnum - it’s lofty, super soft, strong and now they have even more colors in both solids and variegated (almost 75!). There’s something very satisfying about knitting with super bulky on size 15 knitting needles. The thick cables almost look like entrelac (without the fuss of entrelac) and no wind will pass through this yummy 100% Peruvian highland wool yarn. I am in love with this comfortable wool and with their colors and this unisex cowl, you could get started knitting your “just because” gift pile.
To help you start knitting for people for no other reason other than brightening their day, Cascade has generously given me a hank of Magnum Handpaints in the same color as Daphne’s Cabled Cowl to give to one lucky reader. Leave a comment with your new year’s resolutions and a winner will be chosen at random! Thanks, Cascade!
Each year I pledge to try and take more in stride. I’ve learned to let people go, let more people in, be thankful for what I have and not worry so much about what I don’t. At the end of the day I have a loving husband, a wonderful son, a crazy pug, a roof over my head and an impressive yarn stash. I’m overly blessed and I’m thankful.
What are your resolutions, dear readers? Welcome, 2013. Let’s make it a good one.
Free pattern available for download here.