So much for spring.
I like to consider myself an optimist, especially this time of year when things start popping up from the ground. Suddenly a crocus appears and I get pumped for what's coming next. Tulips in my neighbor's yard? Let's Instagram it! Cherry blossoms? Let's show the rest of the country how lucky we are with our gorgeous cherry trees and put it all over Facebook! But this year? Ugh. Want to see pictures of the puddle that is my backyard? Didn't think so.
I can't remember a more dismal spring. It's monsooning outside my window as I type, my basement flooded (thank goodness my yarn is all in giant, sealed plastic bins) and instead of grilling out and sitting in the sun, we're turning up the heat and making tea. I'm not sure what to think about this weather, but it makes me grouchy and cold. I suppose the silver lining is we now get more time to wear our knits as we bundle up and brace ourselves against the chill as we step outside.
To fight off the general feeling of "blah" brought on by this so-called "spring season," I'm offering up a new pattern, the Lessard Cowl. Cascade has a new yarn, Tangier, an interesting blend of silk, cotton, rayon and acrylic. Coming in at a hefty 220 yards, it's easy to knock this cabled cowl out with 2 skeins. I'm always on the fence about variegated yarns, but there were so many color combinations to choose from, that I found a hard time honing in on just one. I gravitated towards "seascape," feeling that the blend of cool blues and neutral grays summed up this spring perfectly. What Cascade does on their website that I appreciate so much as a knitter, is they have each colorway swatched up so you can see what it'll look like when knit. I tend to shy away from variegated yarns because I don't know how they'll knit up. Oftentimes there's a surprise color in there I wasn't expecting, and that's not the kind of surprise I enjoy. Having these knitted swatches let me know exactly what I was getting. Thank you, Cascade!
The Lessard Cowl is knit in the round in one piece on US 8s. A tiered cable pattern gives the cowl an interesting texture and doesn't get lost in the color changes of the yarn. The fiber blend is ideal for these in-between seasons when we're not sure what we're going to find when we step outside. You can wear this year round, stuff it in your bag just in case, or knit one up for a gift for Mother's Day. It can be worn in a single loop as shown, or double it up for a more snug fit.
At this rate, we'll be wrapped in knitting until July.
Download the free pattern here.