On our trip to Scandinavia last summer we museum binged. I got lost in drawers and drawers of historic fibers and knitting, saw textiles and embroidery that made me drool, looked at furniture and jewelry that belonged to royals, and got up close and personal with Viking ships and battle armor. It reminded me how very young the United States is and that while we have an eclectic history, it doesn't run nearly as deep as that of Europe, Asia, or much of the rest of the world, yet.
While at a museum on one of our last days in Norway, I stumbled across a very small glazed box that could easily fit in the palm of my hand. Apparently I didn't take a picture of the artist's information, but while cruising through the thousands of photos I took on our trip, this little box stood out and inspired my latest cowl design. I tucked it away in my inspiration file and knew it was time for it to come out and play.
Introducing the Meyers Cowl, a highly contrasting Fair Isle design with an i-cord cast on and matching i-cord bind off. This design is a mirror-image motif with the colors in reverse, making for a bold pattern that would look great in 2 pops of color, a bright and a neutral, or a variegated and solid. While the cast on and bind off techniques aren't super quick, they create a nice edge that won't roll, add a bit of extra weight to keep things in place, and create some dimension at either end.
I love local dyers and my friends over at The Fiberists don't disappoint with my favorite of their yarns, Audubon Worsted. A delightfully squishy 100% superwash merino, this is one of my go-to superwash yarns. The ease of care and bright palette named after elements makes this unisex design perfect for anyone. Knitting up on US 8 circulars, this 11.25" x 30" circumference cowl means it will actually keep you warm, and remember that stranded colorwork creates a double-thick fabric. It'd be a perfect knit for anyone on your nice list this year!
Download the Meyers Cowl here and be sure to check out The Fiberists Night Market in Herdon, VA on November 15th from 7-9:30pm. Details can be found here.