The day before Christmas - Cowls! Cowls! Cowls!

Dear readers,

I'm busily finishing up some more knitted goods before Christmas.  Two Cowls.

The first is a class I took called an Easy Cowl in Any Gauge from Instructor Teri at my favorite yarn store - Anacapa Fine Yarns.

 Both pictures are with the project unblocked - I believe blocking is recommended - as this project tends to roll and stretch the yarn - that's why I made it a bit thicker than normal.  My favorite cowl so far!

This cowl features Malabrigo Worsted Merino Wool that I purchased in New Orleans at the cutest store right on the corner of Jackson Square in the French Quarter, The Quarter Stitch.  I actually bought the yarn after feeling a little guilty since they "repaired" skipped stitches in my first knitted project that I was working on at the time.  But, the yarn is brilliant.  The colors are good with the stitch pattern the cowl calls for.

The pattern is not published electronically but from a designer named Ann Norling, it's Pattern No. 71, Easy Cowl in Any Gauge - the pattern photo is below:

The second cowl is the same pattern I received from Close Knits - made in Malabrigo Yarn in Guesa, Amber Gold.  It's very chunky and not chunky at the same time.  This yarn was bought at the Black Sheep in Encinitas during a drive to San Diego (I always stop and dine in Encinitas).

I made the top from Vogue 8634 -  two years ago - and blogged about it here from a knit fabric found in Mood in LA - Knitted Top Post (before I acquired my vintage serger in 2010).  Has this fabric shrunk?  Or was I thinner?  J. offers he thinks it really has shrunk - and that the result is not good in comparison to the prior result.  It's possible I was thinner - I had just completed day 120 of P90X back in August 2010.

On the plus side, my yarn stash (remaining) has visibly diminished!

Still busily knitting and doing some last minute preparations for Christmas.

P.