Quick Knit

Last week, just as the calls from the school nurse began to come in, I cast on. My yarn: the last remaining ball of Misti Alpaca Chunky. My goal: neck warmth! My pattern: none!

After reading over some cowl patterns, I decided to wing it. I wanted this cowl to fit snugly--close enough that I would be able to zip my coat all the way up. My kids walk home from school, and I go over to school with all the other neighborhood moms to wait for them to come out. It is the windiest place on earth, I tell you, and my coat needs to be zipped all the way up, but my neck needs another layer snuggled up against it.

So I cast on 60 stitches and started knitting a 4 x 2 rib. Then I randomly cabled along the length of every other knitted panel. I made a couple of increases as I went (I think I finished with 70 stitches). I kept going until I looked like I was almost out of yarn.

Do you ever go into a yarn shop and find a yarn that is so soft that you want to rub it against your cheek? (I do--want to, that is, I don't actually put it up to my face until I've bought it. Usually I just hold the skein in my hand like a kitten. I stroke it as I walk around the shop. A little yarn kitten. Have I said too much?) Anyway, this is that yarn. It's so very soft, and now I will have it up against my neck and face all winter.