Early Nights and Elf Cowls

4 Comments / Knitting / By

IMG_0246[1] Although I’m originally an Air Force brat, and have lived all over, the Pacific Northwest has been my home for over a decade.  I cannot imagine living anywhere else.  There is so much to fall in love with here, especially for folks like us, who are undeterred by rain and love the outdoors.  There is one aspect of life in Portland that is rough for us:  the 4:30PM sunset this time of year. It is always a struggle to keep occupied and productive in those long dark evening hours.

The last few evenings, we have enjoyed watching Tales from the Green Valley on YouTube.  It is a BBC show in which archaeologists and historians recreate a year on a farm in 1620.  While we watched, I’ve finished a little project: IMG_0240[1]   This is the Little Green Elf Cowl pattern, using leftover Berroco Lustra (a wool/Tencel blend) given to me by a friend.  I have been thinking of knitting a few for Christmas gifts, but wanted to test-knit it first.  This pattern was a fun, easy, and satisfying.  I like the finished result – different than the average cowl pattern with its edging of diamonds. IMG_0249[1]I ended up only doing 12 repeats of the edging – not 14 as the pattern calls for – and still found it plenty loose.  Despite picking up fewer stitches for the top portion, it was almost too loose for my liking, and if I make another, the top will be done in smaller needles, or perhaps with fewer stitches. This time, I did a traditional bind-off, but it isn’t elastic enough, so next time I will use a shawl bind-off.

Joining the Yarn Along, and KCCO today.

4 thoughts on “Early Nights and Elf Cowls”

  1. Kelly J. R.

    I live in Wisconsin and love our state but also have a hard time with the shortened daylight hours in winter. I’m often driving both to and from work in the dark so I only get to see the sun on the weekends.

  2. steph

    very very cute cowl!!! (it really is hard for me to function in the evenings…when it’s been dark for hours—-and I look at the clock and it’s only 7:30. oops. NOT time for bed yet!)

  3. Zauberflink

    I love the star pattern of your cowl!
    It’s now getting pretty dark here in northern Germany too. Sunset is 4:15 pm and there are some weeks to go till the darkest day. But I like it. We take the children out with the laterne and have baked apples with vanilla sauce to warm up afterwards. We enjoy sitting around open fire places at the Christmas markets. And the falling of last leaves, the misty mornings and first white frosty days are beautiful. I’ve lived in Sydney for 5 years. It was a beautiful time. But I’m glad to have the seasons back 😉

  4. Christina

    Just beautiful! Love the color.
    I completely understand how you feel about the pacific NW. I lived there twenty plus years ago and still dream of one day moving back.

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