As I was designing this cowl, I was thinking about why we knit, which brought to mind my favorite William Morris quote, “Have nothing in your house which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” To me, this quote, along with Morris’ mindset of elevating everyday items to art through lovely, nature-inspired designs, is an excellent explanation. We don’t knit because we need another sweater, shawl, cowl, or pair of socks. We knit because we want to make something both useful and decorative, something that will last longer than a less expensive store-bought version, something that will delight us each time we see it. Looking at life through a Morris mindset makes me appreciate the small details that go into each knitting project, helping us to turn yarn into a cowl that will usefully keep us warm while beautifully ornamenting our outfit.

Yarn
Miss Babs Avon
85% Merino Wool, 15% Silk; 490 yd/3.9 oz (448 m/100 g) skeins
1 skein in main color, shown in Oak Moss
1 skein in contrasting color, shown in Dark Pegasus

Or approximately 280 yards/256 meters of light fingering weight yarn in main color and 270 yards/247 meters in contrasting color.

Finished Measurements
Height: 11”/27.5 cm
Circumference: 25½”/64 cm

Needles
US 1.5 (2.5 mm) circular needle, 16”/40 cm long, or size to obtain gauge

Gauge
Blocked: 38 stitches and 47 rounds = 4”/10 cm square in stranded stockinette stitch.

Notions

• Stitch markers
• Tapestry needle