Gap-tastic Cowl + Holiday Recap (Lazy Stitching)

Disclaimer: I feel the need to warn you guys, this might get a little rambly and dis-jointed courtesy of the jet lag currently kicking my arse.

Now with that out of the way, let me show you my second ever* wearable knitting project – the free Gaptastic Cowl pattern from Jen Geigley on Ravelry.

I learnt to knit as a six-year-old during a short stint at a Rudolf Steiner school (we even made our own wooden knitting needles!) but for years it was always a back-burner craft. But once I started seeing this lovely and simple pattern popping up on the likes of Tasia and Kelli I knew a return to the needles was imminent.

The wool and needles came from a small shop on Walthamstow market (narrow store front on the left not too far down) I used 2x 150g skeins in a lovely mauvey colour and being a novice I didn’t realise this yarn was way less chunky than described. To compensate, I used smaller 6.5mm circular needles and cast on 191 stitches rather than the 131 in the instructions. It worked out just right for wrapping around the neck twice.

Also, it must look close to the original inspiration because when my sister saw it she said it looked just like a cowl she bought from Gap a couple of years ago. (insert happy-dance here).

Here it is with a magazine for scale.

It was pretty slow going as I mostly used time on the bus and tube for knitting keeping home-time for sewing.

I managed to get the last stitch in while standing on the tube platform at Heathrow, just in time for my flight home to New Zealand. It was perfect to snuggle into on the plane, but I definitely didn’t need it once I landed.

Auckland and Melbourne certainly put on quite a show. It was so nice to be home and great to visit Melbourne – I just wish I had longer. Still I got to have coffee in Melbourne with the lovely Leith and managed to score some lovely fabric from Rathdowne including 2 meteres of this gorgeous bird print silk (any suggestions for what to make?).

But back to the cowl – I already have wool for a second version in my favourite colour…

*First wearable item… the worlds biggest pom-pom hat.

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