am knitting: the herringbone cowl

it's only fair that i tell you about my favorite knit of all time.  no, seriously.  i am constantly knitting but it seems like it's never actually for me.  hats, cowls, scarves, cup cozies, blankets, sweaters, dishcloths, fingerless gloves, and just about everything else are being cast on and off my needles all the time but they're usually tied up with ribbon and gifted.

i've had my eye on this cowl ever since I saw it posted on The Purl Bee a couple years ago.  herringbone + cowl = swoon. 

the only problem was with the price tag on the yarn.  it called for blue sky hand dyed worsted yarn.  which costs $23.60 a skein.  and you need 5 skeins.  !!  normally, i have no problem substituting yarns.  i check out the weight, gauge and fiber content and then search around for something similar.  knit picks never disappoints.  but i'd read so much about this particular yarn, it's texture, the way it drapes so perfectly that i couldn't imagine knitting it with any other yarn.  so, it went on my wish list.  for a long time.

finally, this year i couldn't take it anymore and i called my favorite yarn store in SoHo and placed my order.  merry christmas and happy birthday to me.  talk about a major splurge.  my stomach was in knots as i read off my credit card number to the sales girl.  i have  n e v e r  paid so much for yarn and i hoped it turned out to be worth it.

in a few days five skeins of blue sky's worsted and size 17 32" circular addi's were on my doorstep wrapped in pretty pink paper.  it was love at first sight.  first touch.  first smell.  yes, i smell my yarn.  i don't really know why, i just do.

those 220 stitches were cast onto those needles so fast and i toted that project around with me everywhere i went. i clicked away at the baseball field, while the boys shopped at gander mountain, and everywhere else i could sneak in a few minutes.  i couldn't waaaait to finish it.

then, finally right before thanksgiving i cast off all those glorious stitches.

the yarn was seriously worth it's weight in gold.  it does drape beautifully and it is so thick and soft that i seriously slept with it the first few nights because it was still too warm outside to actually wear.  i've worn it a ton since though.

the only thing i would've done different, and still think i'll go back and frog some of it after winter, is made is slightly smaller.  i would do everything the same except i'd use one less skein.  i'm so petite that it's just a tad too bulky, if that's possible.  i love cuddling up under all that yarn but it is hard to wear with a jacket or certain types of sweaters.  but other than that, i am one happy knitter.

Yarn:  Blue Sky Worsted in Red

next on my needles is this lovely...