Monday, April 30, 2012

Be Cool

It's highly possible that I'm completely out of the knitwear-loop here (perhaps even probable), but it seemed to me that the Big Thing this Winter was the cowl.  Specifically, the over-sized, neutral cowl.  Is it just me, or were they everywhere?!? Seemed as though you couldn't open your car door without hitting some hip gray chunky-cowl wearing Fashionista. Or something.

Anyway, while I'm normally fairly immune to your run-of-the-mill fashion trend (for instance, I can pretty much guarantee you won't see me wearing any neon coloured skinny jeans this summer), I do tend to fall down a wee bit when it comes to knitting trends.  I mean... I've knit a Clapotis, a Noro Striped scarf, not to mention a few Stephen West patterns.  It was only a matter of time before I started to get the cowl bug.

When I cast on, I had visions of a long, chunky, over-sized neutral cowl that would - in my mind, anyway - instantly transform any outfit I was wearing into something a hip, young, twenty-pounds-lighter 20-something model would wear to grab a latté before running off to the museum of modern art with a group of sassy friends.  You know... like something out of a Brooklyn Tweed photo shoot.

Not quite sure I achieved that goal (ahem!), but I did wind up with a pretty gosh darn nice cowl, if I do say so myself.




Pattern:Lispenard, by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash, colourway 003
Needles: 4.5 mm
Modifications: None

I've been wearing it pretty much non-stop since I finished it about a month ago.  It may not magically transform me into a gorgeous-if-somewhat-twiggy worthy of Jared Flood model, but it keeps me nice and warm without making me look like a Crazy Knitwear Lady (you know what I mean). And that's good enough for me.

Happy Knitting, Everyone!

8 comments:

Jodi said...

It's just terrific!
Our adorable 23-year old waitress at the pub was wearing a neutral, cozy cowl at the pub last night. You're right -- they're everywhere, and they look good on just about everyone.

I know *exactly* what you mean about trying to avoid the crazy-knitwear-lady look.

Mrhide said...

imhotep!! imhoteeeeep!

kate-the-enabler said...

Tragically, I'm a little lost on the Imhotep reference. You know I love me that cowl. It leapt across the road and grabbed my attention the very first time I casually spied you leave the house wearing it (because I"m not the neighbourhood creepy 'watches' everyone lady. hahahaha. notmuch..) and, hopefully without sounding too saccharine - babe - you don't need the cowl to look stunning..beautiful as it is, the cowl is merely enhanced by being worn by you ;)

Celia said...

I shy away from what's trendy, but then again, I have no fashion sense.

That's very pretty!!

Sinéad said...

Gorgeous cowl, I love the honeycomb pattern. It looks really snug. And what is it with the lurid 80s jeans again? Ain't no way I'm going back to that dark fashion place!

Anonymous said...

I think it's lovely on you. You look every bt as good as a BT model. Ad I'm a little jealous, sitting here in 90 degree heat, that you have been wearing it for the past month...

Knit and Purl Mama said...

It looks great Tara!

Dawn said...

You are definitely transformed! I love it and I have to admit I've jumped on the knitting bandwagon with a cowl or 2!