Pattern Release: Sound Bars Cowl

I don't know about you, but in the weather we've been having lately, the most vulnerable part of my body has been my neck and face. It's times like this that I'm thankful I know how to knit because I can always whip up a cowl that's both warm and pretty.

Today's pattern is one that I knit over the winter break while we were on vacation. I'd had the idea in my head for a while -- I wanted to create a colorwork pattern that was reminiscent of the "dancing" sound bars I used to watch on the old stereo my parents had when I was a kid. (I say old, but it was cutting edge at the time -- it held six CDs at a time!) In any case, I knew that the bars would be perfect for stranded colorwork and especially for a stranded project that was very approachable for beginners to this technique. I picked out two colors and I was off to the races, and today I present to you the Sound Bars Cowl.

This cowl uses two colors of sportweight yarn. I used Mountain Meadow Wool Cody, a yarn I'm now completely in love with. It is velvety soft and has a great nubby texture, and there's just the slightest variation in the color. The pattern itself is pretty straightforward, so if you've never done stranded work before, this is a great first project. You won't find long floats in this cowl, which will help you to keep an even tension. It's a quick knit, too -- I'm pretty sure I finished up the sample in just a couple of days. As written, you'll get a close-fitting cowl (perfect for pulling up over your face on blustery days), but there are instructions for making a longer cowl should you wish to lengthen it.

I have a feeling there will be more patterns to come in Mountain Meadow Wool yarn, but I hope you enjoy this one!