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Giveaway: Yarn to Knit a Cowl from the Yarnspirations Lookbook

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Win the yarn to knit your own Strand-Tastic Cowl from Yarnspirations!

Congratulations to Frank George!

When Yarnspirations contacted me about featuring their fall lookbook (which I was totally going to do anyway, because I love it) I threw out the suggestion that we could do a giveaway with the yarn from one of the patterns.

Because I’m a big fan of gifting what you would like to receive, I picked the Strand-Tastic Cowl, a cute and easy cowl worked with stranded colorwork where the strands are actually on the outside of the work as you wear it.

I like the look of a project like this but have never actually done it myself. Maybe thinking about this project will finally inspire me to try it on my own.

The giveaway this week, then is four balls of Classic Wool Roving, one each in natural, yellow, aran and low tide. It won’t hurt my feelings if you knit something else with them, but I think they’re lovely in this cowl.

If you want a chance to win these, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, November 2. (What is it doing being almost November already?)

Why don’t you tell me what you would knit with this yarn if you weren’t going to make the cowl, or who you would make it for if you were. (I would keep it for myself.)

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

{Photo via Yarnspirations.}

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Comments

  3. I have always wanted to take knitting back up again. I crochet a lot, but that is one VERY nice cowl!! I could knit this to wear it this winter when the wind blows cold from the frozen North and the chill in my bones refuses to budge. It could keep my neck from becoming a mass of frozen tissue that would thaw slowly and miserably without a cowl like this to keep it warm. If I were to win this, I would be the happiest, and yes, warmest person!! Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity.

  5. I would probably knit the cowl and stash it away for that one last Christmas gift you forgot to get someone.

  8. I would definitely knit the cowl and gift it to either my daughter or daughter-in-law! I might need to make more than one—-

  12. I have never used wool yarn. I have never made/worn a cowl; so maybe I would make a scarf instead. Regardless, it just sounds nice and cozy for the upcoming winter.

  14. I would probably give this cowl a go. It looks so beautiful and, with the yarn in hand, I would have no excuse not to!

  17. I would make the cowl and probably keep it for myself….I miss being able to knit since life took a turn and now I struggle on fixed income but I have been given bits and pieces here and there that help;

  20. November? No-way! Way. My needles are ready though: cowls and headbands and fingerless mitts! So much to knit. So little time.

  22. I would knit a hat. The weight and the colors are great for a warm, chic winter hat! And you know that you are going to need a lot of hats this winter….

  25. Only recently I have started to think about attempting colorwork. I would knit this cowl to learn the new technique. It looks like a yummy, warm cowl, too.

  28. Ooooh! Would make the Cowl, for my Daughter!! (coool ..well WARM! lol….Christmas gift for her!! Shhhhh…secret!)

  30. It is getting cold now so I would make a cowl to keep me warm this winter. I hate the cold!! Can’t we skip winter?

  33. I would knit this cowl for me, but hope that one of my girls will “steal” it. They don’t tend to ask for knitted things, but they will accept them once they see the finished object.

  41. Just left the Yarnspirations site and downloaded the pattern. Love the Strand-tastic cowl! Looks like it would be super fun to knit with the squishy wool roving. I would love to give it away as a Christmas gift.

  43. My daughter would probably get this cowl. It is getting colder here and we are making cowls to keep the chill away!

  47. I would knit this for my oldest daughter who lives in Virginia. Then another one for 2rd oldest…

  49. I would definitely make it for myself because I gave away all of the cowls I have knit to other people. This ones for me!

Have you read?

Knit a Spiky Balaclava

Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]