All About Cowls

So you'd think with two sweaters, a wrap for my friend's wedding on May 30th, and a couple other things on my needles (let's not get into the projects I'm crocheting, as well), I wouldn't want to start another project.

You'd be wrong.

I recently discovered a great podcast called Stash and Burn. It looks like they've been around for awhile, but it's taken me just as long to get into the podcast groove. I guess I just never understood the appeal until now. But lately, it's been nice to put one on in the mornings as I'm getting ready to work, or listen to on my iPhone when it's time for bed and Nick decides we need to have something awful on the TV. You know, something like that.

The latest podcast I've listened to, which I think is #72, covered a bunch of cowls. After listening to them talk about how great they were, how quickly they knit up, and all the different patterns, I immediately took to ravelry and favorited probably far too many cowl patterns for my own good. I will now begin making an endless array of them, I'm sure, that will never get worn because I have a bad habit of making things and never using them.

Here are just a few links to my favorites:

• Basic Knit Cowl - Might be my first foray into cowls because it looks like it just goes around and around with only some increases and decreases here and there. Not too complicated, just how like things :)
• Luxury Cowl Hood - I kind of like the hood aspect of this. Should be really nice for the winter, since that's coming up soon now that it's almost mid-April! I swear, my crafty brain's seasons are mixed up to the max. Don't let that fool you, though, because I never get my Christmas projects done on time, anyway.
• La-La-Love-You Cowl - I La-La-Like this cowl a bunch. I think my new fascination with cowls is that they'll give me a chance to play around with new stitches, like the patterning in this one, without committing to a blanket or something that'll take forever if I don't like it.
• One Row Lace Cowl - I take back what I said about the Basic Knit Cowl - this crochet one might be the first one I make. Now that I've gotten knitting out my system, I'm ready to venture back into some light crocheting, and I can only imagine the instant gratification something like this will be.

Also, much to my delight, there's a new LYS in Bethlehem! It's called Knitter's Edge, and I pass the building pretty often on my way to friends' houses and such. I remember first seeing the sign about a month ago and thinking, "Nah, they couldn't possibly be putting in another yarn shop here. I'm not that lucky." But lo and behold, several news articles and multiple text messages from my friends later, my greatest wish had come true. (Obviously, I do not dream big). I joined their ravelry group, on which I discovered they'll soon be carrying some Nashua Handknits, as well as a ton of other yummy fibers. I feel like the yarn gods are at last smiling upon me.

Don't get me wrong - there is another yarn store on Main St called Tangled Yarns. Alas, they don't have a website, and some ladies on ravelry confirmed that they don't want to give in to the internet and social media, so I have no way to keep tabs on them! Especially with their wonky hours. So sadly, I have never been, but Knitter's Edge is open until 9PM weeknights. Wouldn't it be marvelous if they wanted to hire me part-time? Wink-wink.

In other amazing news, there's an ACMoore going up about 10 feet from where I work. You can imagine how productive (and expensive) my lunch breaks will henceforth be.