Collaborative Knitting AND blogging

Dear Oogy,

I’m so glad that you came up with the “Thing-a-Month” concept for our 2013 knitting theme.  The BFF Cowl project for January was a great success!  I have worn my linked cowl most days since it was completed.  It’s cold out there!

Here they are together.  Mine is in Arrow Pattern (written by Hildegard Elsner and found in A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker) in Silver Fiberspates Scruptious Aran; yours in the very original Our Favorite Things design, in Slate. 

You know how some projects turn out great, but while you’re making them you have serious doubts?  I did not experience that while I made the lacey link for our cowls.  It took me very little time to decide what pattern to use, and then I estimated how many stitches would give me 6 inches across and went for it.  It was exactly 6 inches wide and I was able to fit a complete number of pattern repeats to make it 26 inches long.  No project has ever gone more smoothly.  AND, I was not dreading the 2^nd link.  In fact, it gave me the opportunity to use a new skill—smooth left-leaning decreases that I learned from Annie Modesitt. 

While all of that was great, what made the project most exciting was anticipating what you would send.  You always make the most interesting and awesome projects (for example, my most prized socks are fancy ones you’ve made), so I had high expectations.  I did not, however, expect to see actual chemistry, with beads and bobbles depicted on your contribution to the cowls.  It’s extraordinary and I love it! 

Here's a close-up of yours:

It’s February already!  I am working on my first toe-up sock.  It’s going well, but I’m worried about the heel…

Thank you for being my knitting guru!

Love,

Neuro