I have been intrigued by how popular cowls have been on the knitting scene for the past two years, but really haven't been that inspired to make myself one... that is, until I saw this pattern on Ravelry. I loved the little button eyes, and immediately set out to find yarn... even breaking my vow of knitting only from stash for myself (first time in months, though...)
I needed a yarn that would be cushy around my neck, which is one of the parts of my body sensitive to wool... so I chose Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande, even though I couldn't get the gauge quite right... after all, it IS a cowl.
I also decided that I wanted to button it on, rather than pull on and off repeatedly over my ill-mannered hair (DH calls it 'poodle-y', especially in wet weather), so I altered the instructions, which are very well written by Synnove for in the round, and added buttonholes on one side. This made up sooo quickly, one evening to knit the 35 rows and another to sew the 12 little eyes and closing buttons on. I will save this pattern for a future gift for a fellow birdloving friend!
