January KAL - The Ambiguous Cowl

Get ready for January knitting!

Right now I know you are frantically working on your holiday knitting projects - both gifts to give and for you to wear!  But what are you going to knit in January?  Have you thought that far ahead yet?

Well, now is the perfect time to order your yarn for Michelle Hunter's next Knit A Long, the Ambiguous Cowl.  Since this is a mystery knit along, we don't have photos or a lot of details on the project other than that it's a reversible stranded colorwork cowl. If you've not done stranded colorwork (sometimes referred to as Fair Isle knitting*), this is an ideal project on which to learn since Michelle offers great tutorials via her blog and video tutorials.   

Sueno Tonal in Manatee Tonal

So how does it work?  It's easy ... Michelle will reveal the pattern on her website in four segments, starting on Thursday, January 7, 2016.  How much does it cost?  Nothing!  You don't have to register or pay any fee to participate.  Have a question?  No problem, Michelle posts photos and online video instructions, plus you can post questions on Michelle's KAL site or in her Ravelry group. Questions are typically answered daily.  It's like having a knitting tutor right by your side!  And it's OK to get video help at 3 am - perhaps your grandmother isn't so accommodating!

The yarn Michelle used is HiKoo's new Sueño. This soft and luxurious yarn is a blend of superwash merino and bamboo viscose (rayon made from highly renewable bamboo). It results in a gorgeous, drapey fabric with wonderfully soft hand-feel and a slight luster that makes even casual garments and simple accessories look rich and luxurious.

Sueno in Mud Puddle

Sueño is available in 39 gorgeous solid colors, and Sueño Tonal is the same yarn in 15 fun tonal colors (it has the highlights and shadows of kettle-dyed yarn so it's not quite solid but not quite variegated).  All those choices will make your color selection a difficult choice, so we've put together some color suggestions at the bottom of our KAL page.  Note that the geometric design is not the pattern (we don't know what the pattern looks like!), but it will help you to visualize the two colors mixed together.

Did you go a little over your budget with your holiday shopping?  (I did!)  We're here to help you out - we've got Sueño and Sueño Tonal on sale at 20% off!

*Geek Out:  "Fair Isle" knitting specifically refers to techniques and patterns developed in the Shetland Islands north of Scotland, including the tiny island of Fair Isle.  "Stranded colorwork" is a more general term for such techniques developed around the world.  So a true knitting nerd will call this cowl stranded colorwork and not Fair Isle, although many people use the two terms interchangeably.

Happy Knitting . . . . Amy