Issue 225 – Ariosa Reversible Cowls

Scarves and cowls, because both the right and wrong sides of your work show, are the perfect projects for reversible cables. In November, I was challenged to teach a class on the topic at Knitting and Yoga Adventures fall retreat in Vermont.

Sitting in a quaint inn in front of a roaring fire, reversible cabling seems an intimidating and non-relaxing thing to knit, but really it's far from complicated. In a nutshell, cables become reversible by either working the cable crossings on both sides of your work OR working the cable crossing in a reversible stitch, like a rib or Seed stitch.

These two cowls were our class projects. Either of these patterns can be worked as a cowl or scarf. In soft and squishy merino Ariosa, they work up quickly and are guaranteed to keep you warm. To my amazement, many of the participants completed a cowl over the long weekend, despite all the other activities - hiking, yoga, massages and fine dining - that cut into our knitting time. Read more about past Knitting and Yoga Adventures at their blog.

Susan

View Susan's designs on Ravelry

(file size: 1.1 MB; published January 10, 2012)

If you have difficulty with the PDF, try these: page 1 – page 2

The Yarn:

Ariosa
100% extrafine Merino

Ariosa is a light and airy extrafine Merino yarn. Extrafine Merino has a low micron count. A fiber's softness is determined by its diameter – the smaller the diameter/micron count, the softer it is against the skin. Extrafine Merino also has a long staple, a feature that adds luster and allows Ariosa's relaxed twist to resist pilling. While garments knit in chunky-weight Ariosa will keep you warm, they're light and lofty to wear.

Want to know more?

The women of the Monhegan Island Retreat

Susan Mills, creative director of Classic Elite Yarns, has been attending Knitting and Yoga Adventures retreats for six years, and usually attends the weeklong retreat on Monhegan Island (you might recognize it as the gorgeous secluded photoshoot location for Spring 2011 booklets Cricket, Shoreline, Rocky Coast, and Seaside). The long weekend in Vermont is a new addition to the calendar of retreats all across the USA and Europe.

Head over to the blog to see more pictures from Knitting and Yoga Adventures, and to hear more about Susan's experience there.