Fiber content…
Let’s talk for a moment about fiber. With this project, there are a lot of considerations as you choose.
In this case, I’m working with Alpacas d’Auxvasse suri/merino blend, a soft, luxurious blend that is a bit pricey but worth every penny when you feel it against your fingers and around your neck. I care a lot about what a yarn feels like while I’m knitting, not just when it’s blocked and done. I want that “ahh” factor while I work—the end product is only part of the pleasure for me. The label cites this as a “luxury yarn,” and it is.
Because this is a cowl, and because you’re dealing with cables as well as feather-and-fan, you can’t go with something too silky here. Not enough softness, and you’re going to feel like you’re wearing one of those plastic cones from the vet. Too much softness, and it will look like something crawled around your neck and died there. This blend hits it just right. The cowl keeps its shape without choking you.
Color is important here, too.
This teal is lovely, but it’s just on the verge of being too dark to show off the cables nicely. There’s too much going on for anything but a solid color—it would look like a riot around your neck if you did this up in a bold stripe or a dramatic variegation. Stick to lighter solids—but you can definitely go bold in hue if you like—to get the most of this piece.
