Knitting a Neck Warmer

It wasn't too long ago that I had a chance to stop in at Ana-Cross Stitch in Anacortes, WA.  Lovely shop, filled with yarns and other lovely stuffs for working with your hands.  Needleworkers can stop by, work on their projects, share tips, or help each other work out the more confusing parts of some new pattern.  There are lots of samples, too, making it even more difficult to resist blowing the entire week's grocery budget on a dozen balls of Merino Wool/Silk Blend Hand Dyed yarn to knit up a sweater or cape or...or...breathe!

Having recently moved to the Pacific Northwest, I find that I am wearing scarves.  A lot.  Every day, and sometimes when I come inside, I forget to take them off until I am trying to cook dinner and notice the tails of my cashmere scarf dangling dangerously over the spaghetti sauce.  I needed something else.  I needed a neck warmer. 

The pattern that caught my eye was designed by Fran Jepperson, knitted out of Manos Silk Blend (Silk & Merino Wool).  I couldn't stop touching that luscious, soft, yarn.  I chose Manos del Uruguay, color Adobe because the subtle colors of indigo and tan were just what I'd need to wear with my everyday jeans, but could "dress up" to wear with slacks, too. 

The tag on the skein reads, "Manos del Uruguay is a non-profit organization which assembles over 400 artisans in cooperatives scattered throughout the countryside of Uruguay.  The aim of the organization is to bring economic and social opportunities to rural women.  Manos Silk Blend is a luxurious blend of merino wool and silk.  Hand-dyed in large kettle to create a marbelized, subtly striated effect that forms a rich palette of glorious colors.  No two skeins are exactly alike and there are no dye lots."

Luxurious.  Yup.  That's what it feels like to work with.  I cannot WAIT to have this around my neck.