Twist and shout
Elizabeth Zimmermann mentioned in one of her books that knitted garments are essentially tubes designed to cover certain parts of the body. And that is exactly what this little bit of knitting is all about- a versatile "tube" for keeping the head/face/neck warm. Not my invention by any means -I wouldn't be surprised if one of EZ's bog people were found sporting something like it. This particular item was inspired by a thin wool tube I paid high dollar for at a sport shop just this past winter. It's a wonder for covering up tender parts on those long morning walks when the temps are sitting near zero and the winds come barreling through from Canada. And it stays
tidy around the neck as a cowl on crisp spring mornings. Even though I love the warmth, versatility and pop of color it provides, the store version is tight on me, and it itches (which is odd, because I'm one of those who can wear just about any wool.) Being a knitter, I kept thinking “I can knit this,”" only mine would be a little roomier, and a lot softer. So a few weeks ago when I found a skein of sock yarn at a thrift, I knew just what I wanted to make from it. With my favorite US 2 circular (an Addi also found at a thrift store, a score that I don't expect to repeat again in my life time) I cast on what I imagined would be the right number of stitches for that yarn/needle/ and my expected gauge. And then I got lucky again- in two evenings my own version of a tube was born and it is exactly what I wanted. The fabric is much heavier than my store bought version, but instead of limiting the options for personalized warmth, it creates a whole new spectrum of cold weather gear. It shows off the color of the hand-dyed yarn nicely, and I love how the reverse side garter texture contrasts with the outside stockinette stitch. (lt really doesn't take much to make this knitter happy.) Enjoy! Yarn: Any sock weight yarn that feels good against your skin in a color that makes you smile. Needles: US 2; 16 inch circular needle Gauge: 6.25 stitches per inch Other supplies: A blunt tip darning needle for weaving in ends; stitch marker to mark the beginning of round. itches (I used the long-tail method) and join to work in the round, placing a stitc marker at beginning of round. Row 1: Purl Row 2: Knit Row 3: Purl
Knit even until piece measures 19.5 inches from cast on edge. Repeat Rows 1-3. Cast-off knit wise. Weave in ends. Block to measure 20 inches long and 10.5 inches wide when laid flat.
