This yarn was just too nice. All that Malabrigo softness — and in a colorway that’s one of my favorite ever, Solis. (I’ve had a skein of sockweight in this color for years because I can’t think of a pattern that’s special enough for it!) My first attempt at a cowl with this beautiful yarn just wasn’t right. For one thing, the fabric was too dense. Size 13 needles are too small for Rasta. And even though my finished piece before seaming was the right size, the cowl was way too small.
So I frogged it and made another one. This time, I think I found success.
Pattern: Marshmallow Fluff by Sarah Kraly
Yarn: Malabrigo Rasta in Solis, less than one skein (about 30 grams leftover)
Needles: Size US 17 (12.75 mm)
Size Before Seaming: 6.5 inches wide by 24 inches long
The only problem I foresee is that this cowl is warm. I mean, raging furnace warm. Definitely it is for deep winter. Luckily, it’s been clear and cold lately!
**********
In my belly! I made what might be the most delicious cookies ever today. They’re Chocolate Fudgy Oatmeal Cookies, another recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Combining oatmeal, chocolate chips, cocoa in the batter, and (oh God, yes) dried cherries, they are full of happiness! If you like cookies, go get this cookbook! Now!
On the tube. I watched American Experience: Triangle Fire, to remember the 100th anniversary of the fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. This industrial disaster took the lives of over 100 workers, mostly young immigrant women, and spurred many much-needed regulations to protect workers and improve conditions in the garment industry and beyond.
Reading! I’ve really been enjoying the blog Vegansaurus. It’s super funny, and full of great information for people who are trying to adopt a more-totally-plant-based diet like me. I really liked their post, 11 Tips for New Vegans. (Possibly somewhat ironically) I’ve been reading a great book — The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant. It combines natural history, ethnography, science, suspense … a really great read. There’s something incredibly evocative to me about the word taiga alone … if you agree, you might like this book.