Shieldmaiden cowl

I actually knit this on the drive to Texas, so it is in fact, a 2012 project, but I only just blocked it and added the buttons a few days ago.

Isn't it lovely? The pattern is The Shieldmaiden, and you can find it here.

Here is a better look at the cable and lace pattern. This cable was a little tricky to work, but the instructions were very good, so I didn't have any trouble with it. This is my first time knitting from a chart, so I was pleased that it went so smoothly.

Not only is it lovely, it actually does a great job of keeping my neck cozy. It extends far enough down in back to cover any gaps above the collar of my coat, but isn't so long as to get in the way. It's really quite a nice design.

It comes up nice and high on my neck, too. Since the pattern is so lacy, it is very stretchy, which makes it quite comfortable. The worsted weight yarn keeps the drafts out as well.

Here's how it looked before I blocked it. The yarn is Knit Picks Chroma Worsted, which has a nice halo. I chose it because I liked the rustic look of the unplied yarn, which I thought went well with this design. All my ravelry notes are here.