I want a girl with a short skirt and a loooooooong jacket.

Well, sorry to burst your bubble, Cake, but you're going to have to settle for a long cowl.

Cowls, you guys.  They're incredible.  This project happened for a few reasons:

1.  My coat is a bit of an odd color and, seeing that I've now passed a couple winters with it, it seemed appropriate to make some accessories that were a little less clashy / more classy.

2.  I was cruisin' Instagram (Have I mentioned how much I love Instagram?) and saw a picture of some chick I don't know wearing a fab cowl.  Lightweight yarn that just sorta fell all around her face.  I won't lie, I was jealous of her face.  And, yes, I am scrutinizing your knitwear, folks.  For better or worse.  Sorry, not sorry.

3.  I recently taught a friend to knit.  This was the best idea ever, because now I have another swell pal to sit around knitting and shooting the breeze with.  (What does one appropriately shoot the breeze with, you guys?  BB gun?  Pea shooter?  Salad shooter?  Inquiring minds.)  One such session of lighthearted knit-foolery found my friend knitting a cowl-of-a-different-color.  Said friend's brother suggested that the only thing that could make that cowl better was about 4 feet of length.  Being hep to the jive, as I am, I saw that he meant to imprison his brother in a knitclad fortress of his own making.  Hilarity.  Anyway, you don't just let an idea like that pass you by.

Please see below, the resultant cowl/straight jacket.  I'm digging it so far.  It's really versatile.  Not pictured, it's also pretty fun to just pull that puppy up over your head and rock it as a hood.  In short, it's long.  But, I ain't mad at it!

Machete in a tree stump, hound dog on a chain;

wouldn't let a woman play on the banjo in the rain.  -O' Be Joyful (Shovels and Rope)

Folks, this one was FUN.  So, last year, I was browsing a neat clothing shop downtown with my best gal Friday.  She wanted to show me this wonderful sweater she'd been lovin' on.  You know the type.  Long.  Cozy.  The kind of whale you'd like to get Jonah-ed by, and then beg to n'er be spat back out.  (Yes, I did just used "Jonah" as a verb.  You're going to have to run with it.)  It just so happened that this particular sweater was also a child of the Navajo print family.  In short, it was a dreamboat.

I found myself carrying on a mental dialogue (party-of-one) about how much I love navajo print, especially in conjunction with sweaters.  But, then, I thought to myself that Scandinavian sweaters are also the best.  Sidebar, this is funny because my two favorite patterns are comprised of my true heritage (100% Norway, bay bees) and my presumed heritage (Native.  Well, I get a lot of that and a little Greek.  But, mostly Native.)  Coincidence?  Probably.  Regardless, Navajo & Scandinavian knitwear bests all other knitwear.  It seemed only logical to marry the two.  Alas, I made a vow to myself that I would one day begin a knitventure in creating projects that I would call my "Scandajo" knits.  Ridiculous?  Yes.  Awesome?  Mabes.  Choose your own adventure.

Now, a year later, after having discovered this wonderful book of Scandinavian knitting motifs, I decided 'twas time.  Below is the first of what will probably be a longstanding friendship with Scandajo knitting.  It seemed only appropriate that my first project should be gifted to a dear friend who is one of the most creatively inspired (and, therefore, inspiring) people I've ever met.  If not for people like this, I'm convinced I would be content to never have original thoughts.  But, it's contagious.  Shout out to all my original thinkers!  (I know many.  But, here's looking at you, Sam and Ashley.  You guys keep me on my toes, and I love you for it.)  Anyway, this Scandi book contained a pattern for an exact replica of my friend's dog (Zeus), so it had to be done.  Other Scandi features include the traditional thrumming (the pattern just above the brim), and the l'il viking boats up at the top.  The navajo biz is all the color work in the center of the hat.  I'm pretty happy with it for the first go, but looking forward to playing with it more in future.

Holler at my fellow knitters:  Anyone out there seasoned in the art of setting your knitwear?  This is a fairly new practice for me.  I'm finding that sometimes it stretches out my work.  Which is funny, because everything I've read seems to caution against shrinking during the setting process.  Anyway, it's happened a few times, this time included, and I find it irksome.  (Sam.  If your hat conspicuously goes missing one day, don't worry too much.  It's probably me just trying to shrink that sucker back down b/c I noticed it fits a little loose after the setting shenanigans.  Hrrmph.)  Anyway, if anyone knows what the what is, let's talk.  (Shaina?  Hit me with your best shot!)

"O' be joyful.  Is that what yer doin'?"  (Guys, if you don't know Shovels and Rope, you should.)  Peace.

I'm starting with the man in the mirror.

Y'all, knitting a beard hat has been an intention of mine since a couple years back.  In fact, my dear friend Lindsay suggested it be added to my list of resolutions for the 2012 season.  To this, I thought:  quantifiable, brilliant, I may actually be able to check that one off the list!  It should not surprise you, friends, to know that I did NOT complete this mission in 2012.  However, I did get around to it just recently.  I finally set aside the time for bearding, thinking I was going to use it as part of a halloween costume.  You see, my primary job takes place in a bookstore.  I typically like to tailor my get-up for the environment I'm working in.  This tradition started back when I began working at the gym and made myself a Power Bar costume (See right.)  Since making the switch to being a more prominent bookstore presence, I've begun attempting to dress as a literal representation of a book.  Last year, endeavoring to stay hip with the times, I dressed up in 50 shades of grey.  The books were so ridiculously popular, I felt that it was an inevitable choice.  Yes, I am that strange person dressing up as a pun, and thusly being completely misunderstood.  God bless my friend Sam, though, as all he needed was the hint "it's a book pun" to jump right to the right conclusion.  Another guess worth noting was Flashdance Barbie.  That was funny.  Anywho, this year I was planning to dress up as The Old Man and the Sea.  That's where the beard hat comes in.  Every sailor needs a stocking cap and a beard, as I see it.  Alas, I didn't hear any buzz about folks dressing up, so I never put the whole costume together.  Regardless, here is my first beard hat for your enjoyment:

All I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by.

Also, progress checks are funny.