Newton cowl, completed

While on vacation in Kentucky last week, I had the opportunity to knit. A LOT. I loved it. Evenings on the couch with some Midsomer Murder mysteries, tea, and knitting are my idea of a relaxing vacation.

I finished up my Newton cowl that I started last month, and look who is all curious about it now that we are home. The namesake! Now that I have seen the two Newtons next to each other, I must say the (completely accidental) color matching is uncanny. I couldn't have planned it better if I tried. 

The yarn is Cascade Eco Duo, a blend of undyed baby alpaca and merino wool that is oh so soft. The natural colors are be-au-ti-ful, though I must be a bit biased. This particular colorway, despite matching my cat, is called Zebra (#1701). The other colors available are pretty, too. I am usually drawn to saturated colors, but I'm beginning to develop a fondness for neutrals. 

The yarn isn't twisted very tightly, so it was a challenge to pick up stitches along the unit edges as I worked along, but since it does have a bit of "fuzz" to it overall, I don't think it impacts the final product. It was just kind of annoying in the making. I decided not to block it, I don't think it needs it. The fabric has a nice drape, is cuddly soft, and looks great around my neck as-is. 

The pattern on Ravelry is free, and I also watched a few online tutorials as sanity checks to help me decipher some confusing parts. Kudos to anyone who takes the time to write up a pattern -- it can't be easy. All in all, this was a fun first entrelac project. It definitely satisfied the nerdy itch I had to figure out how in the world these cool looking fabrics are constructed.