But my favorite to work on has been my new shawl. I even took it with me to Costco and crocheted in the food court while waiting for my car’s tires to get rotated.

I love a project that travels well and this one has been a good companion. Every great travel project needs a good travel bag. What do you think of mine? The bag in the photo is from ZukuriDesigns on Etsy. Shelley is a truly gifted sewer. These bags are so well-crafted and the Japanese fabric she uses is top notch. The prints are adorable too. I’ve bought several of these over the years. They’re the perfect size for small projects like socks and shawls. They easily hold 2 cakes of sock yarn, so it’s been perfect for keeping my yarn tangle-free.

I originally designed this cowl with Noro Silk Garden in mind. I love that as you crochet, the self-striping yarn does all the colorwork for you. The floral motif in this cowl was designed to work with the color sequences in the yarn so that a different color is dominant in each round, meaning you never have to cut your yarn or change colors!

But as Amanda has shown, you can also make this cowl with two solid colors, using one color for the flowers and another for the granny stitch sections in between.

You might even make multicolored motifs (a great idea for using up scrap yarn) and work the granny stitch sections in a solid color. Or reverse it and make the motifs solid colored and the granny stitch sections using many colors. There are so many variations to try!

Suggested Yarn Substitutions

The pattern calls for approx. 440 yards (200 grams) of medium-weight yarn. The yarn used in this pattern is Noro Silk Garden, but just about any Aran or worsted weight yarn should do, including wool, wool blends, acrylic, and even cotton.

If you’d like to make a 2-color cowl like Amanda’s, here are some yarns you might try:

• Valley Yarns Amherst

• Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted

• Hobbii Winterglow Solid

• Malabrigo Worsted

• Manos del Uruguay Maxima

If you’d like to make a multicolored cowl with self-striping yarn, here are some additional yarn options:

• Lion Brand Ferris Wheel

• Hobbii Winterglow

• Sirdar Jewelspun

• Järbo Cookie

• Premier Yarns Spun Colors

November is my birth month, and to celebrate, I’m giving you a copy of the Painter’s Garden Cowl pattern for free! Click the button below and enter the coupon code BIRTHDAY23 to redeem your free pattern on Ravelry. (You may also add the Painter’s Garden Cowl pattern to your cart and enter the code at checkout.)

I hope you enjoy making a Painter’s Garden Cowl! Whether you make one for yourself or someone special, it’s sure to add a pop of lovely color to your world throughout the gray of winter.

Promotion ends November 30.

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