sparrow song

in a couple of days, fall will officially be upon us and in many parts of the world, temperatures are dipping into the 40s and 50s at night. that early-morning dash to the office can be a chilly affair indeed, especially if you rely on public transportation.

which makes it the perfect time to introduce the sparrow song design, newly released from last year’s fall in full color club, where it was one of our september selections. a cowl or scarf is just what’s needed now to provide a layer of warmth at the neck during the morning and evening commute, yet very little to carry in between, when the daytime temps warm up.

the cowl can be knit to fit up close as a trim accessory to wear inside a jacket, or long and loose to wind twice if you prefer (i added an extra size to this pattern release for a longer infinity scarf version).

the scarf can be knit in two sizes—one trim and narrow that can be worn indoors with a jacket and one wider and longer for outerwear. both pieces are easily modified to fit your yarn supply and taste in sizing.

the stitch pattern is an easy-to-work arabesque (allover repetitive pattern) that reminds me of that rush of wings as a flock of birds takes off form the ground. it’s seemingly intricate linear elements are shaped by yarnovers and decreases; its depth is created with a little cable every 8 rows or so to plump the motif a bit.

worked in a squishy sock weight yarn with a bit of exotic fiber blended in, the fabric is deeply textured yet retains a lovely drape and sheen to enhance the patterning.

the cowl is worked in the round from top to hem, then a knit-on edging is added—detailed instructions for working the edge are included; if you haven’t attempted this technique before, this is a great way to try it. and our ravelry group will hold your hand all the way through; visit the sparrow song discussion thread if you get stuck and someone will jump in to help.

the scarf isn’t written to have edging, so it’s a bit easier in some ways, but it could certainly be added if you like. both patterns were very popular with clubbies last year—they are so easy to do once you get going that you can easily tote them around for travel knitting.

shown above, the medium size cowl in hazel knits entice MCN, a luscious merino/cashmere/nylon blend with wonderful body, softness, and sheen. the color was our club-exclusinve, a gray-brown with plummy tones.

the scarf shown on this page is the tall size and knit in the same yarn—either piece would be gorgeous also in our breakfast blend fingering (new colors on the way; available soon!), ghillie sock, or stone soup fingering yarns!

to purchase pattern or view complete pattern information, please click here to visit the knitspot pattern shop. or purchase the pattern in our ravelry pattern shop.

sparrow song is also included in the FIFC 2012 eBook collection—14 terrific accessory patterns, each one multi-sized and suitable for gifting or keeping; many will have universal appeal for women, men, and children alike. purchase the eBook collection from the knitspot club website or in our ravelry pattern shop (it takes a few seconds to view).

another fun thing to do—click here to view the sparrow song project pages to see more examples of this design knit by club members and photographed on a variety of people and in alternate yarns. or better yet, join the us in our swingin’ FIFC clubhouse or knitspot mother ship for a KAL!

my friend susan looks gorgeous in these photos doesn’t she? i really appreciate the life she brought to these pieces; we had a lot of fun photographing them!

oh, and another thing—and this is so typical of our club package—there is a matching sock pattern too! which deserves its own special blog post, so look for that release on monday; i’ll be traveling home that day and will put it up before i go (maybe—well probably—even sunday night).

special thanks to our entire knitspot team—david, erica, kim and kat, karolyn, vanessa, sarah, nicole, emily, and erica—who keep the clubs humming along with terrific yarn choices, great customer service, and tons of fun. thank you all; you are nothing short of awesome!