Making Gifts

Doing my taxes plunged me into despair from remembrances of losses suffered last year
and reminders of new disappointments. I earned $403 and paid $145 in fees and spent $1020
on materials. Awful as it was, it was an excellent exercise. I sold more patterns than I did any other creations... so that should be my emphasis.

For holiday gifts I'm giving cowls... mine are more about when a hoodie meets a collar.

I started one using FPDCs on a Lang Joke --- a boucle mix of wool,mohair, acrylic, nylon and elastic-- and a L hook.

I started another using in double strands of brown Shetland Chunky by Patons using a M hook. ( I won this yarn and have fretted for nearly a year on how to use it. This dark almost chocolate brown will make a handsome gift for my DBIL.)

They recommended a J but the single strand seems very much a regular worsted to me, not a bulky and working with the M hook
makes everything a bit looser than I prefer--- but it suits the emerging garment.

This one begins with hdc for 4 rows and then expands with the dc and at one point I add a stitch and then I add a stitch again. I could see how a more pronounced funnel shape would also work.

I'm thinking of buying fingering and worsted to make some others and want another fabric. I did a swatch of sc-dc and like the nubbly texture having used and oversized J with a worsted weight acrylic. Now I don't know how this will translate with a multi
strand on a M/N/P but I'm excited to try. The multistranding is not for bulk or even speed, but for color, loft and a structure I envision...an architectural statement of
warmth. I'm guessing these will all be about 220 yds....