6/30/25 - Once I finished the knitting, it was time to cast off, and I decided that a two color I-cord cast off would look more similar to the selvedge edge, and give a symmetrical effect (rather than the single color cast off suggested in the pattern). After figuring out how to do a two color cast off, and experimenting with how many stitches to include, it turned out that a two stitch tiny I-cord gave the best appearance. I am really pleased with the finished cowl and look forward to when the weather is cool enough that I can wear it!

Three new skills learned: mosaic knitting, Norwegian purl stitch, two color I-cord cast off…

6/20/25 - I’ve measured along the diagonal edge (where the increases happen) and have another five or six pattern sets to work until it is long enough to start on the second chart. I knit much to long a time last night, and so my wrist is sore today… will not spend several hours knitting today.

6/17/25 - Slow knitting is what I do and enjoy… by the time this cowl is completed, the weather will be cool enough that wearing it will be a welcome treat.

6/16/25 - I am loving this project, despite how slow I knit. Not sure how best to judge how far along it is, as it seems to have an interminable increase stage.

6/12/25 - I’ve mostly memorised the pattern, as it is basically an eight stitch and eight row pattern, and the color changes make it easy to never lose your place…

6/9/25 - I am a slow knitter. But then, I cannot just sit down and knit for hours, but must needs do a bit at a time. I am astounded at how fast some of the others who have made this bandana managed to go from start to finish. The turquoise Noro Kiri yarn is actually much more variegated than I realised, with deep teal, bright turquoise, grey, and even flecks of white, in a very Noro-ish blend. This aspect is really enlivening the patterned knit fabric. Thinking ahead to when it is time to bind off, I may attempt a two color I-cord bind off, to best echo the two color selvedge on the other side of the bottom edge, rather than the MC bind off suggested in the pattern…

6/8/25 - The blue-green variegated yarn I initially chose for this project was too dark in value for good contrast, so I have switched to the other skein of Noro Kiri, which is a vivid turquoise/teal/grey. Knit together in pattern with the darker Kiri, it reminds me of Cloud Mountain Chinese turquoise which often has dark matrix running through the brighter stone. Both yarns were a gift and I am pleased to be able to turn them into something I will wear, and that Kiri is a high silk content blend means it will feel softer against the skin than Noro usually does…

6/7/25 This pattern is appealing and as I’ve never done mosaic knitting, should be educational. I’m pretty baffled by the chart, as well as by the written instructions, though I suspect it would be obvious to someone familiar with mosaic knitting. My aim is a cozy winter neckwarmer, so of course am starting on a weekend with a heat advisory! Summertime knitting needs to be small things.

I’m wanting the colors of chocolate brown and teal/turquoise, to coordinate with future sewing plans. The Noro Kiri was a gift of several skeins of varigated dark/light grey, so I overdyed one skein using paste food color; it came out exactly as I had hoped. I’m experimenting with some mystery varigated blue/green/grey (sport? fingering?) yarn for the contrast, and will sample a few rows of the pattern to see if they work together. Not sure what size needles to use, either, since the various projects listed used anything from size 7 to size 4, but no one commented about why?!? so I will start with 5 and see how that looks…