The Final year of The Cowl Kit

About 7 years ago, I started working on the Crazed Scandinavian Cowl by Wendy Johnson.  I picked out some fiber that I spun into a gradient colorway of black, purpley wine, and teal.  I paired it with a natural grey BLF/Linen that I loved spinning.  And started knitting this amazing thing.  I had not done much stranding before this, but by the end I was comfortable with it.  Although I never managed holding a different strand of yarn in each hand.  I just found a way I was comfortable with holding both strands in my right hand.  It worked for me.  I stopped when I basically ran out of my colored yarn and it was plenty long at that point anyway.  Then I kitchnered the ends together.  My daughter and I watched two Harry Potter movies while I slowly and methodically grafted the ends together to create a long LONG cowl.  And it was finished.  And I honestly felt it was one of the best things I'd ever made.  So I entered it into the MN State Fair and was so happy when it came in first place!  

Then came a huge leap of faith for me.  I decided to spin enough yarn to make it a kit and sell that yarn kit at fiber fests.  This takes a LOT of yarn and so I knew the price would be expensive.  It terrified me to actually put the first one out for sale.  I even lowered the price because I was so sure no one would buy it. And I sold that first kit in the first five minutes of the show.  I was nearly crying and I'm sure the woman who bought it from me thought I was being very silly.  smile.  Well in the last 7 years, I have sold MANY MANY of these kits.  Most in this same color way or at least similar.  The fiber is hand dyed and then I spin the braids so there will always be variations.  The current fiber batch I have is a brighter version, the blues more blue and less teal.  And I've come to a decision, this is the last year I am making kits for The Cowl.  (that is what I call it, THE Cowl, my girls and friends now exactly WHICH Cowl I'm talking about when I say THE Cowl)  

With the encouragement of the success of selling kits for THE Cowl, I have several kits that are doing great. Some big, some small.  I have a blanket kit, scarf kits and this year I will have two new shawls with kits available.  Well one for sure, I'm still knitting the Spiraling Cables Triangle below.  But hope to have it as a kit in the future.

But I finished Color Morph and have the fiber ready and next in line to make a kit for that one.  This should be finished by FiberPalooza in Winterset, Iowa on March 25th.

  But back to where I started, this will be the last year for The Cowl kit, it is going to be retired.  I have one kit done and fiber for another one and that is it folks.  So if you have seen it in my booth and were tempted, this is the year to bite.  I'm incredibly grateful to the power of The Cowl and the confidence it gave me.  And the willingness of so many people to buy this kit from me.  It showed me that people do value a unique product and are willing to buy it.  Thank you.

And briefly on another note, if you would like to learn how to spin yarn yourself, I am teaching a beginners spinning class at the Marine Mills Folk School on May 20th.  Registration for the class is open now by going to the website of the school using the link above.  I would love to pass on my joy of spinning to others. If you have questions, just let me know.  Also, if you are looking for an amazing array of classes, this is the place to go, fiber related, wood carving, cooking, painting, welding, learn how to play bridge, you name it, the school has a class for it.  Plus they have several free community events as well.  It is a wonderful asset to the area.  I hope to see you there!

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