new additions to my personal collection - reflective & baby alpaca yarn

Despite the heat of summer in Eastern Washington, my mind just can't stop thinking about winter.

I'd much rather be layering my clothes under a heavy peacoat, snuggling a cowl against my neck and clutching a steaming cup of coffee (or tea!) in my hands.... than standing in front of the air conditioner, sweating. 

But, I'll just have to wait and enjoy the wonderful things about summer - fruit fresh from local farms, a morning jog through sprinklers, an evening ride in our little convertible with the top down - until the warm weather is gone.

In the meantime, I've been working up ideas for cold weather crochet projects. In fact, I recently added two new cowls to my personal collection, made out of interesting yarn that I was able to find locally. 

The first one is a thick blend of purples, blues and greens. A strand of reflective thread is woven throughout. 

I plan to wear this cowl on evening walks, making myself just a bit more visible to passing motorists.

I kind of fell in love with the second cowl. In fact, after I finished it, I said to myself "I think I'll stop using any other yarn and just use this baby alpaca." 

It's deliciously soft and warm, despite being feather-light. It also lays nicely and is very flexible. The only drawback is that it tends to shed a bit, which I would expect of a natural yarn like this. It's worth it. 

I keep reminding myself to wait until summer has faded before I let loose some new ideas for cowls. So, until then....