"B" is for Baktus

One of the blogs I enjoy reading on a regular basis is, "The Nerd and the Needles" by Strikkelise, from Norway. Her Baktus scarf pattern has really caught on, with hundreds of photos of finished Baktus' (should I say, "Backti"?) on Flickr and Ravelry.

Not being the speediest knitter, I made the Baktus using a yarn over (drop stitch) on round 3.

The Baktus in these photos was knit on US size 11 needles, with 2 different colorways of Katia Jamaica, yarn held double throughout. I like the interesting neutral-colored stripes that resulted.

Once again, credit goes to sisters Heidi and Mari for the beautiful photos.

New Fashion Cowl: Betty's Prairie Muffler

Missoni, 2009

Oversized cowls, like these in the Missoni collection, have made such a strong fall fashion statement this year.

I wanted to put my own stamp on a cowl design:

-one that buttons, rather than pulls over the head;

-that is long enough to be wrapped once, twice or thrice;

-that is sturdily crocheted to maintain shape.

The result is Betty's Prairie Muffler!

Here are some wonderful photos of the Prairie Muffler, taken by Heidi for my Etsy shop. The model is her sister, Mari. The photos are taken on their family farm in Frederick, South Dakota. Isn't the rural setting a perfect backdrop to show off this new accessory!

The top three cowls are crocheted in Cascade 128 Tweed. The bottom two are in Kertzer's Northern Chunky. Watch for the Prairie Muffler pattern in my Etsy shop after the holidays.