October Craft:Along: Cabled Balaclava

As I worked on my projects for Finny and Kelli's October Craft:Along over the weekend, I realized this is the third year I’ve participated in the Craft:Along challenges. I’ve learned a lot in the process and enjoyed the journey.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

One of my finished projects for this month is the Cabled Balaclava, a pattern created by Nikol Lohr of the Thrifty Knitter blog and featured on Craftzine. This is going to be a Christmas gift for one of my sons-in-law who requested a new scarf. I’m knitting the scarf for him but decided to include the balaclava as he lives in Vail, CO and can use it for skiing. My husband posed wearing his ski goggles with my knitting creation.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

The balaclava can be worn in multiple ways as it can be used as both a hat and scarf. The yarn used for my project is 4 skeins of Nashua Granite (70% wool, 30% acrylic).

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

This is the top of the balaclava. I really enjoy knitting cables and am working on an Irish Hiking scarf for Philip. I’ll use a solid gray wool yarn so the balaclava and scarf don’t make for too much matchy-matchy which men seem not to like, at least the men in my life.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

Here’s the balaclava configured as simply a hat; this is one versatile piece that will be useful in the Colorado winter climate. I managed to knit this project using Nikol's carefully written instructions without making a mistake—that’s a first for me.