Windswept Forest is my latest knitting design — a cowl knit in the round using a simple lace pattern. For around $8, Quince & Co. Finch knits up quickly into a deceptively inexpensive gift for a friend or for yourself.
The inspiration for this cowl came from a design challenge put forth by Frenchie, a.k.a. ArohaKnits. The challenge began with creating a mood board inspired by one of three themes: ocean, mountains, or forest. I focused on images of forests. I found lots of really cool photos of dense forests but was most intrigued by the windswept trees — trees with branches bent backwards at crazy angles. It’s amazing that some of these trees can possibly remain rooted in the ground.
When I found a stitch pattern that reminded me of the back-bending trees, I knew I was onto something. After a little tweaking and swatching, Windswept Forest was born. The yarnovers and decreases combine to evoke gnarly branches on purled trunks. A bonus is that this stitch pattern, while not truly reversible, looks great on the wrong side; strong trunks stand amidst countless tangled branches. The alternating columns of purl and knitted lace act as ribbing that prevents rolling, so there is no need for a top or bottom border. If joining the first round is tricky for you, I have a nifty trick for resisting the twist.
When I called upon my test knitters to keep an eye out for some crazy trees to photograph for my pattern, I hit the jackpot. Laurie’s (LuvPrettyYarn) husband just happens to be a photographer and just happened to take this awesome photo in California a few years ago. Ken was very generous and allowed me to use his photo in the pattern and on my website. Ken just happens to be awesome!
You can find Windswept Forest in my Ravelry and Craftsy stores. If you subscribe to my newsletter, I’ll send you a discount code for 20% off any one pattern in my Ravelry store, including this one!