The blanket that turned into a cowl

Last year, I had the bright idea of knitting an aran blanket in strips rather than squares.  Less sewing up, fewer ends to darn in, what's not to like, I thought.  4 strips, each 12 inches wide, and 6 feet long, will make a sizeable blanket.

I cast on 60 stitches on size 5.00 needles and set off using a broken rib stitch.  I did the first strip, using 3 different lots of aran yarn.  I got to about 4 feet long (I was getting bored by this point) and slipped the stitches on some spare yarn.  My reasoning by now was that I would do 6 strips each 4 feet long, and end up with the same result.  I started the second strip, and again got to about 4 feet long.  When I put the 2 strips side by side they just didn't look right.  The colours went together, but using different brands of Aran weight meant that the strips weren't uniform in width.  Also, the colour changes were totally random, which gave a really messy effect.  To frog or not to frog?

Rather than make a decision, the strips were relegated to the back of the cupboard, only coming to light when I weighed my stash at the start of January.  I laid them out again, and then realised that, instead of a blanket, I had the making of two scarves or cowls.  At 12 inches they were really too wide for scarves, but would make brilliant cowls.  I knitted another foot or so on to the first strip, made some buttonholes, sewed on some buttons, and I now have a really cosy and warm cowl which will double up and wrap twice around the neck.

This is the cowl full width.....

.....and this is it doubled over.......

and this is it wrapped twice around my neck!

Knit for Peace is a charity that sends knitted and crocheted items to people in need in the UK and abroad.  In their latest newsletter they mention that they are really short of scarves at present, so these cowls, together with some scarves, will be sent off to them shortly.  

As for the blanket, I think I'll go back to making squares!