Contrariwise actually started as an idea for a cowl: squishy, double loop cowl in stranded colourwork, which evolved to include bands of texture made with slipped stitches. As it happens, it took longer to get the cowl ready for release, so here it is, the first started and the last finished: Circular Reasoning.

This double loop cowl starts with a provisional cast on, from which you work in stranded colourwork in the round until you get to the last section of alternating bands of colourwork and slip stitch texture. The ends are then grafted together to form a seamless circle.

The sample is worked in Spincycle Yarns Dyed in the Wool in Shades of Earth and Debauchery in Wrath. Debauchery is a laceweight yarn, so you use a double thickness to make the cowl. (I drew from the inside and outside of the cake.) Both yarns are 100% Bluefaced Leicester wool, a soft longwool that’s not prone to pilling and should develop a nice halo with wear.

This project was my first time working with Spincycle yarns, and while both yarns are very nice to work with, I just fell in love with Dyed in the Wool. I really like the texture this 2-ply yarn creates, and the way each ply shifts to colour independently to creat slowly evolving colour changes makes knitting with this yarn quite addictive. It’s inspired me to reexamine how I make handspun yarn, and see more possibilities in plying different colours. I also like that all Spincycle yarns are made here in the USA from sheep to skein. I’ve been inspired by the growing number and diversity of yarns being made here, and find myself turning to them more and more when deciding what to work with next.

Circular Reasoning takes approximately 383 yds/350m of Dyed in the Wool and 1000 yds/914m of Debauchery or 500 yds of a heavy fingering/light sport weight yarn. All the pattern information is listed on the Ravelry pattern page, or you can click here to buy the pattern now for $5.50. If you like, you can get this pattern and the Contrariwise hat pattern for $9; if you already bought Contrariwise through Ravelry, the full discount will be applied to your purchase of Circular Reasoning.

The fabulous photos are thanks to the talented Gale Zucker, and as with Contrariwise, the model for these photos is Josephine Ankarah.