Pullover Cowl: part one
My next experiment is well in the works. Living in Portland, we ride bikes a lot. We have only one car, and our second primary transit mode is by bicycle. We have an amazing Xtracycle that we ride with both kids sitting on the deck in back. It's good for fitness, the environment, it's cheaper than a second car, and it's freaking fun. We ride for as much of the year as we can, and only use our car for long trips, severe time constraints, unwieldy/heavy loads, or extreme weather. We are Oregonians, rain (and sometimes snow) will not stop us.
While snow like we had last year is uncommon, we do bike for most of the year in the rain and cold. You can see the kids bundled in scarves for their snowy ride to the grocery store last January. The issue with the scarves is that they come untied and don't stay put. I am also super hesitant to put a good wool scarf into the wash, and any winter gear is going to need to be washable. As a solution to this, I've been ruminating on the idea of a pullover cowl/shawl. One that could be worn over a simple tee for a little extra warmth, and tuck into their jackets for riding. Enter, the reluctant 6-year old helper.
I started by draping some fabric and drawing lines with my trusty red marker, while minding the grainline I drew and pinned in place at center back, then I laid out the fabric to see what shape I wound up with. Not surprisingly, it looked like a nearly triangular shawl. I folded it in half to make it symmetrical and cut the shape to make a paper pattern.
Today, I whipped up a quick muslin out of a lightweight (lighter than what I plan/hope to use, but it's what I had) french terry, and persuaded the reluctant 6-year old to help out once again. This time she was all smiles. I guess heart-print, cozy fabric has an impact on one's mood.
The design isn't perfect yet, but I'm excited at how close I got on this first try. Hopefully I will be able to add the pullover cowl to the shop as our first Gee Betty accessory! While you wait for accessories, check out our Back To School collection.