Gaptastic Cowl by Jen Geigley

I'm one of those people that prefer to make and receive handmade gifts. To me, presents represent the time, thought, and love that person put into choosing something they thought you would like, and who doesn't cherish something a loved one has obviously put so much effort into? 

Romantic notions aside however, most of us will attest that although we might love and care deeply for our friends and family, we don't always have the time to spend days working on presents to prove it to them. That it where this pattern is an absolute godsend.

Created by Jen Geigley at MadexDo, this pattern is known as the 'Gaptastic Cowl' and should be on the go-to list of every craft and DIY board on Pinterest. I came across this pattern one night on Ravelry. It was the middle of December and my promise months ago to make Christmas presents for family members snuck up on me between hectic Christmas hours and sudden freelance work. Frantically searching for a pattern that was simple, looked good, and could be completed quickly (the holy trinity of time-pressed DIY-ers) I came across Jen's design, an adaptation from one of Gap's past season wares. Cosy, simple yet beautiful, and more importantly quick to make, this pattern soon proved to be a favourite amongst my family and friends. Since Christmas I have made three more of these cowls for friends and family (including one as a gift to myself), and it never takes more than a few hours to complete, even if you're a slow knitter like me. 

The particularly great thing about this pattern is that everyone likes it, from a tweenage girl to your mum, even your metrosexual friends. Plus, you can easily adjust the width of the pattern to suit the size of the person, depending on the amount of yarn you use. 

For those that want to know the colours I used, for the yellow cowl I used Rowan's Big Wool Yarn in Sun 068, and for the baby blue cowl I used Lion Brand Wool Ease in Glacier Blue. 

You're probably tired of me waxing lyrical about this pattern and just want to try it for yourself by now, so here it is: 

And then head on over to her blog Makexdo to find some more fantastic knitting patterns. 

My cowl has already become a staple item in my wardrobe, as you can tell, and I doubt it won't be long after you've finished your own that it'll become a staple of yours (and your family and friends)!