Mood Ring Cowl: A Project from Knit the Sky

There’s something about the shifting of the seasons from summer to fall that requires a kind of balancing act. We’re called to tend to the things that require immediate attention — back to school, the garden harvest’s crush — while we adjust to the slowing pace of the days, with cooler mornings and shortening light. It’s the perfect time to make note of the effect these changes have on our state of mind and make something fun at the same time.

In her book Knit the Sky, author Lea Redmond beckons us to let our daily experiences shape what we make. Some projects are a daily record of the colors of the sky; other patterns are shaped by the rhythm of heartbeats or the pendulum swing of our favorite baseball team’s wins and losses. The colors of the Mood Ring Cowl project correspond to your emotions on the day you knit each stripe. The end result is a beautiful, wearable accessory whose pattern is shaped by its maker’s unique experiences and emotions. It’s a creative exercise, a document of time, and a call to mindfulness in one.

Knit the Sky doesn’t demand that we be expert knitters (though of course some familiarity with basic stitches and techniques helps). The greater requirement is that we leave ourselves open to our own creativity, our memories, and our sense of playfulness.

Download the Mood Ring Cowl project here