Small knit series -Socks on holiday

I like to take a new project with me on holiday. My New Zealand trip was very enjoyable, with some terrific stops at knitting shops and trials of new-to-me-yarns -( loot to be revealed later), and I also finished a pair of socks within a week, whilst knitting on the plane and in the car.



This sounds rather productive until I reveal that they were socks for a 9 year old boy.
He even agreed to model the socks on location.
The yarn is Heirloom Jigsaw Self Patterning Sock Yarn, colourway 81, and the pattern is our StitchBliss child's sock pattern.
I probably have enough yarn left from the 100g ball for another pair,but am feeling like a more varied colour palette- maybe some fair isle?

Small knit series - birthday cowl

Despite my blog neglect over summer I was knitting non-lap size things.
Here are the two versions of Diana Hanna's Birthday Cowl (free pattern on Ravelry) that I made for 2 young women who took a trip to England in December.
Version1
Aslan Trends Invernal in Raspberry

I used garter stitch as a border to decrease the rolled edge effect.
This cowl was lovely and soft, but unfortunately I found it rather large
Version 2

I knit the second one with one less repeat of the lace panel, in Aslan Trends Invernal colour Rouge, and much preferred the sizing.

I thought it was a good travelling present, being small enough to keep in a pocket, and useable to cover ears or the neck, first time overseas travellers from Australia being prone to underestimate just how chilly it can be in Europe in winter.

I received good reports of the cushy warmth of the angora rabbit/wool yarn.