Return Again Cowl

Throughout my adult life, I’ve made notice of various annual milestones, pausing a moment to remember my last experience and reflecting on my current feelings. I’ve reflected on annual events such as gatherings with friends, 5K races, and, most notably, holidays. I sing in the choir at my Temple for the Jewish High Holidays. We ramp up our practice in the late summer and sing our program of songs during services, many of which are repeats from previous seasons with a few new pieces peppered in. We rejoice and repent and reflect, and it is our tradition to wear white for one day of our services. Return Again is a recurring phrase in the liturgy and song. I interpret this to feel welcomed back to be myself in this time of ritual and reflection. A chance to try my best for another season of being me. The design for RETURN AGAIN COWL captures a year of slow, sometimes imperceptible change punctuated by the reality that the year is in fact starting again. This design captures my yearly experience of moving through time, then confronted with the slightly abrupt reset, regroup, and return.

The act of designing and knitting this cowl provided me with a sense of reflection. The finished piece has elements of ritual and return, and functionally, serves as a suitable layer to wear while I sing with the choir for the holidays.