Here's another finished cowl sample for gift ideas. It's definitely a winner! I decided to do it in a bulky yarn to save on time. The semester is winding down and Christmas is quickly approaching. I was able to wrap it around my neck once for a close fit. I'm posting the project on Ravelry, user CharityKnits.
ETA:
I had originally wanted to make it 54"l by the original width, but I underestimated the amount of yarn needed for a long tail cast on. After doing a little math, I stuck with the 90 st I was able to squeeze out for a finished length of 45". I stopped at approximately 8" because it felt wide enough. I'm very please with the finished results. I plan to make another using Malabrigo yarn and I plan to follow the directions exactly.
