My grandparents took me to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan every summer and we would stand and watch the gates that would open and close a series of locks allowing huge shipping vessels to navigate the waters taking them from Lake Superior to the lower Great Lakes and eventually out to the Atlantic Ocean. We’d gaze across at Canada and wonder what was on the tankers, and where they’d find port. No matter the season, we could always have used a little bit of warmth around our necks.

You’ll feel proud to wear the Soo Locks cowl knit out of a special skein of yarn or made up as a quick gift for someone you love. The scarf is a little bit lengthier project with an added frill around the ends, adding a tiny bit of ruffle to a pattern that is otherwise perfect for social knitting. The slipped stitch pattern makes the most of hand-dyed yarn, letting it be the star of the show.