In Yarn Works (Creative Publishing International, 2014) W. J. Johnson shares her fiber arts expertise with a scientific approach to spinning and dyeing the perfect yarn for your project and a variety of delightful patterns created for each of the fiber groups she describes. The book is divided into four main sections—Fiber Workshop, Spin Workshop, Dye Workshop and Knit Workshop—and includes a brief history on each subject. Johnson herself is a photographer, media and installation artist, educator in fiber arts and fiber artist with more than thirty years of experience spinning, dyeing and knitting yarn. This knitted cowl pattern comes from “Part 4: Knit Workshop.”
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Knit Cowl Pattern
For this light cowl I chose a ribbed pattern stitch that has great elasticity to allow it to either caress the neck or be used as a head wrap. Knit to the optional length of 18 inches (46 cm), this would be a soothing chemotherapy headcover. I call this a “parachute” cowl since it has the qualities of parachute silk—the ability to be condensed into a tight structure and dramatically open up into a larger form.
Before You Start
SKILL LEVEL
Easy
SIZE
Average adult
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 24″ [16 cm] or as desired
Length: 10″ [25.5 cm] (shown), 18″ [45.5 cm] or as desired
MATERIALS
• 200 yd [183 m] DK weight silk yarn
• Size 4 [3.5 mm] 16″ [40 cm] circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch marker
GAUGE
20 sts and 32 rnds = 4″ [10 cm] in St st.
18 sts and 32 rnds = 4″ [10 cm] in pat st.
Adjust needle size as necessary to obtain correct gauge.
Pattern Stitch (multiple of 4 sts)
All rnds: *K2, yo, p2tog; rep from * around.
Pattern Notes
• The cowl is worked in the round.
• Make the circumference smaller/bigger by casting on fewer/more stitches in multiples of 4.
Instructions
CO 108 sts; mark beg of rnd and join, taking care not to twist sts.
Work pat st until piece measures 10″ [25 cm], 18″ [45.5 cm], or to desired length.
BO kwise, knitting into back of all YOs to close them up.
Cut yarn, leaving a 6″ [15 cm] tail.
Weave in all ends on WS and cut off remaining yarn close to fabric.
Wash and block to finished measurements.
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Reprinted with permission from Yarn Works: How to Spin, Dye, and Knit Your Own Yarn by W. J. Johnson and published by Creative Publishing International, 2014. Buy this book from our store: Yarn Works: How to Spin, Dye, and Knit Your Own Yarn.