Sonatine is a stylish, asymmetrical cowl that is a reimagining of my Satie shawl design, as both feature the same Art Nouveau-inspired, organic lace pattern surrounded by garter stitch. Available in two wearable sizes—small and medium—and both one-color and two-color versions, Sonatine is the perfect accessory for those transitional seasons when you need a little something extra to keep your chest warm while wearing an open jacket or a sweater.

The construction method I used makes Sonatine especially easy to wear, in that it is knitted in one piece and then joined at the back of the neck with a small seam, eliminating the bulk behind the neck of a traditional cowl. Having less height behind the neck also uses less yarn, making Sonatine a really great project to use up those extra or even partial skeins you’ve collected. And it knits up so quickly too! (See last photo for a schematic of the shape as knitted.)

The Sonatine pattern includes one chart for the lace border and full written out instructions for that chart (for those of you who prefer not to use charts).

The size may be further customized either a bit smaller or larger; full details about how to do that are included. The pattern includes video links as well as detailed instructions that explain all the various techniques required. For example, there are helpful hints to show you how to:

• work neat and consistently-sized slipped stitch edges
• add a new color on a slipped edge
• seam horizontal to vertical garter stitch
• weave in ends invisibly in garter stitch
• work the knot stitches which give the unique look to the lace pattern

YARN: DK weight is recommended for this pattern, although Sonatine could effectively be worked in sport or worsted weight as well. When working the one-color version, solid or tonal yarn is recommended, as the intricacy of the lace pattern will be obscured if using a more variegated yarn. For the two-color version, why not do a little stash diving and pair a variegated, speckled or handspun yarn with a coordinating solid or tonal for the lace border section. Or pair two complementary tonals or solids. The border uses so little yarn that even if you have as little as 25 grams available, that should be sufficient yardage in most DK weight yarns to work the lace border for either size cowl.

YARDAGE: SMALL SIZE - approximately 120 yds (110 m) of Color A and 35 yds (32 m) of Color B for a total of 155 yds (142 m); MEDIUM SIZE - 145 yds (133 m) of Color A and 45 yds (41 m) of Color B for a total of 190 yds (174 m)

SAMPLE COWL YARN INFO: For the small size - aqua/olive - Knerd String DK Weight, Oyster Bay colorway (Color A) / Earthy colorway (Color B). For the medium size - One-color sample in golden green - Hazel Knits Lively DK, Sedge colorway. Two-color sample in speckled cream/deep gold - Julie Asselin Leizu DK, Savanna colorway (Color A) / Fiberstory Core DK, Gilded colorway (Color B). Note that I pulled older yarn from stash for this 2-color medium sample; the colorways are no longer available.

ERRATA! Note that the yarn over symbol is missing from the chart legend at the top of page 6. I’ll be sending out an update asap. Dec. 2024

Sonatine is named after my favorite piano work by Maurice Ravel, who was greatly inspired and influenced by Erik Satie. Here is a link to a video of an incredible performance of Sonatine by a very gifted Austrian pianist named Judith Valerie Engel.