I’ve drawn on the tradition of Eastern European pysanky (Easter eggs) to design this cowl and mittens set. Black makes a great background for the variegated Zauberball, which mimics the colour changes in the Easter eggs, and the pattern is based on a traditional design.

A provisional cast-on for the cowl gives you a seamless, reversible fabric, double-thick for extra coziness, but not too dense given that you’re using fingering weight yarn. The mittens are also knit with fingering weight yarn, so they’re warm wool, but not too bulky.

Yarn: MC: 4 balls of Drops Fabel sock yarn in black (60g/224yds); breakdown: 3 for cowl, 1 for mittens. CC: 1 Zauberball, col. 1701 (100g/462yds)

Needles & Hooks: 2.75 mm 24” circular needle for cowl; set of five 2.25 mm double-pointed needles for mittens (or size needed to obtain gauge); 3 mm crochet hook for provisional cast on.

Other Materials: Sewing needle, scrap yarn for provisional cast-on, stitch markers, stitch holder.

Gauge: For cowl: 24 sts x 34 rows in stockinette. For mittens: 32 sts x 44 rows in stockinette.

Measurements/sizing: One size for cowl and mittens. Cowl measures approximately 12” in height and 26” in circumference. Mittens are 7” in circumference at widest point, and length is custom- fit.