Arete is a colour-work cowl/wrap, knitted in the round and then steeked. It can either be worn as a long cowl covering your shoulders and neck, doubled over to create a chunky neck cowl or as a wrap placed over one shoulder.

Arete uses a 4 ply (fingering weight) yarn held double, which makes for a quick and cosy knit. Alternatively, you can swap out to a DK weight yarn with suitable meterage and toothyness for steeking.

This is a great make if you are ready to tackle a larger stranded colour-work project but aren’t quite ready for the intricacies of Fair Isle. The pattern is very easy to memorise, so it’s easy to get into a rhythm and knit this up in no time at all.

Pattern Tutorial: To accompany this pattern I have created a pattern tutorial. This is available through a private YouTube link that can only be accessed by people that have bought the pattern for Arete (knitted).

The tutorial takes you through the materials needed, shawl construction, key techniques used in the pattern (including three options for reinforcing your steek sts), blocking hints and getting in touch.

If you make this shawl please do upload your WIP and FO on Ravelry. It would be great to see it on Instagram too - #AreteCowl #FayDHDesigns @faydhdesigns

Needles: 4mm circular needles and 120cm+ cable
Hook: 3mm/D3 but only required if you are doing a slip stitch crocheted steek reinforcement.

Gauge/tension: unblocked 27 sts and 24 rows over 10cm. Blocked 26.5 sts and 25 rows over 10cm.

Hours: approx 40 hours to make.

Meterage: 880m (approx 775m Yarn A (Blue Spruce), 300m Yarn B (Bramble), 288m Yarn C (Thistle) and 304m Yarn D (Rosebay)).

Blocked dimensions: 146cm wide, 34cm deep.

Yarn: The yarn used within the pattern is John Arbon Textiles Harvest Hues 4plyfingering weight (65% Organic Falklands Merino, 35% Zwartbles) in shades Blue Spruce (A), Bramble (B), Thistle (C) and Rosebay (D). This is beautiful wool (non-Superwash) spun in Devon, England. It comes in at 400m/437yds per100g and is perfect for colour-work and steeking.

Yarn substitutes: Something with the same or very similar meterage. It can be a different blend or something like a 100% Shetland wool. What you need is something that is fibrous and toothy so that the colourwork sticks together and you can create a secure steek.

Blocking: This is a project that definitely benefits from wet blocking as it means you can unfurl the shawl (it will roll as you knit it) and create really neat edges. If you are new to wet blocking, I have pulled together a YouTube Tutorial for that too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrMD-NoDwnM&t=189s