“It is said that King Volsung had an excellent palace built in this fashion: a huge tree stood with its trunk in the hall and its branches, with fair blossoms, stretched out through the roof. They called the tree Bairnstock.”

Saga of the Volsungs, trans. Jesse Byock

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PLEASE NOTE: It is possible that the round marker does not need to be moved on Rnd 12 of Chart 3. Please see the project notes by Sonnenblumenimp.

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The Bairnstock cowl is knitted in the round in two parts. The leaf lace is cast on provisionally and worked down to the bind-off edge. Then the stitches are picked up from the provisional cast-on for the stripes followed by the twig lace and twisted rib. Instructions are also provided for working the cowl in a single piece.

You will need approximately 220 m / 240 yards fingering weight yarn in the main colour, and 40 m / 45 yards in the contrast colour.

The pattern assumes that you have experience working in the round and reading charts. A link is provided for the type of provisional cast-on used here.

This cowl is part of my series Among the Æsir, inspired by the Norse gods and their world.

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