Construction and Size
This cowl uses two colors and an eyelet stitch pattern. Worked in the round on circular needles in a worsted weight yarn, this cowl can have a variety of looks based upon the colors selected--do you want to emphasize the contrast of colors or have them blend more together? Pattern includes both written directions as well as a chart for the body pattern (which is also written out).

Skill Level: Advanced beginner
Skills needed: knitting in the round, yarn overs, decreases, changing colors (for different rounds--stripes)

Materials
US 7 (4.5 mm) 24” (60 cm) circular needle
US 9 (5.5 mm) 24” (60 cm) circular needle
Stitch marker

Notes
Thank you to my test knitters (rhiannonmrl, mercygirl76, CrazierThanMyCat, Blessed1625, and JoannaB) and tech editor Kitty Wunder (kwunder) who provided valuable feedback.

About the Name
In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the story told by the Nun’s Priest is a beast fable, which takes place in a farmyard. Chauntecleer is the rooster in the yard and is well known for his excellent crowing as well as how precisely he kept the time. Along with him, the farmyard has seven hens, and the one most important to the story is named Pertelote. One day, Chauntecleer has a terrible dream, and upon Pertelote’s urging, he tells of his dream, in which he saw a hound-like beast who was trying to get into the farmyard to kill Chauntecleer. The image in the dream alone is almost enough to stop Chauntecleer’s heart. Pertelote’s reaction to the dream is rather unfavorable as she finds Chauntecleer to be acting like a coward, so she spurns him, dismissing his fears as nothing but a dream. (They proceed to have a lengthy discussion upon the nature of dreams.)

Chauntecleer regains his bravery by realizing how wonderful Pertelote is and how much her support means and they go about their day. However, a fox has started prowling around the yard--the narrator laments that Chauntecleer did not head the dream, which was a warning. Chauntecleer sees the fox and starts to warn the hens, but the fox starts talking to the rooster, offering flattery, which Chauntecleer completely fell for. So when Chauntecleer starts to crow, to show off, the fox grabs the rooster by the neck and runs off with him!

While the fox is running away with Chauntecleer in his mouth, Chauntecleer speaks to the fox, causing the fox to answer. While making his reply, the fox opens his mouth and Chauntecleer is able to escape.

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