The Kayan Lahwi women of Burma are familiar to most people because of their use of brass neck rings which give the appearance of having an elongated neck. Inspired by that shape, this soft cowl is quick to knit and uses only a small amount of yarn, so it’s perfect for a last-minute present or as an excuse to treat yourself to a skein of something luxurious. It keeps out even the most chilly of winds, and looks great under a coat when you don’t want the bulkiness of a long scarf. Wear it with the buttons at the back or the side, and with some or all of them done up. Make it in one colour, or use a contrast colour to make stripes in the reverse stocking-stitch (this can be a good stash-buster, as the amount of contrast colour needed is tiny). It even looks great on the ‘wrong’ side!

• To make a stripy Kayan, you will need MC: 50g (75m/82yds) and CC: 15g (25m/28yds) worsted or aran weight yarn
• Or to make in one colour, you will need 65g (100m/110yds) worsted or aran weight yarn in total

It’s written for one size but it’s easy to change the width and/or length if you want to.