This pattern is part of Per Aspera ad Astra set, including a beanie, a headband and a cowl with a big discount: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/pattern-set-per-...

“Per Aspera ad Astra” is a Latin sentence which means “through hardships to the stars” and inspires this design featuring a star stitch. I think everyone can recognize a moment in their life in this sentence. It is also a metaphor about knitting this stitch: it can be a bit tricky to knit at the beginning, there are some details to pay attention to (explained in written instructions and video tutorial), but after the initial difficulties you will complete your cowl and it will be full of stars! As I said, “per Aspera ad Astra”.

The instructions are for super bulky, light bulky and worsted weight yarn and for sizes small, medium and large, but the pattern will work with any size and yarn weight as long as you cast on a number of stitches that is a multiple of six.

Note: the pattern is worked with two colors but you work with only one color on each round.

Finished size
For light bulky version (after gentle blocking), may slightly vary for different yarn weights:
• 21.5”/55 cm circumference for size small
• 24”/61.5 cm circumference for size medium
• 27”/68 cm circumference for size large
• 11.5”/29 cm height

Materials
• two skeins in contrasting color of Malabrigo Rasta (super bulky), Mecha (light bulky), Rios (worsted) or equivalent yarn. Yardage varies depending on size and yarn weight but two skeins will be enough to complete the cowl in any size
• 16’’/40 cm (for size small), 24”/60cm (for size medium/large) circular needles or longer (if you use magic loop) or DPNs. Needle size:
US 13/9 mm, US 11/8 mm for the edge
US 9/5.5 mm, US 7/4.5 mm for the edge
US 6/4 mm, US 2½/3 mm for the edge

Skill level: intermediate

Knitting techniques and abbreviations
• long tail cast on, knit in the round
• k1: knit 1 stitch
• p1: purl 1 stitch
• slip 1: slip 1 stitch purlwise with working yarn in the back
• star stitch: see later (shown in video tutorial)
• yo: yarn over
• k1 tbl: knit 1 stitch through back loop
• k2tog tbl: knit 2 stitches together through back loop