After a long winter, spring is beginning to stretch its legs, but cool nights and mornings still call for a little wool (or wool blend!) in your life, and this cowl is here to add both warmth and style to those chilly hours of the day. A little bit of modern, geometric lace adds some knitterly flair, while sections of soothing stockinette make for a relaxing knit and let that gorgeous luxury skein you’ve got stocked away do the talking. Retreat, a wonderful blend of domestic alpaca and merino naturally dyed by Meg Anderson at Nutmeg Fibers in Nashville, adds sheen and drape to this transition-season accessory. Reach for one of her array of plant-based colors for a subtle, sophisticated note, or go much bolder in a bright or (moderately!) speckled shade. Instructions are provided for both a single- and double-wrapped cowl; the single-wrapped version is perfect for spring and early fall, while the double-wrapped version will carry you well into the winter.

Size
Single (Double) Wrapped Cowl: width 9.75” / XX cm, circumference 36.5 (73)” / XX (XX) cm.

Yarn
Nutmeg Fibers Retreat (70% U.S.-grown alpaca, 30% U.S.-grown Merino wool; 200 yards / 183 meters per 100 grams), 1 (2) skeins. Sample knit in Quebracho & Walnut. Note: the single-wrapped cowl just fits into one skein; if substituting, please carefully check the put-up of your chosen yarn.

Gauge
19 sts and 23 rows per 4” / 10 cm in stockinette stitch. Gauge is not critical to this project, but may affect both the finished size and the amount of yarn used.

Needles
Straight or circular needles, per knitter preference, in size US 7 / 4.5 mm.

Notions
Stitch markers (optional), waste yarn and crochet hook for optional provisional cast on, spare needle for optional three-needle bind off, tapestry needle

Skills Required
Increasing, decreasing, provisional cast on (optional), three-needle bind off (optional) or seaming

CONSTRUCTION NOTE
Cowl begins with a provisional cast on. After knitting is complete and the piece is blocked, the provisional cast on is undone, the live stitches placed on a needle, and the two ends of the cowl are joined with Kitchener stitch or a three-needle bind off. Alternatively, you may use a regular cast on and join the two ends with a seam.