This pattern for a knitted cowl is suitable for a confident beginner to intermediate knitter and the instructions and guidance in this pattern have been written with them in mind. The pattern has written instructions - no chart.

You will need to know how to knit, purl, knit in the stitch below, make a provisional cast on and graft the two ends together, using the kitchener method (although you can use your preferred grafting or seaming method, if you wish). The pattern includes a short photo tutorial showing how to ‘knit 1 below’, should you need it.

I designed this cowl to celebrate a beautifully textural stitch, and the super soft handle and pleasing colouring of Malabrigo’s Merino Worsted yarn in semi-solid shades.

The pattern booklet you will download has 4 different options for this cowl - two are generously sized and two are what I’ve called ‘mini me’ sizes, designed to use up the leftovers of the skeins you’ll need to make the larger options. Both sizes have options to work straight colour changes and ‘staged’ changes, that both create different effects, which makes 4 patterns in all.

A number of different examples are included in the photographs and you can see all the variations I’ve made so far on my Ravelry project page: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/thecrimsonrabbit?set=&am...=

The stitch pattern I’ve used in the design is a brioche knit pattern that produces a lovely textured effect that looks almost as good on the back as on the front. The fabric this stitch creates doesn’t curl at the edges and it is super warm due to the almost honeycomb effect of the brioche stitches.

Everyone’s knitting tension is different and gauge isn’t essential for a cowl, but the finished dimensions of my cowls were: 158cm (62in) long and 28cm (11in) wide for the larger one (easily long enough to wrap around your neck and shoulders a couple of times); my Mini Me version measured 140cm (55in) long and 16cm (6.5in) wide, also easily long enough to wrap around your neck a couple of times.

To make the larger size of the cowl, you will need around 70 grams / 2.5 oz of 4 different colourways of Malabrigo Merino Worsted. If you buy 4 hanks to make a large size, you will have enough leftover to make the Mini Me version too! You will also need a pair of 4.5mm / US#7 straight knitting needles and a wool / tapestry needle.