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Pattern Story

Come join me on this knitting quest to create the perfect cowl for lace.

It all started with a simple plan. Create a cowl that uses the same gorgeous, watery lace as the Ocean Home Shawl. Ha! So easy. Except that first cowl literally flopped around my neck like a bad date and the lace disappeared.

Our first stop is the Swirling Seas Infinity Cowl. It has gone through three iterations on turbulent waters to find its way to you. We’ll discover that making the cowl longer, infinity length in fact, solves the visibility problem. It effortlessly showcases all the work that goes into knitting the lace.

The Swirling Seas Infinity Cowl is made to be worn around the neck as the sides cascade down the front. It is long enough that it can also be draped about the shoulders. Easily wear it over a sweater, winter coat, or dress to add stylish warmth. The front can be secured with a shawl pin to keep it closed or left open.

It is handsome worn like a scarf tucked into a dress coat with the sides of the cowl worn up high on the neck. Wearing the cowl doubled over provides a very snug fit. This versatile cowl can be worn at anytime of the year. It’s unisex design and suggested modifications make it a good cowl for all to wear.

You’ll need two skeins of worsted yarn for this oceanic adventure. Three if you desire an even longer one.

More to come …

CONSTRUCTION

The Swirling Seas Infinity Cowl is worked from the bottom up beginning with rounds of 2 x 2 ribbing. The main color and the coordinating color alternate in a garter stitch pattern that results in little cresting waves through the cowl.

The body of the cowl continues in a lace pattern that’s reminiscent of waves swirling and churning in a stormy sea and topped by more rows of the garter stitch cresting waves. The swirling waves and garter stitch patterns are repeated one more time. The cowl ends as it began with 2 x 2 ribbing. Since the lace is worked in the round it is easily memorized and the knitting quickly becomes intuitive.

The lace has a 10 stitch repeat that contains 8 knit stitches, one yo, and either a k2tog or ssk, all easy stitches. Working the lace in worsted weight yarn makes it easy to see the pattern as it develops and to make corrections if needed.

Pattern includes an optional chart for the swirling waves lace and garter stitch waves pattern as well as a schematic. A special techniques section contains instructions and tips for a stretchy long tail cast-on, casting on without measuring yarn, and modified standard bind-off that is stretchy.

PATTERN INCLUDES:

• Special Techniques page with tips for casting on lots of stitches without measuring yarn, a stretchy modified bind-off, how to make long-tail cast-on stretchy.
• schematic
• optional chart for lace pattern
• modifications to make cowl longer (increase circumference)

SKILLS NEEDED:

K2tog, ssk, yo, includes written instructions and tips for stretchy long tail cast-on, casting on without measuring yarn, and modified standard bindoff, modifications, optional chart and schematic are also included.

YARN USED:

MC Malabrigo Rios (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 4-ply worsted; 210 yd / 192 m per skein): sample uses 1 skein Persia.
CC Berroco Vintage (52% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 8% Nylon, 4-ply worsted, 218 yds / 200 m per skein): sample uses 1 skein #5100 Snow Day.

YARDAGE:

MC 222 yds; 203 m, actual sample used 202 yds; 184 m, buy extra yarn if you’re not making a swatch.
CC 146 yds; 134 m.

YARN SUBSTITUTION:

Any worsted weight yarn with wool content for the lace. Use the yarn that makes you happy. Keep in mind that the lace section looks its best in a tonal, solid, lightly speckled, or gradient yarn.

GAUGE:

18.5 sts x 28 rows = 4” / 10 cm worked in the round and in 2 x 2 ribbing (and lightly blocked); two repeats of lace is 20 sts x 36 rows = 4.5” x 5” / 11.5 x 13 cm (and lightly blocked). A different gauge will affect drape, yardage required, and size. Note that the yarn weight and lace are knit to a tighter gauge than usual to achieve the desired look.

NOTIONS REQUIRED:

Tapestry needle, 21 stitch markers, and one unique BOR marker.

This pattern has been tech edited and test knit.