A cowl to tame your wilder yarns.

You know that yarn you possibly shouldn’t have bought, but you really love the colours? Perhaps it’s a bit brighter than you’d usually wear? Or maybe you’re unsure if it’s really your colour?

We’ve all got this wild yarn, often purchased at a show. The skein is gorgeous, but somehow it’s a bit too… much. We need to bring the colours closer to our usual palette, without losing the magic.

Enter the Yarn Tamer. Striping the wilder choice with a gentler shade will reduce the drama. The broken stripes of a moss/seed stitch calm down the whole situation, making it easy to wear that beautiful yarn. Worked in the round, this is an easy intermediate project.

The basic pattern is written for the usual suspects in my stash: glorious 4ply/fingering yarns. But you can use the pattern to play with other yarns…

PLAY
At the end of every pattern in Knit Play Colour, you will find ideas on how to “play” with the design. Yarn Tamer is easily adapted for any yarn weight and to any size you like, from long to snug.

A table lists the number of stitches to cast on for either a long cowl 120cm/48” around, or a snug cowl 55cm/22” around. The table covers gauges ranging from 10 to 30 sts per 10cm, so most yarns from 4ply/fingering to super bulky. However, if you wish to make a custom size cowl, the pattern has instructions on how to do this.

All the help you need in changing the yarn weight you want to use is in the Play section following the pattern.

JOIN OUR KAL We’re having a KAL in the Inspiration Knits group through October. There are prizes to be won! Come and join the fun; bring your wildest yarns.

SIZES
The basic pattern is for a long cowl in 4ply/fingering, 120cm/48” around x 22cm/8½” deep.
A snug size 55cm/22” around is also included. Custom sizing is made easy.

MATERIALS
Choose one skein each of a wild colour and a tame colour.
One 100g skein of each colour in 4ply/fingering will make a long cowl. A skein each in heavier yarns will make a snug cowl.
Needles for working in the round at the gauge you prefer – dpns, or circulars with 80cm/32” cable.
Stitch marker

SHOWN IN
Countess Ablaze Lady Persephone Sock Yarn (75% Bluefaced Leicester wool, 25% nylon,
425m/465yds per 100g skein) 1 x This Ain’t a Scene (W) and 1 x Nemesis (T)
28 sts x 45 rnds per 10cm/4” over Main Pattern using 3mm/US 2½ needles.

TENSION
Details are given for working at gauges from 10-30sts per 10cm/4”.

PLAY IDEAS
Some of the ideas on how to “Play” with the pattern are shown at the bottom left in:

• A selection of rust minis with a tame skein in warm grey: Whimzy Sokkusu O in Shrooms (T) & red mini skeins (W).
• A snug size in navy and cream with wild neon flecks: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino DK 0.5 skein x Holi Festival (W), 1 x Ink (T).
• A long colour change yarn in turquoise/pink/lilac: Noro Kureyon 2 x Col 277, with one ball for W and one for T. A quick gift knit in aran.

For more about playing with this pattern, including these ideas, visit the Yarn Tamer blog post.

All details needed to make these options are included in the book. All patterns are tech edited and tested in a range of yarns.