Cowl’d and Frosty Morning

Since it appears that I’ve caught both the designing and the cowl bug, I am super excited to present my second design attempt!

Cowl’d and Frosty Morning

I designed my first cowl, Rievaulx, during the early autumn. The weather here in Yorkshire was wonderful, with lots of sunny days and only a nip in the air. As a result, I wanted a fashionable cowl that wasn’t going to have me overheating.

Oh, what a difference a month makes! Suddenly there is less daylight than there is night, and there’s ice on the car in the morning. I need a cowl to keep me warm on a cold and frosty morning. So, I designed Cowl’d and Frosty Morning in Malabrigo Chunky to keep me warm when I need it most. The alternating bands of stockinette and seed stitch, as well as the thick wool and denser fabric, help the cowl stand up straight.

This cowl is easily adaptable to worsted weight wool or for a larger size. Notes about modifications can be found at the end of the pattern.

Yarn: 1 skein of Malabrigo Chunky (approximately 104 yards) or similar weight wool
Needles: 6 mm, 16 inch circular
Notions: stitch marker or contrasting yarn, darning needle

Gauge: Gauge is not essential to this pattern, but my gauge was 14 stitches to 4 inches.
Finished Measurements: Approximately 9 inches by 9 inches.

Loosely CO 61 stitches.
Join in the round, being careful not to twist.
Row 1: K1, *(P1, K1) Repeat from * around.
Row 2: P1, *(K1, P1) Repeat from * around.
Row 3: Repeat Row 1.
Row 4: Repeat Row 2.
Row 5-15: Knit.

Repeat Rows 1-15 twice.

Repeat Rows 1-4.

Loosely bind off. Weave in loose ends. Blocking not required. Bundle up…it’s a cowl’d and frosty morning!

A Note about Modifications:

This cowl can easily be modified for a different weight wool or a wider cowl. Simply remember to cast on an odd number of stitches. Cast on more stitches for a larger cowl in chunky wool, cutting out stockinette rounds if you are worried about yardage. Do the same to knit the pattern in worsted weight, dk weight, or fingering weight wool.

A Special Thanks:

I also want to give a special thanks to my test knitters for this cowl, who were particularly helpful when it came to measurements, gauge, and modifications. Mary Ellen, Jennifer, and Lauren–you rock!