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| Star Stitch Cowl |
So, my local yarn store is having a huge sale on a bunch of discontinued yarns, which is great because some of them are super nice and cheap, and terrible because I know that they won't be available for long. However, the yarn I chose for this piece has a texture that I think would be best replicated by Berroco Comfort DK, if you're looking to duplicate the look and texture of this piece but can't find the yarn. And I'm sure this cowl would also be lovely in any number of cottons, linens, bamboos, acrylics or wools, if the fancy strikes you. Either way, let's get started.
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| The eyelet design of the front panel |
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn VITA (85% Recycled Cotton, 15% Recycled Cashmere; 136 yards [124 meters]/50 grams); #301 Grey (color A) - one skein & #117 Pink Carnation (color B) - 1 skein
Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 7
Notions: Tapestry needle, five stitch markers or scraps of yarn to mark stitches
Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches
Please note: I have updated these instructions as of 2/03/14 for clarity.
Using color A, cast on 123 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Purl 4 rows, placing one of your two additional stitch markers after 60 stitches, and your second additional marker after 63 (so these two markers will be three stitches apart, and centered in middle of piece). Slip stitch markers when you come to them during these purl rows. And once they're done, it's time to begin the pattern, which is Two-Color Star Stitch from page 92 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.
Row 1: using color B, knit until first stitch marker; slip marker, k1, yo, knit until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, k1, slip marker, knit until end of row
Row 2: using color B, k2, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches; rep from * until you're one stitch away from first marker, k1, slip marker, knit until next marker, and then k2, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches *; end k1
Row 3: using color A, knit until first stitch marker; slip marker, k1, yo, knit until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, k1, slip marker, knit until end of row
Row 4: using color A, k1, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo * until you're two stitches away from first marker, k2, slip marker, knit until next marker, and then k1, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo *; end k2
Knit rows 1 - 4 four times in total, and then place two additional stitch markers after 68 stitches and 71 stitches, respectively (once again, these markers will be three stitches apart, and centered in the middle of the piece). We're going to add a couple more yo's to the pattern, and also work our first ones less often. Or in terms of the pattern:
Row 5: using color B, knit until first stitch marker; slip marker, knit until next stitch marker; slip marker, k1, yo; then, knit until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, k1, slip marker, and knit until end of row, slipping last marker when you come to it
Row 6: using color B, k2, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches * until you're one stitch away from first marker, k1, slip marker, knit until you reach your fourth marker, slipping the 2nd and 3rd along the way, and then k2, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches *; end k1
Row 7: using color A, knit until first stitch marker; slip marker, k1, yo, knit until one stitch before fourth stitch marker (slipping the second and third when you come to them), yo, k1, slip marker, knit until end of row
Row 8: using color A, k1, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo * until you're two stitches away from first marker, k2, slip marker, knit until fourth marker, slipping the second and third markers when you come to them, and then k1, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo *; end k2
Knit rows 5 - 8 nine times, and then knit rows 5 - 6 once more (if you're getting low on yarn, you can knit less repetitions as desired). If you're offended by the idea of a contrast row of purl stitches in your final band of purl stitches at the end, knit one row in color A. Whether you choose to knit that row or not, finish by purling 4 rows in color A. Bind off loosely. If desired, stitch the cast-on and cast-off edges of the purl bands at the top and bottom of the piece to the wrong side of the piece, stitching them where they naturally curl. Tuck in ends.
now this pattern is just too beautiful hun, wow, thanks so ever much for sharing this pattern with us, I so so love it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear you like it! I love the feel of this yarn, and I have to admit I love the pink and grey together too!
DeleteI'm confused. Cast on 123 stitches. Place first marker at beginning of round. The next after 60 stitches and the 3rd after 63. 60+63=123-so 2 stitch markers are beside each other? Unless there is only supposed to be 3 stitches between SM#2 and SM#3 but that doesn't seem right either. Can you help?
ReplyDeleteYou've got it right! There are three stitches between the markers at first, and then you'll work your yarn over eyelets between them to make the stockinette panel of the middle much, much bigger over time (since this piece is knit top-down). Please let me know if you have any more questions!
DeleteHi if I m using just one color and in rectangular instead of round what shld the instruction like?
ReplyDeleteHi May! If you're knitting this one color and flat instead of in the round, then you need to simply ignore all color change instructions (the main pattern is 4 rows long, whether you're doing a color change or not), and work all of the odd pattern rows with a purl stitch instead of a knit stitch (so the odd rows of the pattern will be the wrong side of the work). The only other two sections you'll need to be careful about are the four rows of purl stitches at both edges - and since our odd rows are wrong-side rows, you'll just work the edging rows as one knit row, one purled row, one knit row, and a final purl row instead of four purled rows. Oh, and seam it when you're done!!!
DeleteIs there a pattern for this in the flat? I haven't got the hang of circular needles yet. I'm just starting to learn. I'm 73 but never too old to learn. Baby steps.
ReplyDeleteThere is now! See below. And let me know if you have any questions!!! :)
DeleteUsing color A, cast on 125 stitches. Then we’ll work some ribbing, as follows:
Rows 1 & 3 (wrong side): purl
Row 2: knit
Row 4: k61, place marker, k3, place marker, knit until end of row
Then, we’ll begin as follows
Row 1 (wrong side): using color B, purl until first stitch marker; slip marker, p1, yo, purl until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, p1, slip marker, purl until end of row
Row 2: using color B, k3, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches; rep from * until you're one stitch away from first marker, k1, slip marker, knit until next marker, and then k2, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches *; end k2
Row 3: using color A, purl until first stitch marker; slip marker, p1, yo, purl until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, p1, slip marker, purl until end of row
Row 4: using color A, k2, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo * until you're two stitches away from first marker, k2, slip marker, knit until next marker, and then k1, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo *; end k3
Knit rows 1 - 4 four times in total, and then place two additional stitch markers after 69 stitches and 72 stitches, respectively (once again, these markers will be three stitches apart, and centered in the middle of the piece). We're going to add a couple more yo's to the pattern, and also work our first ones less often. Or in terms of the pattern:
Row 5 (wrong side): using color B, purl until first stitch marker; slip marker, purl until next stitch marker; slip marker, p1, yo; then, purl until you're one stitch before next stitch marker, yo, p1, slip marker, and purl until end of row, slipping last marker when you come to it
Row 6: using color B, k3, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches * until you're one stitch away from first marker, k1, slip marker, knit until you reach your fourth marker, slipping the 2nd and 3rd along the way, and then k2, * yo, k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches *; end k2
Row 7: using color A, purl until first stitch marker; slip marker, p1, yo, purl until one stitch before fourth stitch marker (slipping the second and third when you come to them), yo, p1, slip marker, purl until end of row
Row 8: using color A, k2, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo * until you're two stitches away from first marker, k2, slip marker, knit until fourth marker, slipping the second and third markers when you come to them, and then k1, * k3, pass first of the 3 knit stitches over the second and third stitches, yo *; end k3
Knit rows 5 - 8 nine times, and then knit rows 5 - 6 once more (if you're getting low on yarn, you can knit less repetitions as desired). If you're offended by the idea of a contrast row of purl stitches in your final band of purl stitches at the end, purl one row in color A. Complete another band of ribbing by working the four rows as follows:
Ribbing Rows 1 & 3 (right side): using color A, purl
Ribbing Rows 2 & 4: using color A, knit
Complete ribbing rows 1 – 4 and bind off loosely. Block and seam. If desired, stitch the cast-on and cast-off edges of the purl bands at the top and bottom of the piece to the wrong side of the piece, stitching them where they naturally curl. Tuck in ends.