Pretty Plum Cowl

Pretty Plum Cowl

I won't deny it - the entire motivation for this cowl was finding a nice way to knit up this beautiful, nicely-textured yarn. And I think that this particular combination of cables, stockinette, and an openwork lace suits the yarn's variegation well, and gives the piece a bit of visual interest without getting totally swallowed by the color changes. It's also a nice weight for spring!

A closer look at the cable-edged stockinette and lace pattern.

Yarn: Schachenmayr smc Cotton Bamboo Batik (50% Cotton, 50% Viscose (Bamboo); 131 yards [120 meters]/50 grams); #95 Plum Mix - two skeins

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 6, cable needle (cn) or double pointed needle for cabling

Notions: Tapestry needle, seven stitch markers

Gauge: 22 stitches = 4 inches

And now that that's out of the way, let's get started! First, then, cast on 136 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then, knit the following set-up rows, during which you'll be placing all of your extra markers. Oh, and you'll need the following notation:

bc (back cross): slip 2 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, k2 from cn

fc (front cross): slip 2 stitches to cn and hold in front, k2, k2 from cn

Set-up Row 1: k4, p2, place marker, (k1, p1) 28 times, place marker, p2, k4, place marker, k4, p2, place marker, (p1, k1) 28 times, place marker, p2, k4

Set-up Row 2: fc, p2, slip marker, * k1, p1; rep from * until next marker, slip marker, p2, bc, slip marker, fc, p2, slip marker, * p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, bc

Set-up Rows 3 & 4: k4, p2, slip marker, * k1, p1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, k4, p2, slip marker, * p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4

Set-up Row 5: k4, p2, slip marker, * k1, p1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, m1l, m1r, place additional marker, k4, p2, slip marker, * p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4

And now that those five rows are done, it's time to move on to our main pattern, which incorporates bits of Miniature Leaf Pattern from page 215 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, as well as Elongated Chain Cable, from page 246 of the same. And it goes like so:

Row 1 and all odd rows: k4, p2, slip marker, knit until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, knit until next marker, slip marker, k4, p2, slip marker, knit until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4

Row 2: bc, p2, slip marker, k1, * k3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, fc, slip marker, m1l, knit until next marker, m1r, slip marker, bc, p2, slip marker, k1, * k3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, fc

Row 4: k4, p2, slip marker, k1, * yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3 * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, m1l, knit until next marker, m1r, slip marker, k4, p2, slip marker, k1, * yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3 * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, k4

Row 6: k4, p2, slip marker, k1, * k3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, m1l, knit until next marker, m1r, slip marker, k4, p2, slip marker, k1, * k3, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, k4

Row 8: fc, p2, slip marker, k1, * yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3 * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, bc, slip marker, m1l, knit until next marker, m1r, slip marker, fc, p2, slip marker, k1, * yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, k3 * until you're one stitch from next marker, k1, slip marker, p2, bc

Row 10: same as row 6

Row 12: same as row 4

Knit rows 1 - 12 two times, and then knit rows 1 - 9 once more. Then we'll be moving on to the bottom edge of the pattern, which goes as follows:

Rows 1 & 3: k4, p2, slip marker, * k1, p1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, m1l, knit until next marker, m1r, slip marker, k4, p2, slip marker, * p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4

Rows 2, 4 & 6: k4, p2, slip marker, * k1, p1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4, slip marker, knit until next marker, slip marker, k4, p2, slip marker, * p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, k4

Row 5: bc, p2, slip marker, * k1, p1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, fc, slip marker, m1l, knit until next marker, m1r, slip marker, bc, p2, slip marker, * p1, k1 * until next marker, slip marker, p2, fc

Work rows 1 - 6 once and then bind off loosely, knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches. Tuck in ends. And finally; block, if desired (the stockinette portion will probably curl otherwise).

The back cable is the same as the front; however, the front cable is split apart to accommodate the increases.