Tie-Closure Lace Cowl II

Tie-Closure Lace Cowl II (yeah, the picture is lopsided.  there was baby intervention)

First, let me apologize for how long it's been since my last pattern post - there was a disastrous family vacation and all kinds of illness that got in the way.  Of course, on the plus side, said disastrous vacation resulted in one good thing: I raided my mom's yarn stash and found a single decent skein, which was as petite as it was pretty (146 yards isn't a lot, you know) (also, mom, what's up with all the novelty yarns???).  So in exchange for stealing it, I promised to make it into something nice for her, even though I was limited by the very limited amount.  So I came up with this.  Also, both of the ties are made from my embroidery floss collection, although of course you could make them with the same yarn, or even ribbon if you didn't want to bother with the I-cords.

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca & Silk (50% Alpaca; 50% Silk; 146 yards [133 meters]/50 grams); #136 - this color is discontinued and older than either of my children, so I have no idea what the name of it is, but I used just one skein!

A poorly-lit close-up of the pattern.
Once again, I blame the baby.

Embroidery Floss: Sullivan's (100% Cotton; 8.7 yards [8 meters]); #45325 - one skein, but you will need pretty much the whole thing

Embroidery Floss: Sullivan's (100% Cotton; 8.7 yards [8 meters]); #45000 (Ecru) - also one skein, and you will also need all of this one

Needles: One set of straight needles in size 5 (well, I knit this on a circular needle, but you get the point - it goes back and forth), and two dpns in size 1, for knitting the embroidery floss

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

So let's get to it!  First, using your size 5 needles and your regular yarn, cast on 5 stitches and knit one row.  Now we're going to work some increases and get started on the pattern, which goes as follows:

Row 1: *ssk, yo; rep from *, end k1 (right side)

Row 2: * p2tog, yo *, end p1

Row 3: same as row 1 (*ssk, yo; rep from *, end k1)

Row 4: * k *, end kfb

Row 5: k1, * ssk, yo *, end k1

Row 6: * p2tog, yo *, end p2

Row 7: same as row 5 (k1, * ssk, yo *, end k1)

Row 8: same as row 4 (* k *, end kfb)

Knit rows 1 - 8 in pattern until you have 27 stitches on your needle and you've just worked row 8 of the pattern; from now on you will continue in basically the same pattern, except without the increases.  Or in other words:

Row 1: *ssk, yo; rep from *, end k1

Row 2: * p2tog, yo *, end p1

Row 3: same as row 1 (*ssk, yo; rep from *, end k1)

Row 4: * k *

Continue in pattern until piece measures roughly 31" from the pointy tip to your needle and you've just completed Row 4, or, if you're also working with a very limited yarn supply, you're almost out of yarn.  Bind off and tuck in ends.  Now it's time to make the ties!

Using your size 1 dpns and either skein of embroidery floss, cast on 4 stitches.  Work in an I-cord until cord measures roughly 17", or you've used pretty much all you've got.  Make a second I-cord in the other color, of roughly the same length.  Now the only thing left is styling!

Obviously, you can style this thing any way you want (weird diaper, anyone?), but if you want to achieve what I photographed, here's how you do it.  First, knot the ends of your two I-cords like so (what is the name of this knot, incidentally?  the Internet doesn't think it's fancy enough to warrant instructions or naming, apparently):

Next, fold in the edges of the straight end of your scarf thing a little less than halfway and thread the I-cords through like so:

NEXT next, line this end of the scarf thing up next to the other end of the scarf thing, right above where your increases stop, and weave the I-cords through the holes like so:

Finally, cinch it and make another knot like the first, like so:

And that's about it, although you may require a shot of the hard stuff by now, considering how incredibly poorly lit many of this pictures are.  And yes, I'm still gonna pin it on the baby...