Handkerchief Cowl

Handkerchief Cowl

Okay, let's be real here.  For some ridiculous reason, I only bought one skein of this yarn, and I bought it on vacation, so I couldn't exactly pop to the store for another.  And that has seriously limited the yarn's utility, although a combination of my small neck and industriousness (I totally had to cut off the cast-on tail and use it to cast off; that's how low on yarn I was) has produced a decent result.  That being said, let's take a moment to talk about sizing!

As mentioned, I have a small neck.  I also have a healthy stash of scraps, so finding something else to make the I-cord to finish this beast was easy (I used the leftovers from the Arrowhead Lace Cowl).  However, I strongly, STRONGLY suggest having two skeins of yarn on hand to work this piece (or at least 100 yards), especially if your neck is any bigger than mine (12" around, by my husband's measure).  Furthermore, I suggest working the lace portion of this pattern to your neck's circumference, if not larger, for fit and comfort (the overall circumference of the piece is slightly larger, based on the positioning of the eyelets for the I-cord lacing, but not much).  Then you might even have enough yarn to work a matching I-cord!

Yarn: Cascade Luna (100% Peruvian Cotton; 82 yards [75 meters]/50 grams); #727 Coral - 1 - 2 skeins (2 highly recommended), plus some stash scrap yarn in a complimentary color, should you decide to knit the I-cord from a different material

A close-up of the closure

Needles: One set of straight needles in size 7, one cable needle (cn) or double pointed needle (dpn) for cabling, one set of dpns in size 7 for working the I-cord

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches

Let's get this party started!  First, cast on 12 stitches.  Now, we're immediately going to begin working a double cable (from page 243 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns), which goes as follows:

Rows 1, 3, 5, & 7 (wrong side): k2, p8, k2

Row 2: p2, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, k2 from cn, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in front, k2, k2 from cn, p2

Rows 4, 6, & 8: p2, k8, p2


Repeat rows 1 - 8 five times, and then rows 1 - 7 one additional time.  On your next row (which is a right side row), let's add the eyelets and a few transition rows, which go as follows:

Eyelet Row: p2, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, ssk, p2

Follow-up Row 1: k2, p8, k2

Follow-up Row 2: p2, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, k2 from cn, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in front, k2, k2 from cn, p2

Follow-up Row 3: k2, p8, k2

And now that we're done integrating the eyelets, let's add some stitches to make this bad boy grow.  Or in other words:

Add Row 1: p2, kfb, k5, kfb, k1, p2

Add Row 2: k2, p10, k2

Add Row 3: p2, kfb, k7, kfb, k1, p2

Add Row 4: k2, p12, k2

Add Row 5: p2, kfb, k9, kfb, k1, p2

Add Row 6: k2, p14, k2

Add Row 7: p2, kfb, k11, kfb, k1, p2

Add Row 8: k2, p16, k2

Add Row 9: p2, k2, slip next 3 stitches to cn and hold in back, k3, k3 from cn, slip next 3 stitches to cn and hold in front, k3, k3 from cn, k2, p2

Add Row 10: k2, p16, k2

Add Row 11: p2, kfb, k13, kfb, k1, p2

Add Row 12: k2, p18, k2

Add Row 13: p2, kfb, k15, kfb, k1, p2

And now let's cut to the lace, which is super-duper simple, or:

Lace Row: k1, * yo, k2tog; rep from *, end k1

Knit lace row until lace portion of piece measures roughly 12" (or a minimum of your neck's circumference) and you're about to begin a right-side row.  Now it's time to start the opposite version of what we did on the other side.  So follow my lead:

Decrease Row 1: p2, ssk, k16, k2tog, p2

Decrease Row 2: k2, p18, k2

Decrease Row 3: p2, ssk, k14, k2tog, p2

Decrease Row 4: k2, p16, k2

Decrease Row 5: p2, k2, slip next 3 stitches to cn and hold in front, k3, k3 from cn, slip next 3 stitches to cn and hold in back, k3, k3 from cn, k2, p2

Decrease Row 6: k2, p16, k2

Decrease Row 7: p2, ssk, k12, k2tog, p2

Decrease Row 8: k2, p14, k2

Decrease Row 9: p2, ssk, k10, k2tog, p2

Decrease Row 10: k2, p12, k2

Decrease Row 11: p2, ssk, k8, k2tog, p2

Decrease Row 12: k2, p10, k2

Decrease Row 13: p2, ssk, k6, k2tog, p2

Decrease Row 14: k2, p8, k2

And now we're going to cable and put in those eyelets, like so (also, this looks more convoluted than it is: all I'm trying to do is repeat the cables on this side, except mirrored):

Row 1: p2, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in front, k2, k2 from cn, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, k2 from cn, p2

Row 2: k2, p8, k2

Row 3 (Eyelet Row): p2, k2tog, yo, k4, yo, ssk, p2

Row 4: k2, p8, k2

And now let's go back to the basic cable again, although reversed, and with a different order of rows to reverse the thing.  Or in other words:

Rows 1, 3, & 7 (right side): p2, k8, p2

Rows 2, 4, 6, & 8 : k2, p8, k2

Row 5: p2, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in front, k2, k2 from cn, slip next 2 stitches to cn and hold in back, k2, k2 from cn, p2

Repeat rows 1 - 8 five times, and then repeat rows 1 - 6 once more.  Bind off loosely.  And now that that part is done, let's make the I-cord.  Cast 3 stitches on to your dpns, either in your main yarn or a contrasting color, and work in an I-cord until the piece measures at least 27" in length.  Bind off.  Tuck in ends, and then thread I-cord through eyelets as shown:

Pull tight, tie in a bow (or style as desired).  And you're done!