Fretted Band Cowl

Fretted Band Cowl

The explanation for this cowl is simple: I love these two yarns together, even if my husband originally thought the combination was strange. And while this piece turned out more like the Sweet Strawberry Cowl and the Sugar & Ice Cowl than I originally intended, it has enough differences to set it apart. Like the slip stitch pattern, for instance, which would also look good in more contrasting yarns.

Yarn: SMC Select Reflect (52% Viscose, 48% Cotton; 131 yards [120 meters]/50 grams); #4108 - one skein (color A), SMC Select Violena Colori (50% Cotton, 50% Modal; 109 yards [100 meters]/50 grams); color #4307 (color B)

The slip stitch pattern, closer up.

Needles: One 20" circular needle in size 6, two double pointed needles (dpns), also in size 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, two stitch markers

Gauge: 21 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get this thing started! To begin, use your color A yarn to cast on 144 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit a couple of edging rows, as follows:

Edging row: using color A, * k2, p2, k2; rep from *

Knit the edging row three times, and then we'll transition to our slip stitch pattern, which is a variation on Fretted Band Pattern from page 67 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. We'll be slipping all stitches with the yarn in the back. And we'll proceed like so:

Rows 1 & 2: using color B, knit

Rows 3 & 4: using color A, * slip 1, k5 *

Rows 5 & 6: using color B, * k1, slip 1, k3, slip 1 *

Rows 7 & 8: using color A, * slip 1, k3, slip 1, k1 *

Rows 9 & 10: using color B, * k3, slip 1, k1, slip 1 *

Rows 11 & 12: using color A, * k4, slip 1, k1 *

Knit rows 1 - 12 three times, and then knit the following transition rows:

Transition Rows 1 & 2: using color B, knit

Transition Row 3: using color A, k72, place marker, and knit until the end of the round

And now that those are done, clip the tail on your color B yarn, since we'll be knitting everything with color A from this point forward. It's also time to transition to the mesh at the top of the piece, which will go like so:

Row 1: * yo, k2tog * until you reach marker, slip marker, then * ssk, yo * until end of round

Rows 2 & 4: k2tog, then knit until you reach marker, slip marker, then continue knitting until there are only two stitches left in round; end ssk

Row 3: k1, * yo, k2tog * until you reach marker, slip marker, then * ssk, yo * until you're one stitch before end of round; end k1

Knit rows 1 - 4 four times and bind off loosely. Tuck in ends and block. Finally, using your dpns and whichever color you damn well please, work a three stitch i-cord until it measures roughly 20" in length. Style as desired.