Eiffel Tower Eyelet Cowl

Eiffel Tower Eyelet Cowl

So, there's not too much I need to explain about this cowl, except that it accomplishes the impossible; it makes me love both a purl-background fabric and the freakin' garter stitch, which I typically avoid like the plague (and yes, it's completely irrational how much I dislike garter stitch. I apologize to those of you who love it). It's also a simple enough design to look good with a variegated yarn, although I imagine it would pop even more with a single-color fiber. Anyway, let's cut the chitchat and head to the pattern instead!

A detail shot. See the tiny towers???

Yarn: Berroco Boboli Lace (42% Wool, 35% Acrylic, 23% Viscose; 350 yards [320 meters]/100 grams); #4366 Fondant - one skein

Needles: 24" circular needle in size 6, 20" circular needle in size 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches

So let's get started! First, then, using your 24" needle, cast on 192 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. And now, we'll work the bottom border, which is Swiss Ribbing from page 340 of Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Or in knitting terms, let's begin like so:

Rows 1 - 4: * k3, p3; rep from *

Rows 5 & 6: * k1, slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k1, p3 *

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

Twin Leaf Cowl

Twin Leaf Cowl

Oh, how I love this yarn. Straight-up cotton (which, despite its difficulties, I adore), and a white base with a neon green spray paint effect, this is the type of fiber that I obsess over and that my husband makes a bit of a squicky face when I purchase. But not even he can argue with the dainty loveliness of this light, one-skein cowl and its basic but delightful pattern. Yay spring!

The twin leaf motif.
Hey, I'm a poet and I don't... yeah, never mind.

Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Spray (100% Cotton; 153 yards [140 meters]/50 grams); #6 - one skein

Needles: One 24" circular needle in size 4, six stitch markers

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches

Cast on 160 stitches, place marker, and join in round. And before we get started on the main pattern, which incorporates two panels of Twin Leaf Lace from page 210 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (which I've modified for the round), we'll knit the following set-up rows:

Set-up Row 1: * k1, p1; rep from *

Set-up Row 2: * p1, k1 *

Set-up Row 3: * k1, p1 *

Mirage Cowl

Mirage Cowl

When I first bought this yarn, I had no clue how I was going to use it (well, I knew I would use the two shades together - I love this color palette). And then I made the Slip-Stitch Mesh Fingerless Gloves and matching hat and the Water Lilies Cowl, and I saw a nice opportunity to combine variations on the slip stitch patterns I used for those pieces to maximum effect. Long story short, while the pictures don't quite do the front slip stitch pattern justice, color-wise (the pink shows up behind the teal a bit more in person than it does in the photos), the combination of the two is quite striking in this closer-fitting cowl.

Yarn: Regia Angora Merino (65% New Wool, 25% Polyamide, 10% Angora; 219 yards [200 meters]/50 grams); #7083 Teal - one skein (color A) & #7080 Fuchsia - one skein (color B)

My attempted close-up of the mirage-like color pattern.
Or something.

Needles: One 20" circular needle in size US 2

Notions: Tapestry needle, three stitch markers

Gauge: 30 stitches = 4 inches

Using your color A yarn, cast on 160 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit four rows in a k2, p2 ribbing, followed by a knit row during which you'll place your extra stitch markers 20 stitches from either side of your row marker. And then, we'll move on to the main pattern, which is...

Row 1: using color B, * k1, slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib) * until you reach first marker, m1l, slip marker, k2, and * slip 1 wyib, k1 * until you reach second marker; then, slip marker, m1r, and * slip 1 wyib, k1 * until end of round

Water Lilies Cowl

Water Lilies Cowl

Somewhat unbelievably, even after making the Razor Shell Fingerless Gloves and the Staghorn Fingerless Gloves out of my single skein of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine, I still had a bunch left. And because I love to pair variegated yarns with similarly-colored single-color skeins, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to use up the Crystal Palace yarn I originally bought for the Starry Night Cowl. Long story short, the Water Lilies Cowl uses two sock weight yarns, a slip stitch color pattern, and a simple striped rib to make a nice, closer fitting design whose top portion is entirely reversible, for drape.

A close-up of the slipped stitch pattern.

Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Superwash (51% Bamboo, 39% Superwash Wool, 10% Nylon; 186 yards [172 meters]/50 grams); #2004 Mint Print - 1 skein (color A), Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine (50% Superwash Wool, 20% Super Fine Alpaca, 30% Nylon; 433 yards [400 meters]/100 grams); #12177 Kaffir Mix - one skein (color B)

Needles: One 20" circular needle in size 2

Notions: Tapestry needle and stitch marker

Gauge: 30 - 31 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

Using your color A yarn, cast on 180 stitches, place marker, and join in round. Next, purl 5 rows for the edging. Then, knit one more row. And then, it's time to begin our first pattern, which is Corn on the Cob Stitch from page 54 of Barbara G. Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. And it goes like so: