Saturday, November 14, 2009

Lake Street Cowl

Although we're still creeping toward Thanksgiving, it's never too early to start thinking about gifts for the holidays, especially if you are a knitter. Typically taking only one skein of yarn and one evening to work up, I can't think of a better gift idea than a cozy, adorable, and easy little cowl. Plus, it's a great way to sample those beautiful, luxurious yarns that you could only justify purchasing one of any way.
This cowl uses one hank of Misti Alpaca Chunky Hand Paint -- a 100% alpaca yarn that is beautifully hand painted in a dozen gorgeous colorways. The result is a lightweight, but incredibly warm, cowl. Easy to gift, but easier to keep for yourself.

Lake Street Cowl
Materials:
1 skein of Misti Alpaca Chunky Hand Paint (color: granite) or approximately 110 yards of chunky-weight alpaca
16 inch or 24 inch circulars, size 11
Stitch marker

Gauge:
3 stitches/inch in garter stitch

Abbreviations:
CO: Cast on
st: Stitch(es)
K: Knit
P: Purl
K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together
BO: Bind off


CO 72 stitches. Since this pattern requires the entire skein, make sure you don’t leave a cast on tail of more than 4 inches. Being careful not to twist stitches, place marker and join in round.

Work garter stitch as follows:
Row 1: Knit all stitches
Row 2: Purl all stitches

Repeat last 2 rows 7 times more (16 rows total from beginning).

Decrease Row 1: *K10, K2tog*, repeat from * around. (66 st.)
Continue in garter stitch for 9 rows, starting with a purl row.
Decrease Row 2: *K9, K2tog*, repeat from * around. (60 st.)
Continue in garter stitch for 11 rows, starting with a purl row.

BO all stitches. If you don’t have enough yarn to bind off, you can use a crochet bind off (see below).

Weave in ends. Slip this beauty over your head and look effortlessly put together.

Crochet bind off:
This bind off is worked starting with the stitches furthest from the working yarn. Slip the first 2 stitches from that needle onto a crochet hook (1 to 2 sizes smaller than your needle size is best). Bring the second (top) stitch through the first (bottom) stitch. Slip another stitch onto the crochet hook and repeat until you reach the last stitch. Bring the working yarn through the live stitch to tie off.

5 comments:

  1. I love this pattern! I have a beautiful ball of Misti Alpaca in my stash just waiting for something like this. Thanks for sharing!!

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  2. Thanks for the pattern. I like the decreasing. It should make the cowl lie nicely round the neck. lkm

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  3. Good Evening

    One more question: After how many inches should the Decrease begin. I am a newbie so I was wondering how many inches is 16 rows. Thank You.

    Also, Can this be done in All Knit Stitches until the decrease?
    And don't do any Purl?

    Your pattern is Written Wrong: Garter stitch is all knit NOT Knit and Purl.

    Thank You very much. Hope to hear from you.



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  4. Good Morning,

    Just wondered what the size of your cowl is? I Cast on 72 sts, on Size 11. Just like your pattern says. I am still knitting it. I Wanted it Longer. How do I do it?

    Hopefully You Will Repond.

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  5. I just finished knitting up this pattern using an alpaca yarn from a local farm in Wakefield, Quebec. Such a simple pattern but the end result is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your design.❤️

    ReplyDelete