This is a very simple pattern, perfectly suitable for beginners.
You will need:
- Yarn. I have used Grignasco Champagne ( 75% merino, 20% silk, 166m/50g, held two strands at a time, 1.6 skeins) for the pink one and Madil Absolut (70% wool, 30% cashmere, 110m/50g, 1 skein – but more would have been better) for the blue one. You can choose any yarn that will keep you warm, that isn’t itchy to your neck.
- Circular needles with a short cord. I used 5 mm needles with 35 cm cord. This way you just knit in the round all the time. You can, of course, also you longer cord with magic looops or dnps – in short, any needle that you can work in the round with. The size of the needles should give you a soft fabric, but it shouldn’t be too loose.
- Darning needle to weave in the ends.
Sizing and gauge.
Make a swatch in pattern to calculate the number os stitches to cast on. I cast on 77 stitches for a cowl that’s 22 cm wide (so a circumference of 44 cm) – the are children sized and hugging their necks quite tightly, for myself I would probably go for 66 cm. The pink cowl is 23 cm tall, and I like that size, the blue on 18 cm and is a bit too small – but I ran out of yarn.
Method.
Cast on the required number of stitches – it should be multiple of 6 less 1. ( So mine were 6*13-1= 78-1=77 stitches). Join in the round.
Now knit 3 stitches, purl 3 stitches, and keep going until you are done. This means that you should finish the first round with 2 purls, and start the 2 round with 1 purl, and then 3 knit stitches. So your pattern will be shifting by 1 stitch every round, creating a spiralling ribbing.
Cast off using a stretchy method, like Jenny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off, for example.
Weave in the ends. You’re done!
