I love to walk on an empty beach when it is cold outside and there is almost no one, feel the fresh air in my hair, breathe deeply, the sounds of the waves gently lapping on the sand… Mmmmm ! So relaxing! I tried to put these feelings in a cowl. I love to have a squishy sweet knit cowl on my neck.

I’ve named this the “Amarres” cowl (mooring in English) because this is my first design and I thought of the French expression “larguez les amarres” (cast off the ropes) which means for me going out of my comfort zone and hoping it is the start of a long and exciting journey…

This is a nice project to reduce your stash.

Main techniques used in this cowl are cabling (the rope) and short rows (the waves)

Please be sure to print a copy after Sept 2nd as that was the last time errata was added.

Size

23” (58cm) in the round, 11” (28cm) high

Yarn

Any fingering yarn will fit. Even sport yarn can work. I used:

• Main color: La Bien Aimée yarns Ultra Merino Fingering (394 yards [360m]/100g) color Driftwood Graffiti
• Contrasting color 1 (CC1): Malabrigo Sock (440 yards [400m]/100g) color Azules
• CC2: La Bien Aimée yarns Ultra Merino Fingering (394 yards [360m]/100g) color Fawn
• CC3: Rosy Green Wool Cheeky Merino Joy (350 yards [320m]/100g) color Aquamarine 111
• CC4: Rosy Green Wool Cheeky Merino Joy (350 yards [320m]/100g) color Edelweiss 065
• CC5: Rosy Green Wool Cheeky Merino Joy (350 yards [320m]/100g) color Sand 053
• CC6: HedgeHog Fibre Sock yarn (440 yards [400m]/100g) color Secret

• Yardage

• MC: 240 yards (220m)
• CC1: 33 yards (30m)
• CC2, CC3, CC4, CC5 and CC6: 22 yards (20m)

Needles

Size US 5 (3.75mm) 16” circular (40cm)

Size US 6 (4 mm) 16” circular (40cm) (for initial CO)

Notions

2 stitch markers

Cable needle

Stitch holder

Tapestry needle

Gauge

Gauge is not critical for this pattern.

My gauge was 23 sts and 42 rows = 4” [10 cm] in garter stitch

Schematic

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

CCx          Contrasting Color x

Techniques used

• Short rows with wrap and turn. With garter stitch there is no need to pick up the wrap
• Long tail cast on
• Needle cast on
• Decrease bind off

Pattern Notes

This pattern is mostly worked in the round, unless otherwise stated.

There are 3 types of waves made in this pattern using short rows:

Wave 1:   w&t, k10, w&t

Wave 1(p): w&t, p10, w&t

Wave 2:   w&t, k10, w&t, k5, w&t, k10, w&t

Wave 3:   w&t, k8, w&t, k6, w&t, k4, w&t

Cable 11: sl 11 sts to cn, leave cn in front of work (RS), knit 11, k 11 sts from cn

Cowl

CO 140 sts with larger needles US6 (4mm). pm to indicate end of rnd.

Change to US5 (3.75mm) needles. Join without twisting

 

Rnd 1 (and all odd rnds where mentioned): k to end, sm

Rnd 2 (and all even rnds where mentioned): *k2, p2; repeat from * to marker, sm

Rnds 3-8: repeat rnds 1 and 2

Rnd 9: k22, pm to indicate cable, k to end of rnd marker, sm

Rnd 10 (and all even rnds where mentioned): k22 (to marker), sm, p to end, sm

Rnd 11 (and all odd rnds where mentioned): k22 (to marker), sm, k to end, sm

Rnds 12-15: repeat rnds 10 and 11

Rnd 16: repeat rnd 10

Rnd 17: k22, sm. Change to CC1. DO NOT BREAK MC.

K10, *wave3, k30, wave2, k30* twice, wave3, k30, wave2, k to 1 st before marker, w&t,

k14, *wave1, k30*, 5 times, wave1, k to marker (WS). Break CC1

Turn your work, no wrap (RS). With MC, k to marker, sm

Rnd 18: same as row 10

Rnd 19: same as row 11

Rnd 20: Work cable11, sm, p to marker, sm

Rnds 21-26: repeat rnds 11 and then 10 – note the reverse order

Cable

(This part is worked back and forth on the 22 sts of the cable)

Row 27 (RS): K to cable marker, turn.

Row 28 (WS): P22, turn

Rows 29 to 36: Rep rows 27 and 28

Big wave section

Slip first 22 sts on needle to stitch holder. You will be working some of this section back and forth (NOT in the round) and others will be in the round. It’s not hard – just follow the instructions.

DO NOT pick up wraps as they will all be in garter stitch.

Row 1 CC2: Sm (both markers are now together on right needle)

K25, *wave 2, k30, wave 3, k30* twice, wave2, k28, wave3, k to marker, sm, needle CO 15sts, sm

see photo for reference

Rnd 2 CC2 (in the round): join to first stitch of Row 1 CC1 without twisting, leaving MC tail on the OUTSIDE of the cowl (RS)

p15, *wave1(p), p30* a total of 5 times, wave1(p), p to marker, sm, break CC2 and join CC3.

Row 1 CC3: with CC3 *k15, W&T* twice, k15, sm, k25, *wave1, k30* 4 times, wave1, k to marker, sm

Row 2 CC3: p15, sm, p to marker, sm. Break CC3 and join CC4.

 

Row 1 CC4: with CC4, k15, sm, k to marker, sm

Row 2 CC4: p15, sm, p to marker, sm. Break CC4 and join CC1.

 

Row 1 CC1: with CC1 *k15, W&T* twice, k15, sm, k10, *wave3, k30, wave2, k30* twice, wave3, k30, wave2, k to marker, sm

Row 2 CC1: *p15, w&t* twice, p15, sm, p15 *wave1(p), p30* x 5 times, wave1(p), p to marker, sm. Break CC1 and join CC5.

 

Row 1 CC5: with CC5 *k15, W&T* twice, k15, sm, k20, *wave1, k30* 4 times, wave1, k to marker, sm

Row 2 CC5: p15, sm, p to marker, sm. Break CC5 and join CC6.

 

Row 1 CC6: with CC6, k15, sm, k to marker, sm

Row 2 CC6: b.o. 15, rm, p to marker, sm. Break CC6

Back to cowl in the round

Pm on left needle and return cable sts from stitch holder to left needle. Pick up MC.

Rnds 37-42: Rep rnds 11 and then 10 – note the reverse order

Rnd 43: Repeat rnd 11

Rnd 44: Rep rnd 20

Rnds 45-48: Rep rnds 11 and then 10 – note the reverse order

Rnd 49: Rep rnd 17, but use CC2 instead of CC1

Rnd 50: Rep rnd 10

Rnd 51:    k22, sm. Change to CC3. DO NOT BREAK MC.

K20, *wave1, k 30* x 4 times, wave1, k to 1 st before marker, w&t, k to marker (WS), break CC3. Turn work (no wrap)

With MC k to marker, sm (RS)

Rnds 52-63: Rep rnds 10 and 11

Rnd 64: Rep rnd 10

Rnd 65:   k22, sm. Join CC1. DO NOT BREAK MC.

k20, *wave2, k30, wave3, k30* twice, wave2, k30, wave3, k to 1 st before marker, w&t

k to marker (WS), sm. Break CC1. Turn work (no wrap)

With MC k to marker, sm (RS)

Rnd 66 and 67: Rep rnds 10 and 11

Rnd 68: Rep rnd 20

Rnds 69-78: Rep rnds 11 and then 10 – note the reverse order

Rnd 79: K22, rm, k to end (you now have one stitch marker, indicating the end of rnd)

Rnds 80-85: Rep rnds 2 and then 1 – note the reverse order

Rnd 86: Rep rnd 2

Row 87: K around, rm

Finishing

BO loosely {see the decrease bind-off)

Sew the cable over the big wave section with a few stitches in order to maintain it to the same width than the remaining part of the cable.

Weave in ends

ENJOY!