This one skein cowl uses raised stitches to create fantastic texture and a dense fabric, perfect to keep you warm as the temperatures begin to drop. It is a perfect project for beginners, using simple stitches to produce a complex looking design.

It is named the News Steps cowl as it was inspired by a steep staircase in the center of Edinburgh where the stairs twist round and seem to go on forever, but afford a fabulous view once at the top, just as a beautiful design is created at the end of the rows of this diagonal rib stitch.

Size

24 inches (26cm) circumference x 7 inches (14 cm) height (unblocked)

Yarn

Valley Yarns Northfield in Strawberry Milkshake (70% Merino Wool/20% Baby Alpaca/10% Silk, 248 yards [227 meters]/100 grams): 1 ball

Hook

Size US G (4 mm)

Notions

Tapestry needle

Gauge

20 sts and 17 rows = 4” [10 cm] in stitch pattern.

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

Pattern Notes

Cowl Instructions

Rnd 1: 100 Fdc. Sl st to first Fdc, making sure not to twist the stitches.

Rnd 2: Ch 2, *2 FPdc, 2 BPdc; rep from * to end. Sl st to first FPdc.

Rnd 3: Ch 2, *1 FPdc, 2 BPdc, 1 FPdc; rep from * to end. Sl st to first FPdc.

Rnd 4: Ch 2, *2 BPdc, 2 FPdc; rep from * to end. Sl st to first BPdc.

Rnd 5: Ch 2, *1BPdc, 2FPdc, 1BPdc; rep from * to end. Sl st to first BPdc.

Rnds 6-21: Rep rnds 2-5 four more times.

Rnds 22-24: Rep rnds 2-4.

Finishing

Use the tail end from the first Fdc in round 1 to join the base of the first Fdc to the last Fdc in the round. Weave in ends. Block if desired.