Raspberry Bush Cowl

In the garden of both my parents and grandparents, we had many raspberry bushes. When I was little, I enjoyed playing hide and seek in my grandparents’ garden, full of berries and vegetables. The climbing beans and peas growing on their poles were especially suited to the task! And I loved their curling tendrils.

Nothings says summer more to me than raspberries. Pink and velvety. The Raspberry Bush cowl is a play of lines like vines, and diamonds like leaves and berries. The cowl is worked with a summer silk blend, thick enough to knit up quickly and add some flair to your evening outfit in no time. But feel free to use a thinner yarn. The cowl will look equally good!

Tutorials

This section lists the video tutorials that are relevant to the Raspberry Bush cowl. The tutorials demonstrate how to work stitches (from basic to more advanced). They also show how to work a specific part of the pattern if necessary and provide some tips, for example for unknitting (tinking), if necessary.

The designer has created several good videos:

• • Loose CO for lace, why we need it and how to estimate the length of the CO tail.

• • Joining in the round, working the first stitch and untwisting a twisted CO

• • Basic lace stitches (yo, k2tog, ssk)

• • Tinking basic lace stitches (k, yo, k2tog, ssk)

• • Left-leaning double decrease sk2p

• • Right-leaning double decrease k3tog and tinking it

• • Purled decreases p2tog, psp

• • Increase kfb and unknitting it (RS)

• • Moving markers around (in advance or at the last moment)

• • Elastic BO (knitted version) and unknitting it

Yarn

Louisa Harding Yarns Esquel (Aran; 60% Merino wool, 20% Llama, 20% Silk; 97 meters/106 yards per 50 grams); 3 balls (one might not need the 3rd ball); sample uses 99.5 grams in color 008 Berry.

Final measurements

Circumference (c): 33.75 inches /86 cm, height (h): 15.75 inches /40 cm, see schematic.

Needles

US size 7 (4.5 mm) 32 inches/80 cm circular needle or size to obtain gauge.

Gauge

17 stitches and 25 rows = 4 inches /10 cm in Stockinette stitch, unblocked.

11 stitches and 25 rows = 4 inches /10 cm in stitch pattern B – Leaves & Berries, blocked.

Note: obtaining the gauge given is not crucial but will affect the finished size and the yardage needed.

Notions

Removable stitch markers: 1 in color A (beginning-of-round marker), 5 in color B (optional). Tapestry needle. Blocking pins. Blocking wires (optional).

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

A – color A (beginning of round marker)

B – color B (marker)

MvL – move the marker one stitch to the left as follows: k1, rmB, k1, pmB (resulting in placing the marker after the first stitch of each repeat). Extra instructions for chart knitters only: for the last repeat of the round, slip the very last stitch before the BOR marker (this stitch has been worked already). The very last repeat of the round is thus worked as: k15, sl1 pwise wyib.

MvLbeg – at the BOR only, move the BOR marker one stitch to the left as follows: rmA, k1, pmA; otherwise ignore this stitch

sk2p – sl1 kwise, k2tog, psso

Pattern notes

This pattern is worked in the round. The stitch count remains constant throughout stitch Pattern B – Leaves & Berries.

For a loose long-tail CO, spread the stitches out with the index finger while casting-on, keeping the spacing between the stitches constant – see our tutorial for more information on this.

When using the optional markers, place them between the stitch-pattern repeats: every 16 sts. On all rounds, slip the markers as they present unless stated otherwise.

Note that on Rounds 8, 10, 12, 18, 20, 24, 30, 34 of stitch Pattern B – Leaves & Berries, all markers have to be moved one stitch to the left to allow for working the double decrease on the next round (16th stitch). This results in placing each marker after the first stitch of each repeat. The beginning of round marker is moved one stitch to the left as well. When done moving the markers, there are still 16 sts between the markers. To facilitate the moving process, use removable markers or, if confident, use only the beginning of round marker. In the latter case, ignore the MvL stitches and knit across the round.

Extra instructions for chart knitters only: When working a round with a MvL, for the last repeat of the round, slip the very last stitch before the BOR marker (this stitch has been worked already). The very last repeat of the round is thus worked as: k15, sl1 pwise wyib.

Charts

Chart A: Edging (begin)

Chart B: Leaves & Berries

Chart C: Edging (end)

Key

Cowl Instructions

Set-up

Using long-tail CO, loosely cast on 95 sts.

PmA and prepare to join in the round as follows, being careful not to twist: work the very first stitch of the body (stitch 1 of Stitch Pattern A – Edging (begin) is a purl stitch) with both the tail and live yarn (being careful to treat this stitch as one stitch on the next round).

Edging (begin)

Work Pattern A – Edging (begin) once – 2 rounds, 96 sts.

Place markers of color B between the repeats of Pattern B – Leaves & Berries (every 16 sts) if desired. The chart and written instructions assume that you have. If you haven’t, please disregard these.

Body

Work the following stitch pattern repeating it across the round (with the given CO number the pattern fits in 6 times across the round).

Work Rnds 1 to 46 of Pattern B – Leaves & Berries twice – 92 rounds.

Work Rnds 1 to 2 of Pattern B – Leaves & Berries once more – 2 rounds.

Remove markers of color B on the very last round of Pattern B – Leaves & Berries if necessary.

Edging (end)

Work Pattern C – Edging (end) once – 2 rounds, 95 sts.

Elastic bind-off

Bind-off loosely as follows:

Rnd 1: K1, *k1, slip 2 sts back to left needle, k2togtbl, repeat from * to end of round, rmA.

Finishing

Cut yarn and pull end through last stitch. Weave in and secure all ends. Wash and block to final measurements. With the cowl lying flat, use blocking pins to open up the lace, get the short edges straight and form the peaks on the long edges. If, after blocking, the cowl has creases because it laid flat, gently steam-block the creases placing a damp cotton cloth between the cowl and the steam source. Check the blocking photographs.

Customizing size

Make the cowl larger or smaller by casting-on more or less stitches. Use a multiple of 16 sts. The sample uses 6 repeats of the stitch patterns per round. Adjust this number to the desired target circumference.

Make the cowl taller or shorter by working more or less rounds. For example, add repeats of Pattern A – Edging (begin) and Pattern C – Edging (end) to make the edgings taller, or add or remove repeats of Pattern B – Leaves & Berries. If running short on yarn, stop after Round 2, 14, 26, or 36 of Pattern B – Leaves & Berries. Then proceed to work as instructed to complete the cowl.

The sample shown used on average 1 gram per round and 5 grams for Pattern C – Edging (end) and the BO. As the yardage needed varies heavily from knitter to knitter, use a scale to determine the yardage needed per round. For the BO, reserve at least three times the yardage needed for one round.

Written Stitch patterns

Pattern A: Edging (begin)

Work from Chart Pattern A – Edging (begin) or from written instructions below:

Rnd 1: *p1, k1, repeat from * to last st, p1 — 95 sts.

Rnd 2: *k1, p1, repeat from * to last st, kfb — 96 sts.

Pattern B: Leaves & Berries

Work from Chart B – Leaves & Berries or from written instructions below:

Rnd 1: *Sm, (yo, ssk) 3 times, yo, sk2p, (yo, k2tog) 3 times, yo, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 2: *Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 3: *Sm, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sk2p, yo, k3, yo, k3tog, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 4: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 5: *Sm, k2, yo, sk2p, yo, k5, yo, k3tog, yo, k3, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 6: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 7: *Sm, k3, yo, ssk, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k4, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 8: MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.

Rnd 9: *Sm, k2, yo, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sk2p, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2, sk2p, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 10: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 11: *Sm, k1, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k1, sk2p, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 12: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 13: *Sm, (yo, k5, yo, sk2p) twice, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 14: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 15: *Sm, k1, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 16: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 17: *Sm, k2, yo, sk2p, yo, k5, yo, sk2p, yo, k3, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 18: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 19: *Sm, k1, yo, (k2tog, yo, k1) twice, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, yo, k1, sk2p, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 20: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 21: *Sm, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sk2p, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 22: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 23: *Sm, k2tog, yo, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, yo, ssk, (yo, ssk, k1) twice, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 24: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 25: *Sm, yo, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k3, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, yo, sk2p, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 26: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 27: *Sm, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k5, (yo, ssk) twice, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 28: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 29: *Sm, (k2tog, yo) twice, k7, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 30: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 31: *Sm, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, k2, sk2p, k2, yo, k1, yo, ssk, yo, sk2p, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 32: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 33: *Sm, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 34: Same as Rnd 8 and in grey in these instructions “MvLbeg, *k14, MvL, repeat from * to last 16 sts, k15, sl1 pwise wyib.”

Rnd 35: *Sm, (yo, k5, yo, sk2p) twice, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 36: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 37: *Sm, k1, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, yo, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 38: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 39: *Sm, yo, ssk, yo, sk2p, yo, k5, yo, sk2p, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 40: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 41: *Sm, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, yo, k1, sk2p, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice, yo, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 42: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 43: *Sm, (yo, ssk) 3 times, yo, sk2p, (yo, k2tog) 3 times, yo, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 44: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Rnd 45: *Sm, k1, (yo, ssk) 3 times, k1, (k2tog, yo) 3 times, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Rnd 46: Same as Rnd 2 and in grey in these instructions “*Sm, k16, repeat from * to end of round.”

Pattern C: Edging (end)

Work from Chart Pattern C – Edging (end) or from written instructions below.

You can remove the stitch markers when working Round 1.

Rnd 1: *p1, k1, repeat from * to last 2 sts, p2tog — 95 sts.

Rnd 2: *k1, p1, repeat from * to last st, k1.