Alternating colored panels and coordinating pinstripes interlock to bring you this unisex cowl. Worked with a combination of regular and twisted stitches across intarsia panels, the Gridlock Cowl will cheer your inner prep school student as it keeps the outer, chic you cozy. The Gridlock Cowl is worked in 20-stitch sections, so you will need an even number of sections to make this work. However you decide to shorten or lengthen, adjust by multiples of 40 stitches—or choose a different stitch count per panel. The gridlock pattern is created by alternating a round of Single Row Panels with a round of Triple Row Panels, jogging colors at the beginning of each round. Single Row: \* k20 (mc), k20 (cc) \* repeat across
Needle: 5mm (US 8)
Triple Row: \*k20, turn, purl 20, turn, k20 \* repeat across, changing colors every panel Materials: 600 - 800 yards worsted weight yarn; model in Caron Country, Charcoal and Red. Gauge: approx. 4.5 stitches per inch in pattern. Abbreviations: mc: main color; cc: contrast color; ktbl: knit through the back loop; W&T: wrap and turn. Wrap and Turn: Helpful tutorial at: http://www.purlbee.c om/knitting-tutorials advanced te/2008/6/18/short rows.html Dimensions: Short, 40 inches by 12 inches; Long 60 inches by 12 inches; each panel: 4.5 inches wide. The thin horizontal stripes happen when you work only one row before jogging to the next section; the wider stripes are made working three rows, two in knit on the right side and one purl on the wrong side. All knit stitches in the contrast color should be twisted through the back loop. In addition to the yarn for the ribbing, you will need enough small balls of yarn to work 10 (14) discrete sections, 5(7) of each color. Parcel these out in advance. As each person's knitting tension is different, each person will have a different yardage need. The trickiest thing about knitting this cowl is managing your intarsia balls as you go along. Good luck. On US 8 (5mm) needles, cast on 200 (280) stitches in the main color. For the ribbing, \* ktbl, p1 \* for 8 rows. Knit one round in main color and prepare for dividing into color sections. To set up the panels, you will do the first SINGLE ROW PANEL round: on the next row knit 20 stitches in the main color, join the contrast color, knit 20 stitches through the back loop, and repeat, alternating colors with each panel. You will twist all contrast color knit stitches throughout. On the next round, start the TRIPLE ROW PANEL round, using the same working yarn for your first 20 stitches. For the other panels, you want to pick up the resting yarn (the other color), twist to lock, and then knit across to the end of the panel. Then, turn your work, twist your working yarn with the resting one to lock, purl back across the panel, turn and twist again and knit across once more. (3 rows worked). Repeat across all panels until you get to the final one. Remember to twist all contrast color knitstitches. Note: As the final Triple Row panel doesn't have a resting yarn with which to twist the working yarn, you will need to use wrap and turns to turn. Knit to the end of that panel, wrap the first stitch of the next panel, turn, purl back to last stitch of the panel, wrap the adjoining stitch of the next panel, turn, and knit back across the panel. This completes the Triple Row Panel round. With the same yarn you've been working, start the next round of Single Row Panels and then continue the pattern interchanges. Remember to pick up and knit the wrapped stitches when you come across them. Please see the link in the side bar for helpful wrap and turn instructions. Follow in pattern until your desired depth; the model was knitted to 9.5 inches in the gridlock pattern. Cut main color and work with contrast color to end. For one round, knit through the back loop. Then, work contrast color ribbing \* ktbl, p1 \* for 8 rounds and bind off in pattern. Weave in all ends and block if desired.
Interlock Versio
Cousin to the Gridlock Cowl, the Interlock Cowl eliminates the Single Row Panels. Follow the ribbing instructions and, instead of starting with a round of Single Row Panels, start with the Triple Row Panels and keep knitting only those. As with the Gridlock Cowl, you will twist all contrast color stitches, will jog the colors at the beginning of rounds, and will use wraps and turns at the end of all rounds.
