Blushing Lace Cowl
A lightweight lace pattern; knit in a large round for a cozy or loose fit around the neck or shoulders. While the pattern would look great in a number of textures and weights of yarn, I used a laceweight mohair for the lightness and halo effect. A 4-row lace repeat creates the airy texture with slipped and dropped stitches. The pattern is easily memorized and suitable for beginning lace knitters. :: Materials :: Yarn - 400 yards of laceweight yarn (l used Rowan Kidsilk Haze) Needles-Size $6.0\mathsf{m m}$ / US 10 circular needle (l used a 26-inch diameter) Handful of stitch markers : Abbreviations and Pattern Notes : Yo-yarnover PSsO -pass slipped stitch over All sl (slipped) stitches as slipped with the yarn in the BACK of the stitch. Gauge - While gauge is not critical for this knit, my gauge was approximately 3 stitches to the inch in the lace pattern after a light blocking. Note: Consider the yarn and needle combination. This is a loosely knit pattern, and slippery yarns like bamboo, soy, silk, and mercerized cotton may fall off the needles. Use needle point protectors, life lines, or "grippier" needles, such as wood or bamboo, to hold the stitches better. :: Lace Pattern in the Round : Row 1 - K1, \* yo, sl 1, k1, yo, psso; repeat from \* to end. Row 2 - k1, \*drop yo from needle; k2; repeat from \* to end. Row 3 - K2, \*yo, sl1, k1, yo, psso; repeat from \*, end k1. Row 4 - K2, \*drop yo from needle, k2; repeat from \* to last stitch, end with k1. Repeat Rows 1-4 for pattern. : Instructions :: Cast on 135 stitches loosely. Join the stitches in the round and place stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round. Begin lace pattern immediately. Knit in lace pattern (above) for 8 inches, ending with either row 2 or row 4 of the lace pattern (after dropping stitches). Bind off very loosely. Block lightly and weave in ends. Depending on your gauge, you will be able to loop the cowl around your neck 3 or 4 times. You can also wear it loosely doubled over, or pinned into a rosette. Play with it, and enjoy the versatility!
