This year's snow
This cowl was inspired by the white cover of snow on the landscape. It sits on the shoulders like fresh-fallen snow. Hanspun yarn and ruffles bring life to the plain stockinette surface. Pick slightly larger needles for this knit to achieve a nicely soft and drapey fabric. The statue is Katarina Saksilainen, Queen of Sweden, overlooking the bay by which the city of Helsinki was founded. The pattern was originally published in Finnish in the free online knitting magazine Ulla, issue 1/2015.
Yarn
The model cowl was made of handspun two-ply alpaca-silk yarn (180m = 100g). Use any DK-weight yarn that is soft enough for your neck. For example Garnstudio Drops Lima (65% wool, 35% alpaca, 50g = 90m) or Garnstudio Drops Merino Extra Fine (100% merino, 105m = 50g). You need 100g. It is possible to knit the cowl using also lighter or heavier yarn. See instructions to change the stitch count and length at the end of the pattern.
Gauge
14 s = 10 cm in stockinette stitch on the blocked cowl. In the ruffle stripes the gauge is about double.
Needles
5 mm circular needle. If your commercial yarn has needle recommendations, pick the larger needle size or even one above that.
Other
If needed, use a stitch marker to mark the end of row.
Size
The circumference of the model cowl is 56cm at the upper edge and 92cm at the lower edge. The height is 26cm.
Pattern
The body of the cowl is composed of 8-row stockinette sections and 6-row ruffle sections. The stitch count is doubled at the start of the ruffle and decreased back to starting point at the end. The increases are made in the middle of the stockinette sections. The cowl starts with a few rows of garter stitch and ends with a narrow ruffle. Cast on 80 s and join for working in the round. Row 1 and 3: knit Row 2 and 4: purl Rows 5-10: knit Start the first ruffle: Row 11: knit all stitches front and back (160 s) Rows 12-16: knit End the ruffle: Row 17: knit two together, repeat until the end of the row (80 s) Rows 18-20: knit Increase row 1: Row 21: \*knit 10, pick up and knit 1, repeat from \* until the end of the row (88 s) Rows 22-24: knit Start the second ruffle: Rows 25-34: repeat rows 11-20 (176 s on ruffle rows) Increase row 2: Row 35: \*knit 11, pick up and knit 1, repeat from \* until the end of the row (96 s) Rows 36-39: knit Start the third ruffle: Rows 40-48: repeat rows 11-20 (192 s on ruffle rows) Increase row 3: Row 49: \*knit 12, pick up and knit 1, repeat from \* until the end of the row (104 s) Rows 50-52: knit Start the fourth ruffle (I was running out of yarn so this one is only five rows. Feel free to knit more if your yarn supply is not as limited.): Row 53: knit all stitches from front and back (208 s) Rows 54-58:knit Row 59: knit two together, repeat until the end of the row (104 s) Start the edge ruffle right after the last body ruffle section (again feel free to make this longer if you Wish): Row 60: knit all stitches from front and back (208 s) Row 61: knit Row 62: knit a stretchy bind off, for example every other stitch with an extra yarn over (see Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind-off in Knitty). Reserve enough yarn for the bind-off.
Finishing
Tips
If you want to use lighter yarn, cast on 8 or 16 more stitches. After row 52, repeat rows 11-24 as many times as you like to make the cowl longer. On each new increase row, knit one more stitch between the increases. If your desired yarn is heavier, cast on 72 or 64 stitches. If you're running out of yarn or you don't want a higher cowl, you can make the edge ruffle right after the third ruffle section.
