Cowl Shell
Notes: I designed this pattern with the drape and stretch of soy in mind (silk or any fiber that tends to stretch when worn would also work nicely). If choosing to knit this with a material other than the one recommended, please use the washed and worn gauge. Knit from the bottom up with little seaming (shoulder seams only). It is a quick and flattering project. Short-rows help to shape the cowl, allowing the extra drape along the neckline. My shell grew approx. $13\%$ or 5cm (2") in length and width after one wash and a day long of wear. Size (actual chest circumference, choose the size closest to your bust size): Bust: 81.3 (91.4, 101.6, 111.8, 121.9) cm; 32 (36, 40, 44, 48) inches. Shown in 81.3cm (32") size Length (unwashed): 49.5 (54.6, 59.7, 64.8, 70)cm; 19.5 (21.5, 23.5, 25.5, 27.5)"
Materials:
3 (3, 3, 4, 4) balls of South West Trading Company Oasis Solid (1 $100\%$ Soy, 219m; 240yd) 3.5mm (size 4) circular needles 60cm (24") (or length required) 3.25mm crochet hook stitch markers tapestry needle
Gauge:
Unwashed: 23 st $u=10$ 0cm (4") Washed and worn: 20 sts $=$ 10cm (4")
Definitions:
k: knit p: purl pm: place marker sm: slip marker rs: Right Side of garment ws: Wrong Side of garment k2tog: knit two stitches together (decrease one stitch, right slant) ssk: slip 2 stitches knit wise one at a time, then slip both of these stitches back to the left needle and knit them together through the back loops (decrease one stitch, left slant) m1L: make one stitch, left slant m1R: make one stitch, right slant p2tog: purl two together p2togtbl: slip 2 stitches knit wise and then slip these stitches back to the left needle, purl them together through the back loops w&t: wrap and turn (short row shaping)
Instructions:
Body: Cast on 88 (98, 105, 111, 114) stitches for back, pm, cast on 88 (98, 105, 111, 114) stitches for front. 176 (196, 210, 222, 228) stitches total. Place marker to denote start of round and join stitches to knit in the round, being careful not to twist stitches Purl one round Knit one round Begin body. The following two rows set up the garter stitches at the side seam. Continue to work one stitch on either side of each stitch marker (2 stitches along each seam) in garter stitch throughout the body of the garment to the arm holes. Round 1: p1, knit to one stitch before marker, p1, sm, p1, knit to one stitch before marker p1. Round 2: knit Knit 8 more rounds maintaining the garter stitches at the side seams, as set up in the abovetworounds. Pattern and images copyright 2010: Myrna Batten (mdbatten@shaw.ca). Pattern is for personal use only, please do not sell copies of thepattern and/or garments made from the pattern without permission of the author. Decrease round: $^\star\sf k$ (or purl depending on garter row), k2tog, knit to 3 stitches before marker, ssk, k(or purl depending on garter row), sm, repeat from \* once (4 stitches decreased) Knit 9 rounds Repeat the last 10 rounds 2 (2, 3, 3, 3) times more (total of 12 (12, 16, 16, 16) stitches decreased) Knit 10 (10, 11.4, 11.4, 12.7, 12.7)cm; 4 (4, 4.5, 4.5, 5, 5)" from last decrease round Increase round: $^\star\sf k$ (or purl depending on garter row) m1 L, knit to 1 stitch before marker, m1R, k (or purl depending on garter row), sm, repeat from \* once (4 stitches increased). Knit 11 rounds Repeat the last 12 rounds 1 (1, 2, 2, 2) times more. AT THE SAME TIME WHEN TOP IS 25.4 (27.9, 30.5, 31.8, 33)cm; 10 (11, 12, 12.5, 13)"FROM CAST ON Set up cowl shaping: place markers (on front only) for cowl shaping as follows. Knit back stitches (maintaining garter seams), sm, place marker after 12 (13, 14, 15, 16)th stitch (including the seam stitch), knit to 12 (13, 14, 15, 16) stitches before marker, pm, knit to end of round. Cowl shaping: maintaining garter stitch seams, knit to first cowl marker, sm, m1R, knit to next marker, m1L, sm, knit to end. Repeat Cowl shaping round every 6th round 9 more times (you will be at the third or forth time when you need to separate for the arm holes, but the cowl shaping will continue the same once the front is started) AT THE SAME TIME when top is 34.3 (38, 42, 45.7, 49.5) cm; 13.5 (15, 16.5, 18, 19.5)" from cast on, begin arm holes.
BACK:
Bind off 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) stitches, knit to next marker, turn Bind off 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) stitches, purl to end. You will now be working the back section of the top flat Decrease one stitch at each end of the row every RS row, 3 times (6 stitches decreased) Continue knitting in stockinette stitch until the arm hole measures 15.2 (16.5, 17.8, 19, 20.3)cm; 6 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8)" Shape shoulders: k14 (14, 15, 15, 16), bind off to last 14 (14, 15, 15, 16) stitches k to end. Left shoulder: row 1: p12 (12, 13, 13, 14), p2togtbl row 2: ssk, k11 (11, 12, 12, 13) row 3: purl to last stitch and turn row 4: Bind off, using the un-purled stitch from the last row as the first stitch to be bound off 12 (12, 13, 13, 14) stitches bound off Right shoulder: row 1: WS join new yarn, p2tog, p12 (12, 13, 13, 14) row 2: k11 (11, 12, 12, 13), k2tog row 3: s1, purl to end row 4: bind off all 12 (12, 13, 13, 14) stitches
FRONT:
With RS facing and remembering to continue with the cowl shaping every six rows for a total of 10 times, join new yarn and bind off 5 (5, 6, 6, 6) stitches at the beginning of the next tworows. Decrease one stitch on each end of the row, every RS row 3 times There should be 90 (100, 105, 111, 114) stitches Knit in stockinette until armhole measures 15.2 (16.5, 17.8, 19, 20.3)cm; 6 (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8)” Begin short row shaping of cowl. Row 1: k50 (55, 58, 61, 62), w&t Row 2: p11 (11,12, 12, 11), w&t Row 3: k to wrapped stitch, pick up wrap and knit together with stitch (There is a nice video tutorial at http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/advanced-techniques search for "short row with wrap", although I do the method where you wrap the stitch before you turn the work, either way is fine), k1, w&t Row 4: p to wrapped stitch, pick up wrap and purl with stitch, p1, w&t Continue working short rows (rows 3 & 4) as above until 12 (12, 13, 13, 14) stitches remain unwrapped on either side (shoulder stitches). k1 row p1 row Bind off all stitches.
Finishing:
Sew shoulder seams 12 (12, 13, 13, 14) stitches. Using a 60cm; 24" circular needle (same needle size as the body) pick up stitches around neck and do 3 rows of garter, starting with a purl row, bind off all stitches, loosely. Crochet arm holes. Using crochet hook and starting at one end of the bound off stitches for the arm hole, do a row of single crochet around each arm hole. Weave in ends, wash and block. I grabbed the shoulders and snapped the top, so that it would grow a bit more in length, but you may choose to be more gentle to help limit some of the growth.
Pattern and images copyright 2010: Myrna Batten (mdbatten@shaw.ca). Pattern is for personal use only, please do not sell copies of the pattern and/or garments made from the pattern without permission of the author.
