Nanine's Cowl

As usual I have been extremely busy however this time I had time to put in some fibery fun!  I went to the Studio 66 Retreat and took several projects with me (knitting, weaving, spinning).  Of course as I was procrastinating I did not take Nanine's cowl with me.

The retreat was in Forest Falls, CA in the mountains and the cabins are very good.  I don't particularly care for camping so cabins with showers, sinks and toilets are my idea of how to spend time in the mountains.  Linens and towels are provided so there was more room for yarn in my bags!

There were several demonstrations and I attended Navajo plying on the fly, pickups on a rigid heddle loom and making paper beads.  We also all got to dye silk ribbons (the ribbons and dye were provided)!!  I ended up with Victorian rose colors. I promise to put pictures up soon.

Anyway, it is time for my friend to move so I had to get her cowl done. I thought to myself about what pattern would be good for her cowl as my requirements were that it was black and thick (she is moving to a cold place).  I had only one skein of Wool Ease Thick and Quick left over from my Charley bonnet so I had to figure out how to make her a cowl with one skein and it still be substantial.  I had a backup skein of Paton's Divine just in case it would not come out large enough.

Lion Brand has a cowl on their website named Ribbed Cowl and so I took the stitch count and rib pattern from that.
Here is what I came up with:

Materials:

One skein Wool Ease Thick and Quick 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool, 106 yds, 90 m.

One spool of Offray Double sided satin ribbon 7/8” by 18 feet (only part of the spool is needed).

Size 13 (9.0 mm) circular needle (24” size is probably best).

One stitch marker.

Cast on 80 stitches being careful not to twist the stitches.  I knitted on the stitches in k2, p2 ribbing so that the cast on would be stretchy.

Knit for 4 inches in k2, p2 ribbing.

Make eyelets:

K1, yo, p2tog, p1 around the row.

Knit the next 4 inches in k2, p2 rib.

Bind off in pattern (k2, p2 rib).

Measure out enough ribbon to go around the cowl and then some to make the bow and tails.  As it is a gift I cut more ribbon that is needed.

My gauge: 15 rows and 12 stitches equal 4” by 4”.  As it is ribbing and the ribbon is there for adjustment, unless you are wildly off gauge it does not matter.

VirgKnits94