Oh, you know how it is — you knit a cowl, you like it, you knit it up again, but this time as a cardigan. Or at least that’s what Hiroko Fukatsu (of Frida fame) did after she’d knitted the Walnut Snood pattern by Kyoko Nakayoshi. The cardigan’s shape was inspired by Michiyo’s Stranger Cardigan and Kazekobo’s Aran Cardigan. For hers, Roko left off the sleeves and simply repeated the snood’s walnut motif up the front and around the shoulders. I say “simply,” but we all know I mean wow.
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Thanks to Jo for the tip on this one. And to Hiroko for the photos.
Shoulderwear? If it’s not a word, it should be. Anyway, I might have to buy the new Knitscene Accessories, drawn in by these two wraps:
TOP:San Cristóbal Shawl by Ashley Rao, which would be great with or without the fringe.
BOTTOM:Icelandic Star Cowl by Julia Farwell-Clay, which of course I’m imagining in charcoal and ivory even though that would suck all the cheerfulness right out of it.
I’m pretty sure this photo of model Lindsey Wixson in her fur hat and oatmeal cowl is the one that planted the seed for Knit the Look. I remember seeing it on Vanessa’s blog and thinking geez! This is literally Knitting 101 — cast on, knit, bind off. Then seam the ends together to form a loop. If you know the knit stitch — even if you only know the knit stitch — you can make this in no time.
So simulating this one doesn’t require tracking down a similar pattern, and it could be made from any chunky yarn you like. But the key to getting it to look like Lindsey’s is that marl effect, which you could easily achieve by holding three strands of yarn together, such as Cascade Eco Alpaca in Natural, Straw and Silver. To start, calculate what you want the circumference of your cowl to be: Drape a piece of yarn around your neck, estimating how you want the scarf to lay, then measure that length. (For this look, probably something in the range of 36–40 inches.) Cast on 30 stitches on US11/8mm or larger needles. Work back and forth in garter stitch (i.e., knit all stitches), until you have a rectangle whose length equals your desired circumference. Bind off loosely, then use your yarn and tapestry needle to seam the two ends together. Et voilà.
Getting back to knitwear on fully clothed people, here’s how my State Street Cowl turned out — sorry it’s taken me so long to get it photographed. I’ve literally worn it every day since I blocked it; it’s a cold studio dweller’s best friend. You may recall I made mine more voluminous than the pattern called for, with additional repeats in both directions, and as a result it’s the cowl I’ve been longing for. The heft, the drape, the texture — it’s a dream. This is Quince and Co’s Puffin wool in Frank’s Plum, which is a more subdued and moody plum than the photo suggests.
A bunch of people have told me (here, in Ravmail, in 3D) they were casting on for this and I’d still and always love to see your FOs. The original knitalong thread is right here. And there are a couple more pics of mine on Ravelry, if you’re interested.
— Fascinating: The back story and whereabouts of Sally Fox and her naturally colored cotton plants. (I had some Foxfibre towels in the ’90s but never knew this much about it all. Now I want to know even more.)
By the time you read this, I will have finished my State Street Cowl, and that makes me a little sad. Not only have I had a great time knitting it, but boy is it a crowd-pleaser. If you’re ever in need of some instant positive reinforcement, all you gotta do is show someone the State Street Cowl you’re knitting. (Or, y’know, post a photo of a beer on Instagram.) Anyway, I’m in jeopardy of knitting a whole bunch of them — as opposed to continuing to explore new patterns and skills and techniques — so I’m in search of something different yet equally enticing for my next portable project. These are strong contenders.
LEFT:Mikan Snood pattern designed by Kyoko Nakayoshi
RIGHT:Kilkenny Cowl, which happens to be another Pam Allen design
I’m also tempted to do Tante Ehm’s beautiful Milanese Loop in State Street proportions.
The day Pam Allen’sState Street Cowl pattern came to my attention was the day she (I assume) posted about it on the Quince and Co blog, illustrated with this striking image of an orange version worn by a knee-weakeningly handsome man. I checked out the official pattern images and looked through other finished versions on Ravelry — my favorite might be yayayarn’s Smurf-colored cashmere version — and I was sold. I’m pretty sure I ordered the yarn and the pattern right there and then. And I’m thrilled that a little quorum here agreeing to a knitalong means I’m finally going to knit it.
This should be a pretty quick knit, so I don’t think we need to establish a schedule or any rules or anything. Unless you feel otherwise (and tell me below), I think we’ll just work at our own pace, and compare notes and progress in the comments below. I’ll put a link in the right rail for easy access to the thread. If you want to share images along the way — and please do! — post them on Ravelry or your own blog or Flickr or wherever, and link to it from the comments. If anyone’s tempted to join in but not ready to start today, no worries! Join in anytime.
If I have a resolution for this year, it’s to stop putting so many crappy iPhone pics on the blog, and yet I’m kicking off the year with this one. As you can see, I cheated and cast on early, and I can honestly say this is an extremely fun knit. I’ll be forcing myself not to stay up all night racing straight through it. But I did it in case anyone joining in (actively or silently) could benefit from some basic tips that I’ve found useful. I’m a big believer in stitch markers as both place markers and mental triggers, and also in lifelines — a position obviously reinforced by my recent difficulty. I don’t do a lot of lace knitting, don’t typically work on things that require stitch-by-stitch attention, so want to give myself these aids.
This pattern repeat is 17 stitches wide by 12 rows high, and there are an equal number of increases (YOs) and decreases (K2TOGs/SSKs) within those 17, which means the stitch count remains consistent — assuming you don’t make any mistakes. So I have a white stitch marker marking the beginning of the round, which got placed immediately after I cast on. Then I have a grey marker marking the end of each 17-stitch chunk. Those got placed as I knit the first pattern round (following the rib rounds). I knitted across the 17 stitches from row 1 of the chart, counted my stitches to double-check that I indeed had 17 on my right needle, and placed a marker. Knitted the 17 again, counted, placed marker. Etc. Until I’d completed that first round. Henceforth, if I make an error, I’ll know it within 17 stitches because I’ll arrive at the next marker with the wrong number of stitches. So I should only need to tink my way back one marker (<17 sts) for the do-over. For added security, once I successfully complete the 12 rows of the pattern, I’ll thread a lifeline through the stitches — a length of smooth cotton waste yarn (some people use dental floss) — before starting on the next repeat. So if worse comes to worst and I have to rip out whole rows, I’ll only be ripping back to the last lifeline.
Two other notes then I’ll shut up for now: I am in love with this yarn; how did I not knit with it until now? And because I want mine to be a bit bigger, I cast on 102 stitches and am working the pattern 6 times around rather than 5. I like that shot of it pulled down over the model’s shoulders and want the option, so it needs to be as big as my broad shoulders.
UPDATE JULY 2018:I’m thrilled to be revising the recommended yarn for this pattern from the original (Sincere Sheep’s Luminous DK) to Sincere Sheep’s US-raised and -milled Cormo Sport — read an interview about the yarn here. The materials list and photos have been updated to reflect the new yarn; everything else about the pattern remains the same! —Karen
Ever since I knitted that Jumbo Basketweave Cowl, I’ve been wanting to do another version — at a thinner gauge and long enough to wrap twice around my neck. And from the moment I first laid my hands on Sincere Sheep’s indigo-dyed yarn, I knew I had to knit with it, and that I wanted it piled up around my neck. So the two urges merged into this Double Basketweave Cowl. Double because it loops twice, because it’s knitted with two strands of yarn, and because I love it doubly as much as the jumbo version. It’s the knitwear equivalent of that most beloved and worn pair of blue jeans.* You can now get it as a kit!
This is a super simple, easy to memorize knits-and-purls stitch pattern, knitted in a bouncy US Cormo wool, held double. Comfort knitting, in other words, and suitable for newer knitters. Feel free to knit more or fewer rows of the basketweave pattern for a wider or narrower cowl, but that will change yardage used. If adjusting for the circumference, multiply your stitch gauge by whatever you want your circumference to be, then round to the nearest number that is divisible by both 4 (for the ribbing) and 6 (for the basketweave pattern).
Materials:
2 skeins Sincere Sheep Cormo Sport (400 yards each; pictured in Anja* and Bare), or approximately 640 yards sport/DK/light-worsted yarn, held double throughout
US10.5/6.5mm circular needle (32″ recommended)
stitch marker
tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Measurements: (after blocking)
Gauge: 4 sts and 5.25 rounds = 1″ in basketweave
Size: 48″ circumference, 9″ tall
DIRECTIONS
With yarn held double, CO 192 sts. Place marker and join in the round, making sure sts are not twisted around needle. Ribbing round: [k2, p2] to end. Repeat ribbing round 3 more times. Next round: Knit. Begin 10-round basketweave pattern (below); work it 4 times in full. Repeat ribbing round 4 more times. BO loosely in pattern. Block as desired. Weave in ends.
Basketweave pattern:
Rounds 1–4: [k2, p4] to end. Round 5: Knit. Rounds 6–9: p3, k2, [p4, k2] to last st, p1 Round 10: Knit.
BO = bind off CO = cast on k = knit p = purl st(s) = stitch(es)
[ERRATUM: There was an error in the original version of this pattern, in the instructions for Rows 6-9 — the repeat was indicated in the wrong spot. It was corrected here on December 15, 2013. If you saved or printed the pattern before that date, please be sure you’re working from a more recent version.]
*Note that when using indigo-dyed yarn, as with a new pair of blue jeans, there will be some color transfer. Expect your hands to turn slightly blue while knitting (it washes right off) and for the soak water to turn blue when blocking the finished piece. After that, the dye should be set.
If I have a resolution for this year, it’s to stop putting so many crappy iPhone pics on the blog, and yet I’m kicking off the year with this one. As you can see, I cheated and cast on early, and I can honestly say this is an extremely fun knit. I’ll be forcing myself not to stay up all night racing straight through it. But I did it in case anyone joining in (actively or silently) could benefit from some basic tips that I’ve found useful. I’m a big believer in stitch markers as both place markers and mental triggers, and also in lifelines — a position obviously reinforced by my 
