Advent Cowl 2022 - Christmas Eve Saturday

 

You could be wearing your cowl in less than 15 minutes! I swapped to the contrast colour fo the bind-off row, but it's up to you. 

Bind off. Weave in ends. You have finished!

24thDec

Here's my cowl; it is not lying completely flat because I took it off to photograph it! 

Here are the complete instructions which I shall add to the 'Pages' section of the blog. If you have any comments or suggestions or advice I would be glad to receive them.

Happy Christmas!

    

COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADVENT COWL

Finished size – 15 cm by 56 cm. This fits like a loose collar of a jumper. For a looser a fit around the neck, add 8 stitches 

YARN AND NEEDLES

I used 45g / 65m of Drops Alaska Aran weight in dark blue for my main colour, and 20g / 42m of Drops Alaska Aran weight in off-white as my contrast colour.

The ribbing was worked on 4mm circular needles, changing to 5mm circular needles for patterns. The needles have to be 40cm or 60cm long. (the stitches are a very ‘cosy’ fit on 40 cm, and more spaced out on 60cm needles). You could use dpns; I personally find circulars much easier.

You will also need a marker to mark the beginning of a round – I use a loop of entirely different yarn.  

You can use a mix of colours for main and contrast to use up scraps – just join at the beginning of the round, and weave in the ends at the end. If you don’t have enough of the main colour, you could use a contrast for the ribbing.

KNITTY GRITTY

Read charts from RIGHT to LEFT starting at the bottom.

Each day has one or two rounds. Always slip the beginning of round marker. I find it convenient to stop one stitch short of the round, otherwise the marker falls off the needle overnight.

Blank squares are main colour and * squares are contrast colour.

Repeat the pattern to the end of the round. Patterns repeat over2, 4 or 8 stitches.

Do not break off the contrast yarn between patterns but carry it up between rounds. Usually the floats, where the yarn is carried loosely along the back of the work, will never be more than 3 or 4 stitches.

You will find that the pattern will not match neatly where the rounds meet, because you are knitting round and round in spirals rather than rows. Once you have finished the whole cowl, you can sort of gently pull and encourage the knitting at that point, especially if it is wet, and persuade the pattern to line up better.

ABBREVIATIONS

K – knit.     P – purl

K2tog – knit two stitches together to decrease.

Ktfbl  – knit through front and back of stitch to increase, or use any method you prefer.

 

								Round		Date
Bind off. Weave in ends. You have finished!										24thDec
K1 P1 round								Round 33		23rdDec
K1 P1 round								Round 32
Change to 4mm needles and K1 P1 round								Round 31		22ndDec
(Knit 11, K2tog) 8 times 96 stitches								Round30
	*		*		*		*	Round 29		21st Dec
*		*		*		*		Round 28
								Round 27		20thDec
*	*		*	*	*		*	Round 26
	*	*	*		*	*	*	Round 25		19thDec
*	*		*	*	*		*	Round 24
								Round 23		16th Dec
		*			*	*	*	Round 22
	*		*			*		Round 21		15th Dec
*		*		*				Round 20
	*		*			*		Round 19		14th Dec
		*			*	*	*	Round 18
								Round 17		13th Dec
*				*				Round 16
*	*		*	*	*		*	Round 15		12th Dec
	*	*	*		*	*	*	Round 14
*	*		*	*	*		*	Round 13		9th Dec
*				*				Round 12
								Round 11		8th Dec
	*					*		Round10
*		*			*		*	Round 9		7th Dec
	*					*		Round 8
								Round 7		6th Dec
*		*		*		*		Round 6
	*		*		*		*	Round 5		5th Dec
Change to 5mm needle; (K11, Ktfbl) 8 times; 104 stitches								Round 4
Knit one round in k1 P1 rib									Round 3	2nd Dec
Check again for twists, and place beginning of round marker. Knit round in K1 P1 rib									Round 2
Join in round without twisting stitches and knit one round in k1 p1 single rib									Round 1	1st Dec
Using 4mm circular needle cast on 96 stitches.