Snowflake Cowl

  What could be a more appropriate lace pattern for a cowl than snowflakes?  Wear this on a snowy winter day and you'll blend right in!  I found this repeating pattern in "750 Knitting Stitches: The Ultimate Knit Stitch Bible".  The pattern is knit flat, then the ends are sewn together.  After blocking, the final dimensions for this project are 60" in circumference by 6" in width.

Materials You Will Need:

• 1 skein of dk weight yarn.  I used a local Portland OR dyer Bumblebirch, in the color Agave.
• US #10 needles
• Row counter
• Tapestry needle
• Blocking pins and matts

Skills You Will Need:

• Casting on
• k (knit)
• p (purl)
• sl1 (slip 1 purl-wise with the yarn in back)
• k2tog (knit 2 stitches together)
• skpo (slip 1 knit-wise with yarn in back, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over)
• sl2 (slip 2 knit-wise with yarn in back)
• p2sso (pass 2 slipped stitches over)
• yo (yarn over)
• Binding off
• Blocking
• Sewing ends together
• Weaving in ends

A Note on the Slipped Stitches: The first stitch of every row will be slipped purl-wise with the yarn in back.  This is to create an open chain selvedge edge.  Every other slipped stitch will be slipped knit-wise with the yarn in back.

A Note on Adjusting the Repeating Pattern if so Desired: This is a fairly simple, 12 row repeating pattern.  The snowflake pattern is divisible by 8+7 stitches, plus a 3 stitch seed stitch border on each end.  My pattern has two repeats of the snowflake pattern, so (8x2+7)+(3+3)=29.  If you would like to expand the width of the pattern, do so in multiples of 8 stitches.  The wrong side will be the odd numbered rows, and right side the even rows.  The pattern I list for each right side row will contain an 8 stitch repeating section, indicated by surrounding that section with asterisks.  If you choose to expand the pattern simply add repeats to this section.

Begin by loosely casting on 29 stitches.  Then follow the 12 row repeating pattern until you reach your desired length.

• Row 1: sl1, k1, p25, k1, p1.  (Repeat this for every odd numbered row)
• Row 2: sl1, k1, p1, k5, skpo, yo, k1, yo, k2tog,                                                                        *k3, skpo, yo, k1, yo, k2tog* repeat until last 8 stitches, k5, p1, k1, p1.
• Row 4: sl1, k1, p1, k6, yo, sl2, k1, p2sso, yo,                                                                           *k5, yo, sl2, k1, p2sso, yo* repeat until last 9 stitches, k6, p1, k1, p1.
• Row 6: Knit as row 2.
• Row 8: sl1, k1, p1, k1, skpo, yo, k1, yo, k2tog,                                                                        *k3, skpo, yo, k1, yo, k2tog* repeat until last 4 stitches, k1, p1, k1, p1.
• Row 10: sl1, k1, p1, k2, yo, sl2, k1, p2sso, yo,                                                                         *k5, yo, sl2, k1, p2sso, yo* repeat until last 5 stitches, k2, p1, k1, p1.
• Row 12: Knit as row 8.

Continue until you reach your desired length, being sure to end on row 12.  Loosely bind off, being sure to leave a tail long enough to sew the two ends together, 2-3 feet.  I recommend lightly blocking your project before you sew the ends together.  Blocking will open up the lace pattern.  Once you a done blocking, sew together the two ends.  I used the mattress stitch, which does a good job of hiding the seam from the right side of the project.  Now weave in your ends and enjoy!