Breaking Plaid

Breaking Plaid Cowl by Carissa Browning

What Is Being Made

Breaking Plaid is a reversible, plaid bandana cowl designed by Carissa Browning. The pattern offers versatility through modification notes, allowing knitters to adapt the base design into multiple garment styles including a loop cowl (non-bandana version), triangular shawl, scarf, washcloth, or blanket. The finished cowl measures 25 inches in circumference, with a front height of 21 inches and a back height of 6 inches, creating a distinctive asymmetrical silhouette characteristic of bandana-style cowls.

Techniques and Construction

This intermediate-level knitting project employs double-knitting as its primary construction technique. Double-knitting creates the reversible plaid pattern by working with two contrasting colors simultaneously, allowing both sides of the finished cowl to display the plaid design. This technique requires careful attention to color placement and yarn management but produces a fabric with visual interest on both sides.

The cowl is worked in the round using circular needles, which allows for seamless construction and continuous pattern development. The gauge is 19 stitches and 32 rounds per 4 inches when measured over the double-knitted stitch pattern after blocking, which is important for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Stitches Used

• Double-knitted stitches as the primary stitch structure
• Circular knitting for seamless, in-the-round construction

Materials Required

Breaking Plaid calls for fingering weight yarn in two contrasting solids or semi-solids, totaling 300 yards in each color. The pattern notes that sticky yarns, particularly single-ply constructions, should be avoided, as they can complicate the double-knitting process and affect the final appearance of the plaid pattern.

The designer's samples showcase specific yarn choices: the red sample uses Yarn Carnival High Wire 3-Ply in Damnation! (color A) and Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver in Tuxedo (color B); the yellow sample features Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight in 24 Karat (color A) and Lauma (color B). These examples demonstrate that quality fingering-weight yarns with good stitch definition work well for this project.

Additional supplies include a US #6/4mm circular needle measuring 24 inches in length, a tapestry needle for finishing, and a stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats during circular knitting.