Acacia Cowl in SweetGeorgia Superwash Six and Silk Fog - Downloadable PDF

Acacia Cowl Knitting Pattern by Felicia Lo for SweetGeorgia Yarns

About This Pattern

The Acacia Cowl is an adjustable chunky cabled cowl designed by Felicia Lo for SweetGeorgia Yarns. Rated as an Advanced Beginner skill level project, this cowl is an ideal next step for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore simple cable techniques. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, making it immediately accessible for knitters eager to cast on right away.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single, versatile cowl designed to be worn in multiple ways. The finished piece measures 22.5 inches / 57 cm long and approximately 7.25 inches / 18 cm high when relaxed after blocking. Rather than being worked in the round, the cowl is knit flat and then fastened closed with two buttons, giving the wearer flexibility in how snugly or loosely the cowl is worn around the neck. This button closure is the key to its adjustable, versatile nature — it can be styled as a close-fitting neck warmer or opened up for a more relaxed, draped look.

Techniques and Construction

The Acacia Cowl is constructed using flat knitting, meaning it is worked back and forth in rows rather than in the round. The defining design feature is the use of basic cable techniques, which create the textured, twisted rope-like columns that give the cowl its visual interest and cozy, squishy character. Cables are formed by temporarily placing a set of stitches on a cable needle, knitting the next stitches, and then knitting the held stitches — a technique that crosses columns of stitches over one another to create three-dimensional texture.

Because the cowl is knit flat and seamed with buttons rather than sewn shut, no complex finishing seams are required, keeping the construction approachable for Advanced Beginner knitters. The chunky weight of the yarn means the project works up quickly, making it a satisfying and relatively fast knit.

Stitches Used

• Cable stitches — the primary decorative element, creating the signature twisted texture across the cowl
• Basic knit and purl stitches — used to form the background fabric and cable panels
• Buttonhole construction — to accommodate the two-button closure

Materials: Yarn

This pattern calls for a luxurious two-yarn combination that gives the finished cowl exceptional softness, halo, and depth of colour:

• SweetGeorgia Yarns Superwash Six in Coastal — a chunky weight yarn, 100% superwash merino wool, coming in skeins of 115 yards / 105 metres per 4 oz / 115 g skein. One skein is required. The superwash treatment means the finished cowl is easy to care for and machine washable.
• SweetGeorgia Yarns Silk Fog in Deep Cove — a lace weight yarn held alongside the Superwash Six, made from 76% cultivated silk and 24% fine kid mohair, in skeins of 255 yards / 233 metres per 1.75 oz / 50 g skein. One skein is required. The kid mohair content adds a soft, airy halo to the finished fabric, while the silk contributes a subtle sheen and drape.

Holding a chunky merino together with a lace-weight mohair-silk blend is a popular technique in contemporary knitting. The lace-weight strand adds a luminous halo and colour depth without significantly increasing the bulk of the fabric, while the chunky merino provides the structure and warmth. The result is a cowl that feels squishy, light, and beautifully textured all at once.

Needles and Notions

The pattern calls for US Size 13 / 8 mm knitting needles, with the instruction to adjust needle size as necessary to achieve the correct gauge. A tapestry needle is referenced for finishing. The gauge is 15.5 stitches and 13 rows over 4 inches / 10 cm in pattern. Two buttons are also required to complete the adjust