Bargello Cowl in Valley Yarns Superwash Super Bulky - 811 - Downloadable PDF

Bargello Cowl in Valley Yarns Superwash Super Bulky – Pattern Summary

The Bargello Cowl is a beautifully textured, colorwork cowl designed by Vickie Howell and worked in Valley Yarns Superwash Super Bulky yarn. With finished measurements of 26 inches around and 11½ inches tall, this cowl is a generously sized, cozy accessory that sits comfortably around the neck. The design takes its name from the classic Bargello needlepoint technique, which is reimagined here in knitting through a clever combination of elongated stitches, slipped stitches, and multi-row color sequences to create a striking, undulating visual pattern reminiscent of the traditional flame stitch.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a seamless circular cowl worked entirely in the round on a 24-inch circular needle. The finished piece is wide enough to be worn as a traditional cowl, a hood, or even pulled up over the lower face for extra warmth. The Bargello stitch pattern creates a bold, graphic texture that gives the cowl a high-end, artisan appearance despite being rated as a beginner-friendly project. The large needle size and super bulky yarn mean the cowl works up quickly, making it an excellent choice for knitters who want impressive results in a short amount of time.

Colorwork and Design Details

One of the most distinctive features of this cowl is its four-color palette, personally selected by designer Vickie Howell. The colors used are:

• Pink Flamingo (Color A) – 1 ball
• Astroturf (Color B) – 2 balls, used as the primary color
• Moontower Mustard (Color C) – small amount used as an accent
• Aqua Oasis (Color D) – small amount used as an accent

The colors are worked in rotating four-round sequences, with each color block contributing to the layered, dimensional look of the Bargello pattern. The interplay of bold tones against the textured stitch structure creates a visually dynamic finished piece that resembles woven or embroidered fabric.

Techniques Used

The primary technique in this pattern is working in the round on a circular needle, which eliminates seaming and creates a smooth, continuous tube of fabric. The Bargello pattern itself relies on several intermediate-level stitch techniques that are clearly defined within the pattern, making them accessible even to newer knitters:

• Working in the round on a 24-inch circular needle
• Colorwork through simple color changes every four rounds
• Elongated stitch construction using double yarn wraps and dropped wraps to create tall, stretched stitches
• Picking up stitches from rows below using the Make Loop (ML) special stitch
• Slipping stitches purlwise with yarn in back to create float-like effects without stranding

Stitches Used

The pattern uses a defined set of stitches and abbreviations that build the Bargello repeat. These include:

• Knit (k) – the foundational stitch throughout
• Knit through the back loop (ktbl) – creates a twisted stitch for added definition
• Purl (p) – used selectively within the pattern
• Slip 1 (sl 1) – slipped purlwise with yarn in back, contributing to the elongated visual effect
• Make Loop (ML) – a special stitch where the right-hand needle is inserted into a stitch two rows below to pull up a loop of yarn before knitting the current stitch; this is the key technique that gives the Bargello pattern its characteristic raised, woven appearance
• Double yarn wrap (k1 wrapping yarn around needle twice) – creates an extra-long stitch that is then dropped on the following round to produce elongated loops

The four-round Bargello repeat is structured as follows: Round 1 introduces the Make Loop and sl