Ribbed Cowl in Ella Rae Lace Merino - ER7-04 - Downloadable PDF

Ribbed Cowl in Ella Rae Lace Merino – Pattern ER7-04

This knitting pattern, ER7-04 from Ella Rae, produces a beautifully simple yet striking ribbed cowl worked in a three-colour stripe sequence. The finished cowl measures approximately 120 cm (47¼ in) in length and 20 cm (8 in) in width, creating a generous loop that can be worn draped around the neck for warmth and style. The design is ideal for knitters of all experience levels, as the stitch pattern is straightforward and rhythmic, making it an enjoyable and meditative project.

What Is Being Made

The pattern creates a single knitted cowl — a seamless tube-style neckwarmer formed by casting on a set number of stitches, working a long flat strip in rib and stripe pattern, and then joining the two ends together. The resulting accessory sits comfortably around the neck and shoulders, offering both texture and a subtle multicolour effect thanks to the rotating colour sequence.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting: The cowl is worked back and forth on a single pair of straight needles, producing a flat strip that is seamed at the end.
• Colour striping: A three-colour rotation is used throughout — one row each of Colour A, Colour B, and Colour C — creating an even, repeating stripe sequence. This technique is simple to execute as only one colour is used per row, eliminating the need for stranding or intarsia.
• Joining the ends: Once the strip reaches the correct length, the cast-on and cast-off edges are sewn or darned together, taking care not to twist the fabric, to form the finished cowl loop.
• Casting on and casting off: Standard cast-on and cast-off methods are used to begin and end the piece cleanly.

Stitches Used

• 2x2 Rib (K2, P2 Rib): The entire cowl is worked in a simple two-by-two rib pattern. The pattern repeat is: K2, *P2, K2; repeat from * to end, and this same row is repeated throughout. This rib stitch creates a stretchy, textured fabric with attractive vertical columns of knit and purl stitches. Because the same row is repeated on every pass (rather than alternating the rib on right-side and wrong-side rows), the resulting fabric has a distinctive visual rhythm that differs slightly from a traditional rib — making it a pleasingly unique texture.

Materials

• Yarn: Ella Rae Lace Merino, a 4-ply weight yarn, used in three colourways:
  • Colour A – Shade 203: 1 x 100g hank
  • Colour B – Shade 49: 1 x 100g hank
  • Colour C – Shade 47: 1 x 100g hank
• Needles: 1 pair of 3.25mm (US 4) straight knitting needles.
• Tension/Gauge: 31 stitches and 38 rows over 10 cm (approx. 4 in) in rib pattern using 3.25mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is important to ensure the cowl reaches its intended dimensions.

About Ella Rae Lace Merino

Ella Rae Lace Merino is a fine 4-ply (fingering weight) yarn celebrated for its softness and drape, properties that make it well-suited to accessories worn close to the skin such as cowls and scarves. Its merino content gives the finished fabric a luxurious feel, natural elasticity, and excellent stitch definition — all qualities that enhance the appearance of a rib pattern. The yarn's fine weight also allows the three-colour stripe sequence to produce a delicate, refined effect rather than bold, chunky stripes.

Pattern Format

This pattern is available as a downloadable PDF, allowing instant access after