Bray Cowl in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine - Downloadable PDF

Bray Cowl in Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine – Pattern Summary

The Bray Cowl is a beautifully crafted knitted cowl designed by Rosemary Drysdale, worked in the richly textured Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine. This is a one-size design with a finished circumference of 21 inches (53.5 cm) and a height of 8 inches (20.5 cm), making it a versatile accessory that sits comfortably around the neck. The pattern is rated as experienced/advanced, making it best suited to knitters who are already comfortable with colorwork techniques and working in the round.

What Is Being Made

The Bray Cowl is a seamless, circular cowl knitted entirely in the round. Its compact dimensions make it ideal as a close-fitting neck warmer, and the combination of colorwork and ribbing gives it both visual interest and a polished, structured finish. The design draws on traditional Fair Isle aesthetics, updated with a sophisticated, contemporary color palette.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The cowl is worked as a continuous tube on a circular needle, eliminating any seaming and creating a smooth, uninterrupted colorwork surface.
• Fair Isle colorwork – The central section of the cowl features a Fair Isle stranded colorwork chart spanning 23 rows. This traditional technique involves carrying, or stranding, unused yarn colors loosely across the back (wrong side) of the work while the active color is knitted. Maintaining even, relaxed floats is essential to preserving the correct gauge and drape of the fabric. Rosemary Drysdale specifically notes that knitters should strand unused colors loosely and may wish to switch to a larger needle size for the 23-row chart section, returning to the original needle afterward to maintain consistent tension throughout.
• Gauge management – Because Fair Isle stranding can tighten the fabric, the pattern advises careful gauge checking and needle adjustment, a hallmark of experienced-level knitting.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch (St st) – The main body of the cowl, including the Fair Isle chart section, is worked in stockinette stitch in the round, meaning every round is knitted. This creates a smooth, flat fabric that showcases the colorwork pattern clearly.
• K2, P2 Rib – Worked as a multiple of 4 stitches, the ribbing is used to finish the cowl with neat, elastic edges. Every round follows the sequence of knit 2, purl 2, repeated to the end of the round. This classic rib stitch adds structure and helps the cowl retain its shape around the neck.

Color Palette

One of the most striking aspects of the Bray Cowl is its use of four distinct colors of Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine, each playing a role in the Fair Isle chart:

• Color A – #2715 Tan
• Color B – #2724 Light Teal
• Color C – #2719 Dark Red
• Color D – #2712 Plum

This earthy yet richly varied palette reflects the natural, rustic character of the Donegal Tweed Fine yarn itself, and the interplay of warm and cool tones gives the finished cowl a depth and sophistication well suited to the tweed fiber.

Materials and Yarn

The pattern calls for one skein each of Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed Fine in each of the four colors listed above. This yarn is a 4-ply weight blend of 70% wool and 30% mohair, with each skein containing approximately 218 yards (199 meters) and weighing 1.75 oz (50g). The wool content provides warmth and structure, while the mohair adds a subtle halo and softness that enhances the visual texture of the tweed. The characteristic flecks of the Donegal tweed construction add an additional layer of visual interest that complements the Fair