Dortea

Dortea Cowl by HelstrupDesign

What is Being Made

The Dortea is an advanced-level knitted cowl designed by HelstrupDesign. This downloadable PDF pattern provides instructions for creating a two-color cowl in three different sizes: Small, Medium, and Large. The finished cowl measures 60, 80, or 100 centimeters in circumference with a consistent height of 24 centimeters across all sizes, making it a versatile neckwear accessory suitable for various body sizes.

Knitting Techniques

The Dortea cowl employs a two-color casting technique that establishes the foundation for the entire project. The pattern utilizes double knit stockinette stitch as its primary construction method, which creates a reversible, fabric-like texture ideal for a two-color design. This technique requires careful attention to color placement and yarn management throughout the knitting process, contributing to the advanced difficulty rating of this pattern.

Stitches Used

• Double knit stockinette stitch – the main stitch pattern worked according to a provided chart, creating a dense, structured fabric
• Two-color cast-on – a specialized casting technique that incorporates both the main color and contrast color from the project's beginning

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Dortea cowl is designed to work with 4-ply and sport weight yarn with a yardage of approximately 175 meters per 50 grams. Suitable yarn options include King Cole Merino Blend, Rowan Felted Tweed DK, Madelinetosh Tosh Sock, and Drops Baby Merino. The small cowl pictured in the pattern is worked in Drops Baby Merino.

Yarn quantities by size:

• Small: 60–75 grams main color and 60–75 grams contrast color
• Medium: 80–100 grams main color and 80–100 grams contrast color
• Large: 100–120 grams main color and 100–120 grams contrast color

Needles and Notions

This pattern requires one 2½ mm circular needle measuring 40–60 centimeters in length. The pattern emphasizes selecting a needle size that achieves the specified gauge, as individual knitter tension varies. Additional notions include a yarn needle for weaving in ends and stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats.

Gauge

The required gauge for the double knit stockinette stitch pattern is 47 stitches and 40 rows over 10 × 10 centimeters. Achieving this gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements, and knitters are advised to always swatch and adjust needle size as needed to match this specification.