Pushmi

Pushmi Cowl by Laurie Beardsley

What Is Being Made

Pushmi is a knitted cowl designed by Laurie Beardsley, featuring a two-color construction that creates visual interest through contrasting or complementary yarn colors. This finished cowl measures 9 inches (23 centimeters) wide and 70 inches (178 centimeters) in circumference, making it a versatile neckwear piece suitable for wrapping and layering.

Techniques and Construction

This intermediate-level knitting project uses a mesh pattern as its primary stitch structure, which creates an open, airy fabric with excellent drape. The two-color approach allows knitters to experiment with color combinations—whether using solid yarns, semisolid yarns, or pairing a solid with a variegated yarn for dynamic visual effects. The pattern is worked on a circular needle, which is typical for cowl construction and allows for seamless, continuous knitting in the round.

Stitches Used

The cowl is constructed primarily using a mesh stitch pattern. This openwork stitch creates a lightweight, breathable fabric while maintaining structural integrity. The mesh pattern is worked to a gauge of 20 stitches over 4 inches (10 centimeters), though the pattern notes that gauge is not critical—variations will affect yarn yardage requirements and the overall size and drape of the finished cowl.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

Pushmi requires 350 yards (320 meters) each of two different colors of fingering weight yarn, for a total of approximately 700 yards of yarn. The pattern recommends using merino blends or any blockable yarn blend to ensure the finished cowl can be properly shaped and finished. The sample shown in the pattern was knitted using Mrs. Crosby Satchel yarn (100% merino wool; 370 yards per 100-gram skein) in the colorways "Icebox Watermelon" and "Bahama Woodstar," demonstrating how complementary colors can enhance the mesh pattern's visual appeal.

Tools and Notions

• US 3 (3.25 millimeter) circular needle, 32 inches (80 centimeters) long
• Stitch marker for tracking rounds
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
• Blocking supplies for finishing and shaping

Yarn Weight and Difficulty

This pattern is designed for fingering weight yarn (also known as 3-ply and 4-ply yarn weights), which creates a delicate, refined fabric. The project is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for knitters with some experience who are comfortable working with circular needles and following stitch patterns in the round.