Systole Cowl

Systole Cowl by Sarah Jordan

What is Being Made

The Systole Cowl is a knitted cowl designed by Sarah Jordan, featuring an intricate colorwork motif inspired by heart monitor imagery. The design draws its name from systole, the phase of the heartbeat when the heart contracts and pushes blood throughout the body. This cowl combines aesthetic appeal with meaningful symbolism, making it a distinctive accessory piece.

Design Inspiration and Concept

The Systole Cowl originated from designer experimentation with charting software, where Sarah Jordan created a colorwork motif that visually resembled the patterns displayed on a heart monitor. This visual inspiration led to the selection of the name "Systole," connecting the knitted pattern to the physiological rhythm of the heartbeat. The design demonstrates how abstract artistic exploration can result in thematically cohesive finished pieces.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

This advanced-level knitting project employs colorwork knitting as its primary technique. The pattern utilizes two-color stranded colorwork, requiring knitters to work with both a main color (MC) and a contrast color (CC) simultaneously. The fundamental stitches used in this cowl are:

• Knit stitch (k) – the primary stitch forming the fabric
• Purl stitch (p) – used as needed in the pattern structure

The pattern is worked in the round (rnd), creating a seamless tubular cowl. Colorwork patterns are charted and repeated (rep) throughout the rounds (rnds) to create the heart monitor-inspired motif. A critical technique note for this project emphasizes maintaining even tension throughout the colorwork sections, with particular attention to keeping floats (the stranded yarn carried across the back of the work) loose enough to prevent puckering and maintain fabric elasticity.

Yarn and Materials

The Systole Cowl is designed for sport weight yarn, a lightweight yarn category ideal for detailed colorwork. The pattern requires approximately 90 yards (82 meters) of main color yarn and 70 yards (64 meters) of contrast color yarn.

The cowl shown in the pattern is knitted using Swans Island Washable Wool Sport, a premium yarn composed of 100% organic merino wool. Each skein contains 180 yards (164.5 meters) and weighs 1.75 ounces (50 grams). The photographed version features Pewter (EWB102) as the main color and Magenta (EWB125) as the contrast color, with one skein of each color required for completion.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as advanced difficulty, reflecting the technical demands of two-color stranded colorwork knitting. Knitters should have solid foundational skills in basic knitting stitches and experience with circular knitting before attempting this project. The colorwork technique and tension management requirements make this an ideal project for experienced knitters seeking to refine their skills in patterned knitting.

Needles

The pattern requires circular needles appropriate for sport weight yarn and the cowl's circumference, though specific needle sizes are not detailed in the provided content.