Bright Star Cowl in Rowan Moordale - Downloadable PDF

Bright Star Cowl in Rowan Moordale – Knitting Pattern Summary

The Bright Star Cowl is a beautifully designed knitted cowl created by Martin Storey and published by Rowan. This downloadable PDF pattern produces a long, looped cowl worked in a striking two-colour Fair Isle design, making it an excellent project for knitters who are ready to explore colourwork techniques. The pattern is rated advanced beginner, meaning it is accessible to those who have mastered basic knitting in the round but are looking to take their next creative step with stranded colourwork.

What Is Being Made

The finished piece is a circular cowl measuring 23 cm (9 inches) deep and 142 cm (56 inches) in circumference. The cowl is worked flat as a long tube and then joined at the cast-on and cast-off edges using mattress stitch or back stitch to form a continuous loop. This generous length means the cowl can be wrapped multiple times around the neck for warmth and style, making it a versatile and practical accessory for cooler weather.

Design and Colourwork

The cowl features a repeating two-colour Fair Isle chart that gives the piece its name. The pattern is worked from a 24-stitch by 24-round repeat chart, which is repeated 5 times across each round and worked 15 times in full, followed by rounds 1 to 23 of the chart once more, to achieve the full length of approximately 142 cm. The result is a rich, all-over geometric star motif that showcases the contrast between the two chosen shades of Rowan Moordale yarn.

The two colourways specified in the pattern are:

• Yarn A – Blue Moor 008 (3 x 100 gm balls)
• Yarn B – Feather 001 (3 x 100 gm balls)

The interplay of these two shades creates a classic, timeless Fair Isle aesthetic that suits both contemporary and traditional wardrobes.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern uses Rowan Moordale, a DK weight yarn, sold in 100 gm balls. A total of 6 balls are required – 3 in each colourway. Rowan Moordale is a yarn well suited to colourwork projects, offering good stitch definition that helps the Fair Isle motif stand out clearly.

The recommended needle is a 4mm (US 6) circular needle no more than 40 cm long. The pattern notes that double-pointed needles may be used as an alternative if preferred, giving knitters flexibility in their approach to working in the round.

Techniques Used

The primary technique throughout this pattern is the Fair Isle (stranded colourwork) method, also referred to in the pattern as the fairisle technique. This involves carrying two colours of yarn across each round, working stitches in whichever colour the chart dictates while the other yarn floats loosely across the back of the work. Key points about this technique include:

• Stranded yarns should not be carried over more than three stitches at a time to avoid long, loose floats on the wrong side.
• When floats do span more than three stitches, the carried yarn should be caught under and over the working colour to keep the fabric neat and the tension even.
• Maintaining an even, relaxed tension across the floats is essential to ensure the finished cowl lies flat and retains its elasticity.

Understanding how to manage yarn floats correctly is one of the most important skills in Fair Isle knitting, and this pattern provides a gentle introduction to that technique within a straightforward, repetitive chart structure.

Stitches Used

The entire cowl is worked in stocking stitch in the round, which means every round is knitted (no purl rounds). This makes the colourwork chart straightforward to follow, as knitters simply knit every stitch and switch colours as indicated. The simplicity of the stitch pattern allows full focus to be placed on reading and executing the two-colour chart accurately.

Additional techniques include:

• Casting on 120 stitches and placing a stitch marker