Cosmos Cowl in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK (De) - Downloadable PDF

Cosmos Cowl by Martin Storey – Knitted Colorwork Cowl in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK

About This Pattern

The Cosmos Cowl is a beautifully designed knitted cowl created by Martin Storey for Rowan, available as a downloadable PDF (pattern reference ZB276-00007-DEP). Published in 2020, this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are comfortable with colorwork techniques and working in the round. The cowl is knitted as a long, seamless tube using a repeating stranded colorwork chart, producing a richly patterned accessory with a distinctly Nordic aesthetic.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single knitted cowl — a closed-loop neckwarmer worked in the round to a finished length of 143 cm. The generous length allows the cowl to be wrapped multiple times around the neck for warmth and style. The colorwork design is worked continuously in the round, creating an all-over patterned fabric with no seams.

Colorwork Design and Techniques

The defining technique of the Cosmos Cowl is Norwegian-style stranded colorwork (referred to in the German-language pattern as Norwegertechnik). This is a classic Fair Isle–adjacent method in which two or more yarn colors are carried across each round, with the unused yarn floated or stranded across the wrong side of the fabric. In this pattern, the yarns are specifically crossed at each color change to prevent gaps or holes from forming — an important finishing detail that keeps the fabric neat and structurally sound.

• Stranded colorwork worked entirely in the round using a charted repeat
• A 60-stitch pattern repeat is worked twice per round, creating a symmetrical all-over design
• The chart consists of 62 rows which are repeated continuously until the full length is reached
• Yarns are crossed at color changes on the reverse side to eliminate gaps
• A stitch marker is placed at the beginning of each round to track progress
• Stitches are distributed across three of four double-pointed needles when using a DPN set, or worked on a short circular needle

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch (stockinette) in the round — all stitches are knitted on every round, producing a smooth right-side fabric ideal for showcasing colorwork
• Stranded colorwork following a written chart, with the pattern repeat worked in rounds

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a luxuriously soft double knitting weight yarn with an alpaca-rich composition that gives the finished cowl a beautiful drape and warmth. Three colorways are used to create the multicolored stranded design:

• Color A – Rainy Day (shade 210): 5 x 50 g balls — the primary background color
• Color B – Charcoal (shade 211): 3 x 50 g balls
• Color C – Classic Brown (shade 204): 3 x 50 g balls

Each ball of Rowan Alpaca Soft DK provides approximately 120 metres of yardage. The yarn's softness makes it particularly well suited to a cowl that will sit close to the neck and face.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern recommends 4 mm needles, offered in two configurations to suit different knitters' preferences:

• A set of double-pointed needles (DPNs) in 4 mm
• A 4 mm circular needle, no longer than 40 cm

The recommended tension (gauge) is 25 stitches and 26 rows to 10 cm, measured over stocking