Liesa

Liesa Cowl by Melanie Berg

What Is Being Made

Liesa is a reversible knitted cowl designed by Melanie Berg in collaboration with yarn dyer Liesa from Sternenstaub Wolle. This cowl is specifically crafted to provide warmth during cold winter weather while offering the unique advantage of being wearable on both sides. The finished cowl measures 43 inches by 8 inches (110 centimeters by 20 centimeters), making it a generous neck wrap that can be worn doubled around the neck to display both sides simultaneously.

Techniques Used

Liesa employs several key knitting techniques that intermediate-level knitters will recognize and appreciate. The cowl begins with a provisional cast-on, which allows the knitter to keep stitches live for later grafting. The piece is knitted flat rather than in the round, which contributes to its reversible nature since both sides of the flat fabric are equally visible and attractive. Once the desired length is achieved, the two ends are grafted together using the kitchener stitch, a seamless joining method that creates an invisible seam and allows the cowl to be worn continuously without a visible join.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches appropriate for an intermediate skill level. The abbreviations included in the pattern indicate the use of knit (k) stitches and purl (p) stitches as the primary stitch elements. The pattern also incorporates knit 2 together (k2tog) for decreasing, and inc 2, which is worked as (k1, p1, k1) into the same stitch for increasing. These basic stitch manipulations create texture and shaping throughout the cowl.

Materials

The Liesa cowl is designed to be knitted with 2 skeins of Sternenstaub ShinyStar Worsted yarn, a 100% Merino wool yarn that provides both warmth and a subtle sheen. Each skein contains 100 grams of yarn with 182 yards (166 meters) of yardage. The pattern calls for US 7 (4.5mm) circular needles for the main knitting, and a US G (4mm) crochet hook is listed among the notions, though its specific use in the pattern would be detailed in the full instructions. Additional notions required include a darning needle for finishing and weaving in ends.

The worsted and aran yarn weights specified provide excellent stitch definition and drape, making them ideal for a cowl that showcases both sides of the fabric equally. The Merino fiber content ensures softness against the skin while providing the insulation needed for winter wear.