Nina Cowl in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK - ZB328-00008-DEP - Downloadable PDF

Nina Cowl in Rowan Alpaca Soft DK by Lisa Richardson – Pattern Summary

About This Design

The Nina Cowl is a beautifully simple yet cleverly constructed knitted cowl designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Released as a downloadable PDF (ZB328-00008-DEP), this pattern produces an elegant loop scarf with a satisfying textural stitch pattern that is both visually appealing and quick to knit. The finished cowl is photographed in Brick 218, a warm, earthy colourway that showcases the fabric's soft drape and subtle texture beautifully.

Finished Dimensions

The completed Nina Cowl measures approximately 94 cm in circumference and 22 cm in height, making it a generously sized loop that can be worn snugly around the neck or layered for extra warmth. Its circular construction means there are no seams to sew, resulting in a clean, professional finish straight off the needles.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern is written specifically for Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, a luxuriously soft double knitting weight yarn. The pattern calls for 244 metres from a 50 g ball, making this an excellent single-skein project. Rowan Alpaca Soft DK is known for its gentle halo, lightweight warmth, and the characteristic softness that alpaca fibre brings — all of which contribute to the delicate, airy quality of the finished cowl.

• Yarn: Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, 50 g / 244 m per ball
• Needles: A set of double-pointed needles (DPNs) size 4.5 mm, or a circular needle size 4.5 mm, no longer than 80 cm
• Colourway shown: Brick 218

Techniques and Construction

The Nina Cowl is worked entirely in the round, either on a set of four double-pointed needles or on a circular needle. Knitting in the round is ideal for cowl construction as it eliminates any need for seaming and creates a smooth, continuous tube of fabric. Stitches are cast on and then distributed evenly across three of the four double-pointed needles before joining to work in rounds — with care taken on the first round to ensure stitches are not twisted, which is a common and important consideration when beginning circular knitting.

The stitch pattern that forms the body of the cowl is worked over a four-round repeat, creating the distinctive textural fabric. This repeat involves a combination of knit rounds and a clever decrease-and-increase sequence that gives the fabric its character:

• Round 1: Knit
• Round 2: Knit
• Round 3: K2tog (knit two together) repeated to end of round, halving the stitch count to 122 stitches
• Round 4: Knit into the front and back of every stitch (a simple increase), restoring the stitch count to 244 stitches

This four-round sequence is repeated until the cowl reaches the full height of 22 cm. The rhythmic decrease and increase pattern creates a gently gathered, textured fabric with a pleasing elasticity and visual interest that belies its simplicity. It is an excellent pattern for knitters looking to move beyond plain stocking stitch while still working with an accessible, repetitive structure.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch – the foundation of the fabric
• K2tog (knit two together) – a right-leaning decrease used to halve the stitch count on Round 3
• Kfb (knit into front and back) – a simple increase used to restore the stitch count on Round 4
• Purl cast-off (bind-off) – all stitches are cast off purlwise to maintain the elasticity of the fabric edge