Off-Kilter Cowl

Off-Kilter Cowl by Shannon Squire

What Is Being Made

The Off-Kilter Cowl is a two-color knitted cowl designed by Shannon Squire. This finished garment measures 50 inches in circumference and reaches 11 inches tall at its tallest point, making it a substantial neck accessory suitable for layering and styling versatility. The cowl features an asymmetrical construction that creates visual interest and dimension.

Skill Level and Techniques

This pattern is rated at advanced beginner difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who have mastered basic techniques and are ready to expand their skills. The Off-Kilter Cowl incorporates several intermediate techniques that build foundational knowledge:

• Knitting in the round: The cowl is constructed using circular needles, allowing the knitter to work continuously in a spiral rather than flat rows, creating seamless fabric.
• Short rows: This technique involves turning the work before completing a full round, creating the asymmetrical, off-kilter shaping that gives the cowl its distinctive name and silhouette.
• Short rows in the round: Combining short-row shaping with circular knitting creates the three-dimensional, uneven height that characterizes this design.
• Yarn over stitches: Decorative yarn overs add texture and visual detail to the finished piece.

Stitches Used

The Off-Kilter Cowl employs fundamental knitting stitches worked in a garter stitch pattern. Garter stitch, created by knitting every row when working flat or alternating knit and purl rounds when working in the round, produces a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges. The pattern also incorporates knit two together (k2tog) decreases to shape the garment and manage stitch counts through the short-row sections.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

This cowl requires approximately 575 yards of fingering-weight yarn split between two coordinating colors. The designer used Blue Moon Fiber Arts Yaksi Fingering yarn in two colorways: Pond Scum for color A (300 yards) and Grawk for color B (275 yards). Fingering-weight yarn is a fine, delicate yarn that creates detailed stitch definition and drapes elegantly.

The pattern calls for US 3 (3.25mm) circular needles measuring 24 inches or longer, sized to achieve the specified gauge. A tapestry needle and stitch markers are required notions to complete the project.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 22 stitches over 4 inches (10 centimeters) measured in garter stitch after blocking. While gauge is noted as not crucial for this particular design, blocking the finished cowl helps even out the stitches and allows the asymmetrical shaping to fully develop. The two-color construction and short-row shaping are enhanced through proper blocking and finishing.