#1408 Desert Lime - Cowl Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Savoy

Pattern Summary: #1408 Desert Lime – Cowl Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The #1408 Desert Lime is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This pattern creates a beautifully refined infinity cowl featuring a striking chevron twist stitch design that adds sophisticated texture and visual interest to any neckline. Whether worn with a casual jacket or a more polished outfit, Desert Lime is designed to elevate everyday cold-weather style across three seasons of wear.

What You Will Make

This pattern produces a single one-size infinity cowl with an elegant twisted loop silhouette. Once completed and seamed, the cowl measures approximately 43 inches long (twisted) by 8¾ inches wide, giving it a generous, draped wrap that sits beautifully around the neck and collarbone. The twisted infinity format means the cowl has a built-in visual twist, adding a sculptural quality that sets it apart from a standard tube cowl.

Construction and Techniques

Desert Lime is worked using a bottom-up, worked-flat construction, meaning the fabric is knitted in rows from the bottom edge to the top edge in a single flat piece before being seamed to finish. This seamed approach allows knitters to work comfortably on US size 6 (4.0 mm) circular needles in a 32- to 40-inch length, using the long cable simply to hold the stitches rather than to knit in the round.

• Bottom-up construction: The cowl begins at the lower hem and progresses upward to the top hem in one continuous flat piece.
• Worked flat in rows: Despite the use of circular needles, all knitting is done back and forth in rows, making this accessible to knitters who prefer flat knitting.
• Seamed finishing: Once the full length is complete, the piece is seamed to create the infinity loop with its characteristic twist.
• Cables and chevron twist stitches: The central body of the cowl features a Chevron Rib stitch pattern that runs vertically along the fabric, creating a dynamic, angled texture reminiscent of cable work. This refined stitch pattern is the defining design element of the cowl.
• K1/P1 Rib hems: Both the bottom and top edges are finished with 1-inch hems worked in K1/P1 Rib, providing a neat, stable edge that frames the central chevron design cleanly.

Stitches Used

• Chevron Rib: The primary stitch pattern used throughout the body of the cowl. This textured stitch creates a refined, angled rib effect with a twist, giving the fabric its signature panache.
• K1/P1 Rib: Used for the 1-inch hems at both the bottom and top edges to create tidy, flexible borders.
• Cable techniques: Incorporated within the chevron twist stitch pattern to create the dimensional, twisted texture that defines this design.

Gauge

Achieving correct gauge is important for this pattern. The recommended gauge is 18 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in the Chevron Rib pattern, measured after blocking. Knitters are encouraged to swatch and block before beginning to ensure accurate finished dimensions.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for 3 balls of Valley Yarns Savoy, a luxurious DK weight yarn with a sophisticated fiber blend. Each 50-gram ball yields approximately 137 yards, giving a total yardage requirement of around 411 yards for the project. The fiber composition of Valley Yarns Savoy is:

• 30% Recycled Wool
• 5% Recycled Cashmere
• 35% Ecovero Viscose
• 30% Recycled Polyamide

This thoughtfully constructed blend delivers softness from the recycled cashmere and wool, a subtle sheen and drape from the