622 Forget-Me-Not Cowl - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns 2/10 Merino Tencel®

622 Forget-Me-Not Cowl: Knitting Pattern Overview

What Is Being Made

The Forget-Me-Not Cowl is a lightweight, versatile neckwear piece designed by Kirsten Hipsky for women. This cowl functions as elegant knitted jewelry, measuring approximately 23 inches in circumference and 8 inches in height. The finished garment is small and portable, making it an ideal accessory for layering or wearing alone. The design showcases a sweet and simple lace pattern that remains easy to memorize, making it accessible for knitters seeking an intermediate-level project.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its refined aesthetic:

• Bottom-up construction: The cowl is cast on and worked from the bottom edge upward, providing a straightforward building process
• Seamless, worked in the round: Using circular needles, the cowl is worked continuously in the round, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish
• Lace knitting: The pattern features openwork lace elements created through yarn overs and decreases, resulting in an airy, delicate appearance

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Forget-Me-Not Cowl incorporates fundamental knitting stitches combined into a repeating lace motif:

• Garter stitch: Used for the initial 4 rows after casting on, providing a textured, reversible edge
• Stockinette stitch: The base fabric, referenced in the gauge measurement
• Yarn overs (yo): Create the openwork holes characteristic of lace knitting
• Decreases (ssk and k2tog): Slip, slip, knit and knit two together decreases balance the yarn overs and shape the lace pattern
• Repeating lace rounds: A 6-round repeat pattern is worked multiple times. Rounds 1, 3, and 5 contain the lace motif with yarn overs and decreases, while Rounds 2, 4, and 6 are plain knit rounds that allow the lace to develop

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The pattern calls for specific materials that contribute to the cowl's soft, luminous quality:

• Yarn: Valley Yarns 2/10 Colrain Lace in the color Periwinkle. This yarn is composed of 50% Merino wool and 50% Tencel®, a fiber known for its shine and drape. The yarn comes on large cones of approximately half a pound, yielding 1,540 yards per cone. The Forget-Me-Not Cowl uses approximately 150 yards, meaning multiple cowls can be knitted from a single cone
• Needle size: US size 6 (4.00mm) circular needles, 16 inches in length, or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge
• Gauge: Approximately 5.5 stitches equals 1 inch in stockinette stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions

Difficulty Level

Rated as an intermediate project, the Forget-Me-Not Cowl is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore lace knitting. The repeating 6-round pattern is straightforward enough to memorize, reducing the need to constantly reference instructions, while the lace techniques provide an engaging learning opportunity.