Shaker Rib Cowl in Caron Simply Soft - Downloadable PDF

Shaker Rib Cowl in Caron Simply Soft – Free Knitting Pattern (Downloadable PDF)

This Shaker Rib Cowl is a beginner-friendly knitting project that produces a cozy, textured cowl with a striking two-color striped design. Worked flat and seamed, the finished piece measures approximately 12 inches deep by 26 inches around, making it a generously sized accessory that sits comfortably around the neck. The pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF, ideal for knitters who are just moving beyond the basics and want to explore simple colorwork and a classic ribbing variation.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a knitted cowl — a closed-loop neck warmer worn draped around the neck and shoulders. This particular cowl combines a rhythmic stitch pattern with a carefully sequenced stripe sequence, resulting in a piece that looks far more complex than it actually is. Because it is knitted flat and then seamed along the side edges, even knitters who are not yet comfortable with working in the round can complete this project with confidence.

Techniques Used

• Flat knitting: The cowl is worked back and forth in rows on straight needles, then the cast-on and cast-off edges are seamed together to form the tube shape.
• Two-color striping: A structured Stripe Pattern spanning 94 rows alternates between Contrast A (Bone 9703) and Contrast B (Neon Pink 9775) in varying stripe widths — ranging from 2-row to 10-row segments — creating a bold, graduated color effect.
• Seaming: Once knitting is complete, the side edges are sewn together to close the cowl into its circular form.
• Gauge swatching: The pattern specifies a gauge of 17 stitches and 23 rows to 4 inches in stockinette stitch, so checking gauge before beginning is recommended to ensure accurate finished dimensions.

Stitches Used

• Shaker Rib Pattern: This is the primary stitch pattern and the defining feature of the cowl. It is worked over a two-row repeat:
  • Row 1 (Right Side): Knit across all stitches.
  • Row 2: K1, then repeat (P1, K1below) to the last 2 stitches, P1, K1.
• K1below (Knit One Below): A key technique in this pattern, this stitch involves inserting the needle one row below the next stitch on the left needle and knitting through that lower loop, slipping both stitches off together. This creates a deep, elongated knit stitch that gives the Shaker Rib its characteristic thick, cushiony texture — similar in appearance to a brioche rib but achieved through a slightly different method.
• Knit (K): Standard knit stitch used on right-side rows and at the edges of wrong-side rows.
• Purl (P): Used on wrong-side rows as part of the Shaker Rib repeat.
• Cast On and Cast Off: The pattern begins with casting on 107 stitches using Contrast B (Neon Pink 9775) and ends with a standard cast off before seaming.

Materials

Yarn

• Caron Simply Soft – an aran weight yarn (also labeled as a medium/worsted-weight yarn), sold in 6 oz / 170 g, 315 yards / 288 m skeins.
• Contrast A: Bone (9703) – 1 ball
• Contrast B: Neon Pink (9775) – 1 ball

Needles

• U.S. size 9 (5.5 mm) straight knitting needles, or the size needed to obtain the stated gauge.

Why Knitters Love This Pattern