1151 Dorset - Cowl Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Worthington

Pattern #1151 Dorset: Stranded Colorwork Cowl Knitting Pattern by Julie Turjoman

The Dorset Cowl, pattern #1151, is an intermediate-level knitting pattern designed by Julie Turjoman and published by Valley Yarns. This beautifully textured cowl is the perfect cold-weather accessory, designed to warm the neckline beneath a jacket or coat when fall and winter winds arrive. Its striking four-color stranded colorwork design draws inspiration from Art Deco jewelry, giving the finished piece a bold, graphic elegance that is as visually impressive as it is functional.

What Is Being Made

The Dorset is a seamless, circular cowl available in two sizes: a Short version and a Long version. Both sizes share an 11-inch height, while the circumference measures 36 inches (Short) or 44 inches (Long). The longer version is generously sized to wrap twice around the wearer's neck, making it an especially cozy and versatile option for layering. The cowl features a central stranded colorwork panel framed by classic ribbed borders, creating a polished, finished look on both edges.

Techniques Used

• Bottom-up construction: The cowl is cast on and worked upward from the lower ribbed border to the upper ribbed border, following a logical and intuitive sequence.
• Worked in the round: The entire cowl is knitted seamlessly on circular needles, eliminating any seaming and producing a smooth, continuous fabric.
• Stranded colorwork: The central panel features a four-color stranded colorwork pattern spanning 57 rounds. Stranded colorwork involves carrying multiple yarn colors across each round, with the unused colors forming "floats" on the wrong side of the fabric. The pattern notes specifically advise knitters to wrap long floats at regular intervals on rounds 8, 25, 33, and 50, where the main color runs are especially long, to prevent snagging on the finished cowl's interior.
• Cable cast-on method: The pattern specifies the cable method for casting on, which creates a firm, neat edge well-suited to ribbing.
• Stitch marker placement: Markers are placed between each 20-stitch colorwork repeat to help knitters track the pattern accurately across the round.

Stitches Used

• K1/P1 ribbing: Eight rounds of knit-one, purl-one ribbing form both the lower and upper borders of the cowl. The stitches are also bound off in pattern to maintain the elasticity and neat appearance of the ribbed edges.
• Stockinette stitch (in the round): The stranded colorwork section is worked in stockinette, which in the round means knitting every stitch on every round. This produces the smooth, flat fabric surface ideal for showcasing colorwork motifs.
• Stranded colorwork pattern: A 20-stitch repeat motif is worked across 57 rounds using four colors simultaneously, creating the Art Deco-inspired geometric design that defines this cowl.

Yarn and Materials

The Dorset Cowl is worked in Valley Yarns Worthington, a DK-weight yarn with a distinctive fiber blend of 50% Wool, 25% Alpaca, and 25% Viscose. This combination delivers a yarn that is durable and soft, with the alpaca adding a gentle halo and warmth, while the viscose introduces a subtle sheen and casual tweedy texture that suits the colorwork design beautifully. Each ball contains 50 grams and approximately 174 yards.

The pattern calls for four colors of Valley Yarns Worthington:

• MC (Main Color): 2 balls in Color 07 – Black
• CC1 (Contrast Color 1): 1 ball in Color 14 – Orchid
• CC2 (Contrast Color 2): 1 ball in Color 10 – Marine Blue