Antiqued Cowl

Antiqued Cowl by Kelene Kinnersly

What Is Being Made

The Antiqued Cowl is a contemporary wrappable cowl that draws inspiration from antique lace design. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a finished cowl measuring 60 inches by 10 inches (152.5 x 20.5 cm) after wet blocking. The design is knit end to end and features lace patterning that opens up beautifully during the wet blocking process, allowing the cowl to grow and reveal its intricate details.

Techniques and Construction

This cowl employs several key knitting techniques that create its distinctive appearance and structure. The pattern uses a provisional cast-on method, which allows stitches to be picked up later for seamless finishing. Once the main body is complete, the two ends are joined using the Kitchener stitch, a grafting technique that creates an invisible seam and maintains the continuity of the lace pattern across the join.

Wet blocking is an essential finishing step for this design. This process opens up the lace patterning and allows the cowl to reach its full finished dimensions. The blocking process is crucial for achieving the intended drape and lace definition, making it a vital part of completing the project.

Stitches Used

The Antiqued Cowl incorporates a variety of fundamental and intermediate knitting stitches to create its lace pattern:

• Knit (k) - the basic knit stitch forming the foundation
• Garter Stitch - used as the gauge measurement reference (20 stitches = 4 inches after wet blocking)
• Knit 2 together (k2tog) - a right-leaning decrease used in lace patterning
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) - a left-leaning decrease for balanced lace design
• Make 1 right (m1r) - an increase worked by lifting the horizontal strand between stitches and knitting through the back loop
• Knit front and back (kfb) - an increase that creates two stitches from one
• Knit through back loop (k-tbl) - a twisted stitch variation

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Antiqued Cowl requires 500 yards (457 meters) of DK weight yarn. The sample was knit using Tosh DK by Mad Tosh in the colorway Penumbra 334, which provides a sophisticated base for the antique lace aesthetic.

Additional materials include US size 8 (5 mm) needles of your choice, allowing flexibility in needle type preference. A tapestry needle is needed for weaving in ends and seaming. Scrap yarn is required for the provisional cast-on technique.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 20 stitches = 4 inches (10 cm) in Garter Stitch after wet blocking. The designer notes that while gauge is not overly critical for this project, variations will affect both the finished yardage requirements and the final measurements of the cowl. The design's adjustable nature allows for customization based on individual gauge and preferences.

Skill Level

While listed as beginner-friendly in some contexts, this pattern is classified as Intermediate skill level. The intermediate designation reflects the use of lace techniques, provisional cast-on, and Kitchener stitch seaming, which require foundational knitting knowledge and comfort with more advanced finishing methods.