Feather & Fan Cowl in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande - F326

Feather & Fan Cowl in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande – Pattern F326

This free downloadable knitting pattern from Plymouth Yarn Design Studio guides knitters through creating a beautifully textured Feather & Fan Cowl using the classic, timeless Feather and Fan stitch pattern. Worked in the round on a circular needle, this cowl is an excellent project for knitters who want to explore lace-adjacent wave stitch patterns while producing a luxuriously soft, wearable accessory. The pattern is designated F326 and is available free with a yarn purchase.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a ladies' circular cowl measuring approximately 26 inches in circumference. The pattern offers two length options: a shorter version at roughly 10 inches long and a longer version at approximately 20 inches long, making it versatile enough to wear as a snug neck warmer or a more dramatic, draped loop scarf. The undulating waves of the Feather and Fan pattern give the cowl an elegant, flowing visual texture that showcases the natural drape of alpaca fiber beautifully.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The cowl is worked entirely in the round on a 16-inch circular needle, eliminating seams and creating a smooth, continuous tube.
• Loose cast-on – The pattern specifically instructs a loose cast-on of 108 stitches to ensure the finished edge has adequate stretch and drape.
• Feather and Fan pattern – This traditional stitch pattern creates the signature wave or ripple effect by combining decreases and yarn overs in a balanced, repeating sequence across each round.
• Knitwise bind-off – A loose knitwise bind-off is used to finish the cowl, maintaining the elasticity of the edge to match the cast-on.
• Weaving in ends – Minimal finishing is required; knitters simply weave in all ends upon completion.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K) – Used in rounds 1 and 2 of the four-round repeat as plain knit rounds that frame the decorative wave round.
• Purl (P) – Used in round 4 of the repeat as a purl round worked in the round, and also as a single purl round immediately after the cast-on to establish the base of the fabric.
• Yarn Over (YO) – Creates the open, lacy increases that form the fan or wave peaks in the Feather and Fan pattern. Each repeat includes six yarn overs to balance the decreases.
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) – A right-leaning decrease worked three times per repeat, forming one side of the feather or valley in the wave pattern.
• Slip Slip Knit (SSK) – A left-leaning decrease worked three times per repeat on the opposite side, creating the symmetrical, mirrored decrease that gives the Feather and Fan its characteristic balanced ripple.
• Stitch marker placement – A single stitch marker is placed at the join to track the beginning of each round throughout the project.

The Feather and Fan Stitch Explained

The Feather and Fan stitch — sometimes called Old Shale — is one of the most beloved traditional knitting patterns, with roots in Shetland lace knitting. It works on a simple four-row or four-round repeat: two plain knit rounds, one wave round of paired decreases and yarn overs, and one purl round. The result is a rhythmic, flowing fabric with gentle scalloped waves. Because the increases and decreases are perfectly balanced within each repeat, the stitch count remains constant throughout the project, making it approachable for adventurous beginners and satisfying for experienced knitters alike.

Materials

• Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Grande – 1 hank (100g) for the shorter version, or 2 hanks (100g each) for the longer version. This yarn is a chunky-weight 100% baby alpaca known for its exceptional softness, natural warmth, and beautiful drape — qualities that make it especially well-suited to a flowing stitch pattern like Feather and Fan.