Kauai Beach Cowl in Cascade 220 Superwash Sport - DK568 - Downloadable PDF

Kauai Beach Cowl in Cascade 220 Superwash Sport – Pattern Summary

The Kauai Beach Cowl is a knitted colorwork cowl designed by Laurie Beardsley and published by Cascade Yarns® (pattern code DK568). This downloadable PDF pattern is rated Easy / Intermediate in skill level, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable working in the round and ready to explore simple slip-stitch colorwork. The finished cowl measures 24 inches in circumference and 6.5 inches tall, producing a cozy, wearable accessory with a striking, textured stripe effect inspired by the beaches of Kauai.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single circular cowl worked entirely in the round on a 24-inch circular needle. The cowl is designed to sit comfortably around the neck, offering warmth without bulk. Its relatively compact height makes it a quick and satisfying knit, while the rotating color sequence gives it a visually dynamic, beach-inspired look with soft oceanic tones.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Cascade Yarns® 220 Superwash® Sport, a 100% Superwash Merino Wool yarn that comes in 50 g (1.75 oz) skeins with approximately 136.5 yards (125 m) per skein. Three colors are used:

• MC (Main Color): Color #210 Deep Ocean – 1 skein
• CC1 (Contrast Color 1): Color #219 Moon Rock – 1 skein
• CC2 (Contrast Color 2): Color #238 Angel Blue – 1 skein

The Superwash treatment on this Merino wool means the finished cowl is machine washable, making it a practical as well as beautiful accessory. The sport weight yarn creates a fabric that is lightweight yet warm, with excellent stitch definition that highlights the slip-stitch pattern beautifully.

Additional materials required include a US 6 (4.0 mm) 24-inch circular knitting needle (or size needed to achieve gauge), a stitch marker, and a yarn needle for finishing.

Gauge

Gauge is 22 stitches and 40 rounds per 4 inches (10 cm) measured in the Kauai Beach Pattern stitch. Achieving correct gauge is important for hitting the stated finished dimensions of 24 inches circumference and 6.5 inches tall.

Techniques Used

This cowl uses a handful of fundamental and intermediate knitting techniques that combine to create its textured, colorful fabric:

• Knitting in the round on a circular needle – the entire cowl is worked as a seamless tube, eliminating any need for seaming.
• Garter stitch in the round – used for the border sections at the cast-on and bind-off edges. In flat knitting, garter stitch is achieved by knitting every row, but when working in the round it requires alternating knit and purl rounds (knit the odd rounds, purl the even rounds). Six rounds of garter stitch are worked at both the beginning and end of the cowl in the Main Color, creating a neat, stable edge.
• Slip-stitch colorwork – the central pattern section uses a slip-stitch technique to create the appearance of intricate colorwork without ever carrying two colors in the same round. Stitches are slipped purlwise with the yarn held in the back, allowing the color from a previous round to show through and create the characteristic woven or mosaic-like texture.
• Color changes every 4 rounds – the three colors rotate in a consistent sequence throughout the 56-round pattern section, with each color block consisting of exactly 4 rounds before switching to the next color. This disciplined rotation is what produces the cowl's layered, striped colorwork effect.
• Casting on and binding off – the cowl begins with a cast-on of 132 stitches and ends with a standard knit bind-off.

Stitches Used

The pattern relies on a small, clearly defined set of