Gezopfter Kragen in Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 85 - S7050A

Gezopfter Kragen in Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 85 – A Braided Collar Knitting Pattern (S7050A)

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr guides knitters through the creation of a striking braided collar — a cosy, statement-making accessory worked in the luxurious Schachenmayr Merino Extrafine 85 yarn. The finished collar measures approximately 100 cm in length and is cleverly constructed from multiple knitted tubes that are plaited together into a loose, voluminous braid. The result is a versatile neckpiece that can be worn either as a wide, open collar or fastened into a snug, close-fitting collar, depending on which set of press studs is used.

What Is Being Made

The project is a braided knitted collar (German: Gezopfter Kragen), an accessory designed to sit around the neck and shoulders. It is not a traditional cable-knit collar — the "braid" effect is achieved by physically plaiting three separately knitted tubular strips together, giving the piece a bold, three-dimensional texture. The collar is fastened with press studs (Druckknöpfe) approximately 28 mm in diameter and is finished with a decorative crocheted flower (Blüte) that conceals the fastening point.

Construction and Design Details

The collar is made up of three separate knitted tubes, two of which are identical in length and one of which is shorter. Here is how the construction works:

• Two long collar pieces: Each is cast on with 7 stitches using a set of double-pointed needles and knitted in the round to approximately 150 cm in height (length), then the stitches are placed on hold.
• One shorter collar piece: Also cast on with 7 stitches and knitted in the round, but bound off at approximately 75 cm in height.
• The shorter piece is sewn flat onto the centre of one of the longer pieces, with the seam positioned on the inside of the braid.
• All three pieces are then loosely plaited together into a braid, after which the open live stitches of the long piece are sewn with mattress stitch to the cast-on edge of another collar piece to close the braid into a ring.
• The end of the third piece is sewn flat to the outside of the collar to complete the structure.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round on a double-pointed needle set — each tube is worked entirely in the round, producing a seamless, hollow cord-like strip.
• Stocking stitch in the round (Glatt rechts): every round is knitted as right-side (knit) stitches, which in circular knitting produces a smooth stocking stitch fabric on the outside of each tube.
• Plaiting / braiding: the three finished tubes are physically woven into a loose braid — a purely structural technique requiring no special knitting skill but producing a dramatic visual effect.
• Seaming with mattress stitch (Maschenstiche): used to join the live stitches of one tube to the cast-on edge of another, creating a neat, near-invisible join.
• Flat seaming: the shorter tube and the end of the third tube are sewn flat at specific points to anchor the braid structure.
• Crochet: a small decorative flower is crocheted separately and attached over the press-stud fastening.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch in the round (rechte Maschen) — the sole knitting stitch used throughout all three tubes.
• Chain stitch (Luftmasche) — used in the crocheted flower to form the foundation ring and turning chains.
• Slip stitch / joining stitch (Kettmasche) — used to close rounds in the crocheted flower.
• Double crochet / single crochet (