Honeylocust Loop

Honeylocust Loop Cowl by Erica Heusser

Project Overview

The Honeylocust Loop is a single-loop cowl designed by independent designer Erica Heusser, inspired by the brilliant gold leaves of honey locust trees lining the streets of downtown Philadelphia. This knitted cowl features a graduated leaf motif anchored by contrasting decorative borders, creating a sophisticated colorwork design suitable for experienced stranded knitters.

What Is Being Made

This project creates a seamless, tubular cowl that is worn as a single loop around the neck. The cowl showcases a striking visual design with a central leaf pattern that transitions across the fabric, complemented by decorative border elements in contrasting colors. The finished piece combines functionality with artistic colorwork.

Knitting Techniques Used

• Stranded knitting: The primary technique for this project, involving carrying multiple yarn colors across rows to create the leaf motif and decorative borders
• Knitting in the round: The cowl is constructed as a seamless tube using circular needles
• Provisional cast-on: An initial cast-on method that allows stitches to be picked up later for grafting
• Grafting: Also known as Kitchener stitch, this technique joins the two ends of the cowl together seamlessly after the main knitting is complete
• Chart reading: The pattern requires following charted instructions for the colorwork design

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

This intermediate-level cowl utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with stranded colorwork techniques. The pattern is worked from charts that guide the placement of the graduated leaf motif and contrasting borders throughout the design. Experienced stranded knitters will work with two colors held simultaneously, switching between them as indicated by the chart to build the pattern.

Materials and Yarn Requirements

The Honeylocust Loop is designed for fingering or sock weight yarn, classified as 4-ply yarn. The project requires approximately 670 yards of yarn total, distributed across three colors:

• Main color (background): Approximately 420 yards in fingering/sock weight
• Contrast color 1 (decorative borders): Approximately 50 yards in fingering/sock weight
• Contrast color 2 (leaf motif): Approximately 200 yards in fingering/sock weight

The sample cowl pictured was created with Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in the colorways Penumbra, Silver Fox, and Candlewick, demonstrating how these three colors work together to create the finished design.

Needles and Tools

• One 16-inch circular needle in US size 2.5
• Additional 16-inch or longer circular needle in US size 2.5 for grafting the ends together
• Waste yarn for the provisional cast-on

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty and is recommended specifically for experienced stranded knitters who are comfortable reading from charts and knitting in the round. Stranded colorwork requires coordination in managing multiple yarn colors and maintaining even tension throughout the work.