Labadee Cowl KAL

Labadee Cowl KAL by Patty Lyons

Project Overview

The Labadee Cowl is an intermediate-level knitted cowl designed by Patty Lyons. This downloadable PDF pattern features a colorwork design worked in the round, making it an engaging knit-along (KAL) project. The cowl showcases a multi-color construction using five coordinating shades of superwash merino yarn, creating visual depth and interest through strategic color placement.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a circular cowl—a neck accessory that loops around the neck and drapes elegantly. The Labadee Cowl combines both flat and circular knitting techniques, beginning with an i-cord cast-on worked flat before transitioning to in-the-round construction for the main body.

Yarn and Materials

Yarn: Wonderland Yarns Mad Hatter (100% superwash merino) in the colorway "Down the Rabbit Hole Mimsy," #25. The yarn is supplied in five distinct color values, ranging from lightest (Color 1) to darkest (Color 5). Total yardage used across all colors is approximately 240 yards (78 grams): Color 1 uses 54 yards, Color 2 uses 81 yards, Color 3 uses 42 yards, Color 4 uses 20 yards, and Color 5 uses 43 yards.

Needles: The pattern requires three circular needles in different sizes and lengths:

• Size US 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle, 24 inches / 60 cm
• Size US 6 (4 mm) circular needle, 24 inches / 60 cm (for main gauge work)
• Size US 6 (4 mm) circular needle, 16 inches / 40 cm

Additional Notions: Stitch markers are required to track pattern repeats and construction sections.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Labadee Cowl employs several intermediate knitting techniques that make it suitable for knitters with foundational skills. The pattern begins with an i-cord cast-on, a decorative cast-on method worked flat before the main cowl transitions to in-the-round knitting on circular needles. This technique creates a polished, finished edge at the cowl's opening.

The primary construction method is chart-based colorwork knitting, worked in the round. Knitters follow detailed charts that incorporate multiple colors per row, requiring attention to color changes and pattern alignment. The pattern instructions specify that all rows of the charts are read from right to left, a standard convention in colorwork patterns.

The cowl features two distinct gauge sections with different stitch and row counts, indicating varying pattern densities or stitch types across the design. Chart 1 maintains a gauge of 29 stitches and 60 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) when worked on size US 6 (4 mm) needles in the round, after washing and blocking. Chart 2 has a gauge of 29 stitches and 44 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) under the same conditions, suggesting a tighter or different stitch pattern in this section.

Yarn Weight and Finished Characteristics

This pattern uses sport weight yarn, a lightweight to medium yarn category that produces fabric with excellent drape and fluidity—ideal qualities for a cowl that sits gracefully around the neck. The superwash merino fiber provides softness, breathability, and easy care, as the yarn can be machine washed without felting.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate, this pattern assumes knitters are comfortable with circular needle techniques, can read charts, and have experience managing multiple colors in a single row. The i-cord cast-on and in-the-round construction add technical elements that distinguish this project from beginner patterns.