Urban decay

Urban Decay Cowl by Justine Turner

What is Being Made

Urban Decay is a knitted cowl designed as an essential winter accessory. The finished adult size measures approximately 38 cm (15 inches) long by 58 cm (23 inches) in circumference, making it a versatile neckwear piece suitable for layering and everyday wear during cold months.

Design Concept

This original knitwear design features collapsing layers and overworked cables as its primary design elements. The combination of these techniques creates visual depth and texture, transforming a traditional cowl into a statement piece with sophisticated construction details.

Knitting Techniques Used

The Urban Decay cowl employs advanced cable knitting techniques that form the foundation of its distinctive appearance:

• Cable Ten Back (C10B) - A cable cross where ten stitches are placed on a cable needle and held at the back of the work, followed by knitting the next ten stitches, then knitting the held stitches from the cable needle
• Cable Ten Front (C10F) - A complementary cable cross where ten stitches are placed on a cable needle and held at the front of the work, followed by knitting the next ten stitches, then knitting the held stitches from the cable needle
• Layering techniques - Strategic stitch placement creates the visual effect of collapsing or overlapping layers throughout the fabric

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with cable work:

• Knit (k) - The primary stitch forming the base fabric
• Purl (p) - Used to create texture and definition within the cable patterns
• Cable crosses - Complex stitch manipulations using cable needles to create the dimensional cable effects

Materials and Yarn

The Urban Decay cowl is designed to be worked with aran weight and varied weight yarns, allowing for creative fiber choices:

• Main Yarn (MY) - Filatura di Crosa Charly, an aran weight wool yarn. 50g / 1.76 oz = 65 metres / 71 yards
• Contrast Yarn (CY) - Kidsilk Haze, a laceweight mohair and silk blend. 50g / 1.76 oz = 209 metres / 229 yards

The combination of a sturdy aran weight wool with a delicate laceweight mohair and silk blend creates interesting textural contrast, with the lighter yarn adding subtle shimmer and drape to the finished cowl.

Needles and Tools

The pattern requires cable needles for executing the C10B and C10F cable crosses throughout the design. Appropriate needles for aran weight yarn are necessary to accommodate the stitch gauge and cable work.

Difficulty Level

This design is rated as intermediate difficulty, suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are comfortable working with cable techniques and following complex stitch patterns. The overworked cable construction and layering effects require attention to stitch placement and cable sequencing.

Design Credit

Urban Decay is an original knitwear design by Justine Turner, created in 2013. The pattern is protected by copyright and represents independent designer work. Design reference: JJ1058.