Tussah Cowl

If you've been here before, you've heard me mention that several years ago I was gifted a large quantity of lace weight and fingering yarn from someone who was seriously downsizing their stash.  

I recently rediscovered I had three cakes of Tussah Silk by BC Garns that came to me as part of that wonderful gift. I decided to play and made a swatch. I adored the drape that this fabric has on 4 mm needles and decided to make a loose cowl/snood to wear with my denim jacket this spring. 

This is pricey yarn, but it is a dream to work with. I used 360 yarns (72 g) to create my sizable cowl (about 1.5 balls). If you wanted to make a regular sized cowl, one skein would likely suffice.  I have enough left over that I plan to make fingerless gloves to go with my snood/hood.

Pattern

The gauge on my swatch was 5.5 stitches and 7 rows to the inch.  I wanted my finished cowl to be in the vicinity of 30 inches in circumference.  My stitch pattern required multiples of 6 stitches, so I decided to cast on 162 stitches.  You can use the gauge from your swatch to determine the size of your cowl. 

For example, if you want a cowl that is large like mine, and your gauge works out to 5 stitches per inch, you would want 30 x 5 stitches or 150 stitches.  Since 150 divides evenly by 6, it will work with the stitch pattern. 

For materials you will need about 360 meters of a light fingering yarn with some drape to it.  Any yarn with rayon, silk or other drapey fibre should work well.  Be sure to make a decent sized swatch and block it to be sure you are getting the drape you want.  If it doesn't seem quite right, go up a needle size and try again.

Cast on 162 sts (or whatever number you require that is a multiple of 6 stitches). Join in the round taking care not to twist your stitches.

Knit the first round. Then begin pattern on round 2.

Stitch Pattern - Lacey Double Ribbing

R1: (p1, yo, k2togtbl, p1, k2), rep to EOR. 

R2: (p1, k2) to EOR. 

R3: (p1, k2tog, yo, p1, k2), to EOR. 

R4: (p1, k2), to EOR. 

Continue to your desired length ending with round 4.  Knit one round. Then cast off using a 3 stitch I-cord cast off.  I chose an i-cord cast off to help prevent the top edge from stretching too much.

Wash and block.

Blocked dimensions are: 15.5 w x 18.25 l (inches) measured flat.

If you enjoy this pattern, please consider buying me a coffee.  Feel free to share this pattern.  You are free to make items for sale using this pattern provided they are not mass produced and you give credit to me as the designer.

Abbreviations

k - knit

p - purl

k2togtbl - knit the next two stitches together, inserting your needle into the back loops

k2tog- knit two stitches together

yo - yarn over

EOR - end of round