AMANO Flor Cowl Knitting Pattern

AMANO Flor Cowl

What is Being Made

The AMANO Flor Cowl is an intermediate-level knitted cowl designed by Isabell Kraemer for the Fall/Winter 17/18 season. This garment is a versatile neck accessory with elegant shaping that transitions from a wider bottom circumference of 30 inches to a narrower top circumference of 25½ inches, creating a flattering draped effect. The finished length is 13½ inches, making it suitable for layering over sweaters or worn as a standalone accessory.

Construction and Techniques

The Flor Cowl is knit from the bottom up in the round, utilizing a strategic approach to shaping through needle size changes rather than decreases. This method creates a smooth, elegant taper that enhances the cowl's drape and visual appeal. The pattern incorporates multiple advanced knitting techniques to create visual interest and texture:

• Cable work – Cables are integrated into the design using a cable needle (cn) with a 2/3 LC (left cross) cable technique, where 2 stitches are slipped to the cable needle and held in front before knitting 3 stitches and then knitting the 2 held stitches
• Lace patterns – Openwork sections are created using yarn overs (yo) combined with centered double decreases (s1-k2tog-psso) and standard decreases (k2tog, ssk, k3tog) to form decorative eyelet and lace motifs
• Worked in the round – The seamless construction is achieved using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a continuous, polished finish

Stitch Pattern Details

The cowl features a sophisticated cable and lace pattern worked over 18 stitches that repeats throughout the design. The pattern consists of 28 rounds that are repeated strategically: the full 28-round chart is worked once (containing 8 pattern repeats per round), followed by rounds 1 through 14 once more. After a needle size change to US 5, rounds 15 through 28 are worked, then the complete 28-round sequence is repeated again. The upper ribbing is worked on the smallest needles (US 4) and features a textured rib pattern of *K3, p3, k2, p1, k2, p3, k3, p1*, repeated around for 8 additional rounds before binding off in pattern.

Materials and Gauge

The Flor Cowl requires 3 hanks of AMANO MAYU yarn (50g per hank) in colorway #2004 Yellow Grass. The pattern calls for three different circular needle sizes to achieve proper shaping and gauge:

• US 6 (4 mm) – 24" length circular needle for lower ribbing and lower half of the cowl
• US 5 (3.75 mm) – 24" length circular needle for upper half of the cowl
• US 4 (3.5 mm) – 24" length circular needle for upper ribbing

Additional materials include a stitch marker, cable needle, and tapestry needle for finishing. The recommended gauge is 22 stitches and 29 rounds over 4 inches in stockinette stitch, with one pattern repeat measuring 18 stitches by 3½ inches and 28 rounds by 3¾ inches. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure proper fit and finished measurements.