AMANO Hualca Cowl Knitting Pattern

AMANO Hualca Cowl

What Is Being Made

The AMANO Hualca Cowl is a knitted neck cowl designed by Laura Zukaite for the Fall Winter 16/17 collection. This is a versatile accessory piece that combines a decorative cable border with a fitted body, created through a two-stage construction method that begins with a structured border worked flat and transitions into circular knitting for the main cowl section.

Construction Method

The Hualca Cowl uses a distinctive two-part construction technique. The project begins with a cable border worked flat on straight needles using a double strand of yarn, establishing the visual foundation and structural edge of the piece. Once the cable border is complete, stitches are picked up along the side edge of this border using a single strand of yarn, and the cowl is then completed working in the round on a circular needle. This transition from flat to circular knitting allows for seamless integration of the decorative border with the fitted body of the cowl.

Techniques Used

Cable Work: The cable border features a six-stitch cable cross (C6F) that creates visual interest and texture. Stitches are slipped onto a cable needle and held in front while knitting, then knitted from the cable needle to create the characteristic twisted cable appearance.

Decrease Techniques: The pattern incorporates specialized decrease stitches including Tw3B-Dec (twist three stitches back with a decrease) and Tw3F-Dec (twist three stitches front with a decrease). These decreases are integrated into the cable work, combining the visual effect of a cable twist with stitch reduction. The cowl body uses standard decreases (ssk) worked in strategic intervals across multiple rounds to shape the piece from 155 stitches down to 140 stitches.

Stitch Pickup: The transition between the cable border and the main cowl body requires picking up stitches along the side edge of the border, a technique that creates a clean, finished connection between the two sections.

Circular Knitting: The main body of the cowl is worked in the round on a circular needle, allowing for seamless construction and even fabric development.

Stitches Used

• Knit (k)
• Purl (p)
• Slip stitch (Sl1)
• Make one increase (M1)
• Slip, slip, knit decrease (ssk)
• Cable six front (C6F)
• Twist three back with decrease (Tw3B-Dec)
• Twist three front with decrease (Tw3F-Dec)

Pattern Structure

The cable border is worked over 28 rows, establishing a repeating pattern that includes the cable cross on row 4 and the specialized decrease twists on row 6. The border section uses increases on rows 16, 18, and 20 to shape the piece. Once stitches are picked up from the border's side edge (155 stitches), the cowl body is worked in the round with three decrease rounds that progressively reduce the stitch count. The pattern repeats 12 times across the length of the cowl, creating consistent visual rhythm and ensuring proper fit.

Materials

The Hualca Cowl is worked using yarn from AMANO Yarns (available at amanoyarns.com). The pattern calls for both straight needles and a circular needle. The cable border is worked with a double strand of yarn for added structure and definition, while the main cowl body is completed with a single strand of yarn for a more refined drape. The finished cowl measures 2 inches in height after the initial knit rounds, with additional length created through the patterned repeats before final decreases are worked.

Finishing

All stitches are bound off in pattern to maintain the visual consistency of the piece. The cast-on and bind-off edges are sewn together to create a seamless join, completing the cowl as a finished accessory.