Berroco Imbiana Cowl Knitting Pattern

Berroco Imbiana Cowl: Seamless Lace Knit in the Round

What is Being Made

The Berroco Imbiana is a sophisticated lace cowl designed by Donna Yacino. This cowl measures approximately 10 inches wide and 63 inches around, making it a generous neckwear piece suitable for layering or wearing as a statement accessory. The design features an elegant repeating lace pattern that creates an open, airy fabric with visual interest and drape.

Craft and Skill Level

This is a knitting project rated at an intermediate skill level. Knitters should be comfortable with circular needles, working in the round, and reading stitch patterns before attempting this design. The lace construction requires attention to detail and familiarity with yarn-over and decrease techniques.

Construction Techniques

The Imbiana cowl is created using several key techniques that work together to produce its finished structure:

• Seamless, worked in the round: The entire cowl is knitted continuously in circular rounds using a 36-inch circular needle, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Bottom-up construction: The cowl is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as it grows and adjust length if desired.
• Lace patterning: The design incorporates an intricate lace pattern that repeats over 34 stitches and 16 rounds, creating openwork sections that alternate with solid knit areas for visual rhythm and texture.

Stitches and Pattern Details

The Imbiana uses fundamental knitting stitches combined in a sophisticated lace pattern. The stitch pattern repeats on a multiple of 34 stitches and includes:

• Purl stitches (P): Used to create textured edge elements and frame the lace sections
• Knit stitches (K): Form the base fabric and solid portions of the design
• Yarn-overs (YO): Create the characteristic holes and openwork of the lace pattern, adding visual lightness and allowing the fabric to drape elegantly
• Decreases (SSK and K2tog): Paired with yarn-overs to maintain stitch count while shaping the lace motifs. SSK (slip, slip, knit) and K2tog (knit two together) create directional decreases that guide the eye through the pattern

The pattern repeats over 16 rounds, with Rounds 1–4 establishing the core lace repeat, followed by additional rounds that build upon and vary this foundation. The pattern includes a marker adjustment at Round 12 to ensure proper alignment of the repeating motif around the circumference.

Yarn and Materials

The Imbiana is designed to be knitted with Berroco Quechua yarn, a worsted-weight fiber. The project requires 4 hanks of Berroco Quechua in color #1315 Estate, with each hank weighing 50 grams. This yarn choice provides the appropriate drape and stitch definition necessary for the lace pattern to display clearly.

A 36-inch circular needle in size 5 (3.75 mm) is required, along with one stitch marker to track the beginning of each round. The recommended gauge is 22 stitches and 34 rounds over 4 inches in pattern stitch. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished cowl achieves the intended measurements and drape.

Design Notes

This pattern is from Berroco Booklet #389 and was updated with corrections as of the 2017 copyright date. The design demonstrates how lace knitting creates sophisticated texture and visual interest while remaining accessible to intermediate-level knitters who have mastered basic circular needle techniques and can follow multi-round stitch patterns with confidence.