Cascade Yarns DK Basic Brioche Cowl Knitting Pattern

Cascade Yarns DK Basic Brioche Cowl

What is Being Made

This is a knitted cowl accessory designed by the Cascade Yarns Design Team. The finished cowl measures 28 inches in circumference and 9.5 inches in height, making it a versatile neckwear piece suitable for layering or wearing as a standalone accessory. The cowl features a brioche stitch pattern worked in two contrasting colors of superwash merino wool.

Construction Method and Techniques

The Cascade Yarns DK Basic Brioche Cowl is constructed using a bottom-up, seamless approach worked in the round. This construction method eliminates the need for seaming and creates a continuous, tubular fabric. The pattern begins by casting on 120 stitches using two circular needles held together, then joins to work in the round with careful attention to avoid twisting at the join.

The cowl employs the brioche knitting technique, which creates a luxurious, textured fabric with excellent drape and elasticity. Brioche knitting involves slipping stitches with yarn overs and then working those stitches together in subsequent rounds, creating the characteristic puffy, reversible texture. This technique requires understanding the brioche knit (BRK) stitch, which knits a slipped stitch together with its yarn over shawl as one stitch, and the brioche purl (BRP) stitch, which purls the slipped stitch and yarn over together.

Stitches Used

• Knit (K): The fundamental stitch used throughout the pattern
• Purl (P): Used in combination with knit stitches to create texture
• Yarn Over (YO): Creates the characteristic openwork and shawl effect over slipped stitches
• Slip Stitch (Sl): Stitches are slipped purlwise to set up the brioche structure
• Knit 2 Together (K2tog): A decrease stitch used in the brioche knit stitch
• Purl 2 Together (P2tog): A decrease stitch used in the brioche purl stitch
• Brioche Knit (BRK): Combines a slipped stitch with its yarn over shawl
• Brioche Purl (BRP): Purls a slipped stitch together with its yarn over shawl

Materials and Tools

This pattern calls for Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Sport yarn, which is 100% Superwash Merino Wool. The yarn comes in 50-gram skeins with 136.5 yards per skein. The cowl requires 4 skeins total: 2 skeins in color #875 (Extra Crème Cafe) for the main color and 2 skeins in color #236 (Orchid Mist) for the contrast color.

The pattern uses US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm) circular knitting needles, each measuring 20 to 24 inches in length. The two needle sizes serve different purposes: the larger US 7 needle is used for the initial knit round after casting on, while the smaller US 4 needle is used for the main brioche pattern rounds. Additional tools include a stitch marker to denote the beginning of each round and a yarn needle for weaving in ends.

Skill Level and Gauge

This project is rated at intermediate difficulty, appropriate for knitters who have mastered basic knitting techniques and are ready to explore more complex stitch patterns. The brioche technique requires careful attention to detail and understanding of how yarn overs interact with slipped stitches across multiple rounds.

The pattern is worked at a gauge of 18 stitches over 4 inches in the brioche pattern using the US 4 needles. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the cowl to reach its intended finished measurements of 28 inches circumference by 9.5 inches tall.