Diagonal Rib Cowl Knitting Pattern

Diagonal Rib Cowl in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash

What Is Being Made

This project creates a knitted cowl, a versatile neckwear accessory designed for comfortable wear around the neck. The finished cowl measures 6 inches wide by 60 inches long, providing generous length for draping or wrapping. The design is classified as a Mobius-style cowl, offering a unique construction method that creates visual interest through its distinctive joining technique.

Difficulty Level and Design

Rated as an intermediate knitting project, this cowl is designed by Robin Raver and suits knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle patterned stitches and advanced finishing techniques. The pattern requires understanding of basic knit and purl stitches as well as the specialized Kitchener stitch grafting variation used to join the cowl into its final form.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques:

• Provisional cast on: Creates a temporary edge using scrap yarn that will later be unraveled to access live stitches for grafting
• Ribbed stitch patterns: The design alternates between different rib configurations across eight rows, creating a diagonal visual effect as the pattern repeats
• Kitchener stitch grafting variation: An advanced finishing technique that seamlessly joins the two ends of the cowl by grafting live stitches from the cast-on edge to the bound-off edge, creating a continuous loop without a visible seam
• Stitch maintenance: Requires consistent knitting and purling through the ribbed pattern while maintaining proper gauge

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches arranged in specific sequences:

• Knit stitch (K): The basic stitch that forms the foundation of the fabric
• Purl stitch (P): The reverse of the knit stitch, used to create textured ribbed patterns
• Ribbed patterns: Various combinations of knit and purl stitches create the diagonal rib effect. The eight-row repeat includes patterns such as [K2, P2], [K1, P2, K1], and [P2, K2], which shift position across rows to produce the diagonal appearance

Materials and Gauge

The cowl is worked in Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash, a workhorse yarn made from 100% Peruvian Highland Wool. The pattern calls for 2 skeins in color #9484 (Stratosphere), providing approximately 440 yards of yarn—sufficient for the 60-inch length. This yarn is machine washable, making the finished cowl practical for regular wear and care.

Knitting needles required are US 7 (4.5mm), sized to achieve the specified gauge of 22 stitches by 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in the pattern stitch. Maintaining this gauge is essential for achieving the intended finished dimensions and drape of the cowl. Additional materials include scrap yarn for the provisional cast on and a yarn needle for grafting the seams.

Pattern Structure

The cowl begins with 32 stitches cast on using a provisional method, then repeats an eight-row pattern sequence for the desired length. Knitters work the eight-row repeat continuously until reaching approximately 60 inches, ending on row 7 of the pattern. This methodical approach allows for customization—the pattern can be extended or shortened by adding or removing pattern repeats as needed.