Noro Sideways Cowl Knitting Pattern

Noro Sideways Cowl

What Is Being Made

The Noro Sideways Cowl is an easy-level knitted cowl neck accessory designed to be worked flat and then seamed. This cowl features finished measurements of 25 inches in width and 11½ inches in length at the center, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for various necklines and styling preferences.

Construction and Techniques

This cowl is constructed using seamed and worked flat techniques, meaning the piece is knitted on straight needles in rows rather than in the round, then joined together with seaming. The pattern incorporates a provisional cast-on using a crochet hook and scrap yarn, which allows for a seamless join when the two ends are grafted or sewn together. Garter stitch borders are folded to the wrong side and sewn down during finishing, creating clean, professional edges.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The primary stitch used throughout the Noro Sideways Cowl is Stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric with knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side. The pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques:

• Yarn overs to create new stitches and add texture
• Decreases using slip, slip, knit (ssk) method to shape the cowl
• Slip stitches worked purlwise for selvage edges that facilitate easier seaming
• Garter stitch borders, which are created by knitting every row and provide a textured frame
• Pick up and knit technique along edges to add stitches for border sections

Materials and Tools

The Noro Sideways Cowl requires one 200-gram cake of Noro Ito yarn in colorway #16. The project calls for one pair of size US 8/5mm needles or the size needed to obtain proper gauge, along with a spare size US 8/5mm needle for holding stitches. A size US K10½/6.5mm crochet hook is used specifically for the provisional cast-on method, and scrap yarn in a contrasting color is needed for this technique. Additional notions include stitch markers to track pattern repeats and shaping.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 22 rows over 4 inches in Stockinette stitch using size US 8/5mm needles. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished cowl meets the intended measurements of 25 inches wide by 11½ inches long at center.