Plymouth Yarn Cabled Cowl Knitting Pattern

Plymouth Yarn Cabled Cowl

What Is Being Made

The Plymouth Yarn Cabled Cowl is a beginner-friendly knitted cowl neck accessory designed by Jen Owens. This project creates a versatile, wearable piece that drapes elegantly around the neck. The cowl is available in three size options with circumferences of 24 inches, 32 inches, and 40 inches, each measuring approximately 10 inches in width. The finished cowl showcases a beautiful cabled texture pattern that adds visual interest and dimension to this classic accessory style.

Techniques Used

This knitting pattern employs fundamental cable techniques that make it accessible for beginner knitters while still producing a sophisticated finished product. The primary technique involves twisted stitches, which create the characteristic cable appearance without requiring complex cable crossings. The pattern uses two main twisted stitch abbreviations: T2F (twist 2 front) and T2B (twist 2 back), which involve slipping stitches to a cable needle, holding them in the specified direction, and working stitches in a particular sequence to create the twisted effect. The cowl is worked in the round using circular needles, which is a fundamental technique for creating seamless tubular garments. The pattern begins and ends with ribbing, a classic finishing technique that creates elasticity and a neat edge, helping the cowl maintain its shape and fit securely around the neck.

Stitches Used

The Plymouth Yarn Cabled Cowl pattern incorporates a limited stitch vocabulary appropriate for beginner knitters:

• Knit (k) – the fundamental stitch that creates the base fabric
• Purl (p) – used to create texture contrast and definition in the cable pattern
• T2F (twist 2 front) – slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold to front, purl 1 stitch, then knit 1 stitch from cable needle
• T2B (twist 2 back) – slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold to back, knit 1 stitch, then purl 1 stitch from cable needle
• T2PB (twist 2 purl back) – slip 2 stitches to cable needle and hold to back, knit 1 stitch, then slip the 2 stitches on cable needle back to left needle and work T2F

The pattern stitch repeats over a multiple of 5 stitches across 6 rounds, creating a balanced, repeating cable motif. The ribbing sections use alternating knit and purl stitches in a 1x3 rib pattern, which provides elasticity and a professional finish.

Materials and Tools

The Plymouth Yarn Cabled Cowl is worked in Encore Mega Colorspun, a yarn from Plymouth Yarn Company. The yardage requirements vary by size: the 24-inch circumference version requires 2 balls of 100-gram weight, the 32-inch version requires 3 balls, and the 40-inch version requires 4 balls. The sample shown in the pattern was knitted in color 7154, White Taupe, a neutral variegated colorway that beautifully showcases the cable texture.

The pattern is worked on US Size 15 (10mm) circular knitting needles in a 24-inch length, which is the standard size for cowl projects. The gauge is 10 stitches and 14 rows over 4 inches in the pattern stitch, which is important for achieving the correct finished measurements. Additional notions required include 1 stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round and 1 cable needle to hold stitches while executing the twisted stitch techniques.