Rowan Daystar Cowl Knitting Pattern

Rowan Daystar Cowl by Martin Storey

What is Being Made

The Rowan Daystar Cowl is a circular neck warmer designed to be worn as a cowl. The finished cowl measures 39 cm (15¼ inches) wide when laid flat and 24 cm (9½ inches) high, creating a substantial, versatile accessory suitable for layering over various outfits.

Craft and Project Type

This is a knitting project classified as intermediate skill level. The cowl is worked in the round using circular needles, making it a seamless construction that requires familiarity with circular knitting techniques and color work methods.

Techniques Used

The Daystar Cowl employs two primary knitting techniques:

• Two-Colour Rib: Used for the top and bottom edgings of the cowl, this technique involves alternating knit and purl stitches in two different colors. The two-colour rib is worked for 7 rounds at the top and 7 rounds at the bottom, creating a structured, elastic border.
• Fairisle Technique: The main body of the cowl features fairisle patterning, a stranding method where yarn not in use is carried across the wrong side of the work. This technique creates a colorful, textured fabric while maintaining even tension and elasticity.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The cowl uses fundamental knitting stitches combined into structured patterns:

• Knit Stitch (K): The primary stitch used throughout the project.
• Purl Stitch (P): Used in alternation with knit stitches to create the two-colour rib sections.
• Stockinette Stitch (st st): The base stitch for the fairisle pattern sections, worked entirely in knit rounds.
• Fairisle Pattern: A 14-stitch pattern repeat that is repeated 14 times across each round. The pattern is worked from a chart over 37 rounds, with rounds 34 to 37 repeated until the desired length is achieved (18 cm from the top of the two-colour rib).

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Daystar Cowl is constructed using Rowan Alpaca Soft DK yarn in two colors:

• Yarn A (Rainy Day): 210 meters, 2 x 50 gram balls
• Yarn B (Tea): 205 meters, 1 x 50 gram ball

The project requires two circular needles:

• 3¼mm (US 3) circular needle: No more than 60 cm (24 inches) long, used for casting on and working the two-colour rib sections
• 4mm (US 6) circular needle: No more than 60 cm (24 inches) long, used for the main fairisle pattern body

Tension and Gauge

Achieving correct tension is essential for this project:

• Two-colour rib tension: 28 stitches and 25 rows to 10 cm measured over two-colour rib using 3¼mm (US 3) needles
• Fairisle pattern tension: 25 stitches and 26 rows to 10 cm measured over fairisle pattern using 4mm (US 6) needles

Construction Method

The cowl is worked seamlessly in the round from the top down. After casting on 196 stitches and placing a stitch marker to denote the beginning and end of rounds, the knitter works 7 rounds of two-colour rib. The needle is then changed to the larger size, and the fairisle pattern from the chart is worked for 37 rounds, with the final 4 rounds (rounds 34 to 37) repeated until the cowl reaches the desired length. The pattern is then finished with 7 additional rounds of two-colour rib before casting off.

Finishing

Once the knitting is complete, the cowl is pressed according to the finishing instructions provided in the pattern information pages. This blocking step helps even out the stitches and sets the fabric, particularly important for fair