Rowan 10 Scallop Cowl Knitting Pattern

Rowan 10 Scallop Cowl by Lisa Richardson

What Is Being Made

The Rowan 10 Scallop Cowl is a seamless knitted cowl designed by Lisa Richardson. This finished accessory measures 76.5 cm (30 inches) all around and stands 19 cm (7½ inches) deep, making it a versatile neckwear piece suitable for layering and everyday wear.

Knitting Techniques

This cowl is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both structure and visual interest:

• Worked in the Round: The entire cowl is knitted in continuous rounds using circular needles, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a seamless, professional finish.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The cowl is worked from the cast-on edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as it grows and adjust the final length if desired.
• Lace Patterning: Decorative lace elements are incorporated through yarn-forward increases and strategic decreases, creating the signature scallop detailing that gives this cowl its name and visual appeal.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The Rowan 10 Scallop Cowl employs a combination of fundamental and decorative stitches:

• Ribbing: The cowl begins and ends with a knit-one, purl-two rib worked over 4 rounds at both the cast-on and cast-off edges. This elastic ribbing provides structure and helps the cowl sit securely at the neck.
• Stockinette Stitch: The main body of the cowl is worked primarily in stockinette stitch (knit on right-side rounds, knit on wrong-side rounds when working in the round).
• Lace Pattern Repeat: A six-round lace pattern repeat forms the decorative centerpiece of the cowl. This pattern incorporates knit-two-together decreases, yarn-forward increases (yfwd), and slip-stitch-knit-pass-slipped-stitch decreases (sl 1, K1, psso) to create the scalloped texture. The pattern is repeated eight times, then partially repeated once more before transitioning back to ribbing for the cast-off edge.
• Purl Stitches: Strategic purl stitches mark the center of the cowl, creating a vertical line that helps maintain pattern symmetry and provides a subtle textural contrast.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The Rowan 10 Scallop Cowl is designed to be knitted using Rowan Felted Tweed yarn. The pattern requires 2 balls of 50-gram weight yarn. The photographed sample is worked in Rowan Felted Tweed colorway French Mustard 216, though the pattern is suitable for any color in this yarn range.

Needles: This pattern requires circular needles in two sizes. Knitters begin with a 3¼mm (US 3) circular needle, no longer than 70 cm, for the cast-on ribbing. The needle is then changed to a 3¾mm (US 5) circular needle, also no longer than 70 cm, for the main lace pattern section. The needle is switched back to 3¼mm (US 3) for the final ribbing before casting off. Using circular needles appropriate for the stitch count ensures even tension and comfortable working.

Tension and Sizing

The pattern specifies a tension of 24 stitches and 32 rows to 10 centimeters measured over stockinette stitch using the 3¾mm (US 5) needles. Achieving the correct tension is essential for the cowl to reach its intended finished dimensions of 76.5 cm around and 19 cm deep. Knitters should swatch before beginning to ensure their tension matches the pattern specifications.

Pattern Structure and Skill Level

The Rowan 10 Scallop Cowl is classified as an intermediate skill-level project. The pattern combines basic techniques such as ribbing and stockinette stitch with lace-knitting skills including yarn-forward increases and various decrease methods. The seamless, in-the-round construction requires familiarity with circular needle techniques and pattern reading. The six-round repeat is manageable and allows knitters to develop rhythm as they work through multiple repeats.