Rowan Draft Cowl Knitting Pattern

Rowan Draft Cowl by Lisa Richardson

What Is Being Made

The Rowan Draft Cowl is a circular knitted cowl designed by Lisa Richardson. This intermediate-level project creates a finished accessory measuring approximately 148 cm (58¼ inches) in circumference and 22 cm (8¾ inches) in depth, making it a versatile neckwear piece suitable for layering and everyday wear.

Knitting Techniques Used

This cowl is constructed using the mosaic garter stitch technique, which is a color-work method that creates intricate patterned effects while remaining accessible to intermediate knitters. The mosaic technique involves strategically slipping stitches in combination with knit and purl stitches across multiple yarn colors to build visual texture and design without the complexity of traditional fair isle or stranded colorwork.

The cowl is worked in the round using a circular needle, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a seamless, professional finish. The pattern requires joining in multiple yarns at designated points throughout the construction, with careful color sequencing to achieve the intended design.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The primary stitch pattern is the mosaic garter stitch, which repeats over 14 rounds. The pattern combines the following fundamental stitches:

• Knit (K) stitches worked in alternating colors
• Purl (P) stitches for texture variation
• Slipped stitches (sl) worked purlwise with yarn held to the back of the work, which is essential to the mosaic technique's visual effect
• Yarn over movements (yb for yarn to back, yf for yarn to front) to position the working yarn correctly between slipped and worked stitches

The 14-round mosaic garter stitch pattern is repeated 5 times total, with the yarn color sequence changing for each repetition to build the complete design. The pattern note specifies that all slipped stitches must be worked purlwise with the yarn held in the back of the work to maintain proper tension and appearance.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Rowan Draft Cowl uses five coordinating colors from the Rowan Tweed collection:

• Yarn A: Tweed Haze (color 550) – 1 × 50g ball
• Yarn B: Sunset (color 557) – 1 × 50g ball
• Yarn C: Storm (color 556) – 2 × 50g balls
• Yarn D: Setting Sun (color 555) – 1 × 50g ball
• Yarn E: Clear Blue (color 551) – 1 × 50g ball

The project requires a 6mm (US 10) circular needle no longer than 140 cm in length. The specified needle size is critical for achieving the correct tension and ensuring the finished cowl dimensions are accurate.

Tension and Sizing

The pattern specifies a tension of 17 stitches and 34 rows to 10 cm measured over the mosaic garter stitch using 6mm needles. Achieving proper tension is essential for this project, as it directly affects the final circumference and depth measurements of the completed cowl.