Sirdar Relaxed Cable & Moss Stitch Snood Knitting Pattern

Sirdar Relaxed Cable & Moss Stitch Snood in Shawlie

What is Being Made

This design creates a luxurious snood (also called a cowl), a circular neck accessory with an elegant drape and generous circumference. The finished snood measures 100 cm (39½ inches) in circumference and 48 cm (approximately 19 inches) in length, making it a versatile piece suitable for wrapping around the neck multiple times or wearing as a loose, flowing cowl. The snood is designed in one size to fit most wearers comfortably.

Techniques Used

This advanced-level knitting pattern employs several sophisticated construction techniques:

• Worked in the Round: The snood is knitted seamlessly using a circular needle, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, continuous fabric from cast-on to bind-off.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The piece is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on and adjust the length as needed before completing the final edge.
• Seamless Design: The circular needle method ensures no seams interrupt the flow of the stitch patterns, creating a professional finish with uninterrupted cable and moss stitch sequences.
• Cable Work: The pattern incorporates cable stitches that create dimensional, twisted rope-like textures. The chart references cable abbreviations including C6B (cable 6 back) and C6F (cable 6 front), indicating six-stitch cables that cross over each other to form the characteristic raised, braided appearance.

Stitches Used

The snood combines two primary stitch patterns for visual interest and texture:

• Cable Stitches: Six-stitch cables worked both front and back create the main decorative element. These cables are repeated at regular intervals throughout the pattern, with the cable needle used to hold stitches while crossing them over or under working stitches.
• Moss Stitch: Also known as seed stitch, moss stitch alternates single knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard pattern (k1, p1 repeating). This creates a subtle, bumpy texture that contrasts beautifully with the smooth cables and provides structural stability to the fabric.
• Reverse Stockinette Stitch: Purl stitches (p2, p4) frame the cable and moss stitch sections, creating recessed areas that enhance the dimensional quality of the cables.

Materials

The snood requires minimal yardage and straightforward materials:

• Yarn: Two 100-gram balls of Sirdar Shawlie in shade 204 Hydrangea. Sirdar Shawlie is a fine, feather-light shawl yarn enriched with alpaca and wool, providing warmth and elegance with a subtle striped effect inspired by vintage florals. The yarn creates gentle movement and excellent drape in the finished fabric.
• Needles: One 80-centimeter circular needle in size 3¼mm (UK size 10 / USA size 3) and one cable needle for managing cable stitches.
• Tension: The pattern is worked at a tension of 20 stitches and 10 centimeters (8 inches) over 4 inches using the specified needle size, ensuring the correct finished dimensions and fabric characteristics.

Additional Pattern Details

This design is classified as Advanced level, reflecting the cable work and chart-reading skills required. The pattern includes a knitting chart for the moss stitch section, allowing visual reference alongside written instructions. Sirdar provides four complementary colorway options for the Shawlie yarn: 204 Hydrangea, 203 Chrysanthemum, 201 Peony, and 205 Delphinium, each featuring subtle stripes to enhance stitch definition. The pattern is triple-checked by Sirdar to guarantee success when using the recommended Sirdar Shawlie yarn.