Spens Cowl, Hat & Fingerless Mitts in Juniper Moon Marlowe Jeweltones

Spens Cowl, Hat & Fingerless Mitts by Marie Grace Smith

Overview

The Spens collection is an elegant three-piece accessory set inspired by the Scottish ballad "Sir Patrick Spens," which tells the story of Queen Margaret's journey home across the North Sea. This coordinated set features a distinctive cable detail around the edges that symbolizes the two coasts, contrasted with a serene "sea" of stockinette stitch in the center of each piece. Designed by Marie Grace Smith as part of the Alban Collection, this set offers a cohesive, literary-inspired approach to knitted accessories.

What Is Being Made

This downloadable PDF pattern includes instructions for creating three matching accessories:

• Cowl: A neck warmer with one size option, measuring 24 inches in circumference and 8 ¼ inches in length
• Hat: Available in three sizes (S, M, L) with circumferences ranging from 19 ½ to 22 ½ inches
• Fingerless Mitts: Offered in two sizes (S, L) with circumferences of 8 to 9 inches and a length of 8 inches

Techniques Used

The Spens pattern employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for intermediate crafters. The project is worked in the round, using circular needles and double-point needles to create seamless, tubular garments. The pattern incorporates cable knitting, a decorative technique that creates twisted, rope-like textures by crossing groups of stitches over one another using a cable needle. The cowl begins with a ribbed cuff worked on smaller needles to create elasticity, then transitions to larger needles for the body. Gauge is an important consideration, with the pattern specifying 16 stitches and 24 rows equaling 4 inches in stockinette stitch worked in the round on the larger needles.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes a focused selection of essential knitting stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch forming the smooth "sea" that dominates the design, created by alternating knit and purl rows (or knitting every round when worked circularly)
• Ribbing: A combination of knit and purl stitches (K4, p2 pattern) used for the cowl's opening edge to provide stretch and structure
• Cable Stitches: Specifically C4B (cable 4 back), which involves slipping 2 stitches to a cable needle, holding it to the back, knitting 2 stitches from the main needle, then knitting the 2 stitches from the cable needle to create the symbolic coastal cable detail
• Decreases: K2tog (knit two together) and ssk (slip, slip, knit) for shaping
• Increases: M1L (make one left) and M1R (make one right) for adding stitches where needed
• Purl Two Together (p2tog): A decrease used within the cable pattern sections

Materials: Yarn & Needles

The pattern calls for 3 balls of Juniper Moon Farm Marlowe Jeweltones yarn in color #105 Passion Swirl, providing a rich, multi-tonal colorway suitable for all three pieces. The yarn weight and fiber content support the specified gauge of 16 stitches per 4 inches on the larger needles.

The needle requirements include both circular needles and double-point needles in two sizes:

• US 8 (5 mm) needles: 16-inch circular needle for the cowl and hat ribbing sections, and double-point needles for mitts ribbing
• US 9 (5.5 mm) needles: 16-inch circular needle for the main body of the cowl and hat, and double-point needles for the mitts body, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge

Additional notions required include a cable needle for executing the cable stitches, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch markers to denote the beginning of each round, and waste yarn for provisional cast-on techniques if needed.

Pattern Structure & Design Details

The cowl construction begins with a cast-on of 96