Swans Island Ava Cowl Knitting Pattern

Swans Island Ava Cowl

What is Being Made

The Ava Cowl is an elegant, versatile neckwear piece designed by Nell Ziroli that draws inspiration from Art Deco design aesthetics. This cowl features a distinctive hourglass texture that creates visual interest while maintaining a sophisticated silhouette. The finished cowl measures 37 inches in circumference and 10 inches in height, making it suitable for draping around the neck or wearing stretched across the shoulders as an evening wrap alternative. The pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty and works up quickly, making it an accessible project for knitters with some experience.

Techniques Used

The Ava Cowl is constructed using several key knitting techniques that work together to create its elegant appearance:

• Seamless, worked in the round: The cowl is knit continuously in circular rounds using a 32-inch circular needle, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, polished finish.
• Bottom-up construction: The cowl is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing you to try on and adjust the fit as you progress.
• Lace patterning: The defining hourglass texture is achieved through a 16-round lace pattern repeat that incorporates yarn overs and decreases to create openwork sections that alternate with stockinette and reverse stockinette areas.

Stitches Used

The Ava Cowl employs a combination of fundamental and decorative stitches to achieve its textured appearance. The lace pattern is built on a 12-stitch multiple and incorporates the following essential stitches:

• Knit (k): The foundation stitch used throughout the pattern.
• Purl (p): Creates the reverse stockinette sections that define the hourglass shape.
• Yarn over (yo): Decorative increases that create the openwork lace elements characteristic of the hourglass motif.
• Knit two together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used to balance the yarn overs and shape the lace pattern.
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk): A left-leaning decrease that works in conjunction with k2tog to create symmetrical decreases within the lace pattern.

The 16-round lace pattern repeat creates the hourglass texture by strategically placing yarn overs and decreases to form expanding and contracting sections, with purl stitches serving as visual separators between the lace motifs.

Materials and Gauge

The Ava Cowl is knit with Swans Island Natural Colors yarn in a worsted weight blend of 85% organic merino wool and 15% alpaca. The sample shown is worked in the colorway Seasmoke (YW221). You will need 2 skeins of yarn, with each skein containing 100 grams and 250 yards of yardage.

The pattern is worked on US Size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needles, 32 inches in length. The recommended gauge for the lace pattern is 5½ stitches and 7 rounds per 1 inch on the relaxed lace pattern. Checking your gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished cowl achieves the desired 37-inch circumference and proper drape. Additional supplies needed include a yarn needle for weaving in ends and a stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats.

Design Notes

The Ava Cowl pairs beautifully with the Sophia Mitts, which feature a complementary touch of the same hourglass texture, allowing knitters to create a coordinated, elegant matching set. The pattern's intermediate difficulty level and quick construction make it an ideal project for knitters seeking to expand their lace skills without committing to a large-scale garment.