Valley Yarns Bookstack Cowl Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Bookstack Cowl

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Bookstack Cowl is a beginner-friendly knitted cowl designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This finished accessory measures approximately 36 inches in circumference and 10 inches in width, making it a versatile neckwear piece suitable for layering. The cowl's most distinctive feature is its complete reversibility, allowing it to be worn from either side without a visible "wrong" side.

Construction Method

This cowl is worked in the round from the bottom up using a circular needle, which creates a seamless tube construction. The pattern begins with casting on 216 stitches and joining them in the round while being careful not to twist the initial stitches. A stitch marker is used to denote the beginning of each round. The knitter works through a repeating 4-round pattern sequence (Rounds 3 through 6) until the cowl reaches the desired 10-inch length, then binds off all stitches. The pattern notes recommend alternating between the two skeins every round for the best visual effect, which helps showcase the hand-dyed yarn's subtle color variations.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern

The Bookstack Cowl features a spiraling rib stitch pattern that creates its signature textured appearance. The stitch pattern is based on fundamental knitting stitches:

• Knit stitch (k): The basic forward stitch that creates a smooth, V-shaped texture
• Purl stitch (p): The reverse of the knit stitch, creating a bumpy texture

The pattern combines these stitches in a specific sequence: P2, k2, p2, k12 repeating throughout. The clever shifting of the pattern repeat across rounds (by moving the stitch marker position on Rounds 3 and 5) creates the spiraling effect that makes this pattern visually interesting and addictive to knit. The gauge is approximately 6 stitches per 1 inch when worked in the Bookstack Rib stitch.

Materials and Tools

The Bookstack Cowl requires two skeins of Hand-Dyed Valley Yarns Valley Superwash DK yarn in the colorway Cloudy Day. This yarn is composed of 100% Extrafine Merino Superwash fiber, with each 100-gram skein providing 274 yards of yardage. The superwash treatment makes the yarn machine-washable, adding practicality to this finished cowl.

For needles, the pattern calls for US size 6 (4.00mm) circular needles measuring 32 inches in length, or whatever size is needed to achieve the specified gauge. Additional materials needed include a stitch marker to track the beginning of each round. After completion, the knitter should sew in any loose ends and may block the finished cowl if desired to even out the stitches and enhance the final appearance.

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as beginner-friendly, making it an excellent choice for knitters new to circular needle techniques or those learning to work in the round. The pattern uses only basic knit and purl stitches, and the repeating stitch sequence becomes intuitive after the first few rounds. The main skills required are casting on, joining in the round without twisting, maintaining consistent tension, and binding off—all fundamental techniques that beginning knitters typically learn early in their practice.