Valley Yarns Interrupted Quads Cowl Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Interrupted Quads Cowl

What is Being Made

The Interrupted Quads Cowl is a beginner-friendly cowl designed by Elizabeth Decker that combines simple stitch work with striking color changes. This finished cowl measures 8.5 inches wide and 40 inches long, making it a versatile neck accessory suitable for layering or wearing as a statement piece. The cowl is worked seamlessly in the round, creating a continuous tube of fabric without seams.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs two primary knitting techniques that work together to create visual interest:

• Stripes: The cowl features alternating color stripes throughout, created by changing yarn colors at strategic points while maintaining the same stitch pattern. The color sequence progresses through Frost, Red Maple, Denim, and Navy, with varying numbers of pattern repeats in each color to create an asymmetrical striped effect.
• Worked in the Round: The cowl is constructed using circular needles and worked continuously in the round, eliminating the need for seaming. This method creates a seamless, tubular fabric and requires placing a stitch marker to track the beginning of each round.

Stitches Used

The Interrupted Quads stitch pattern is a simple four-round repeat that creates subtle texture through the combination of knit and purl stitches:

• Rounds 1, 2, and 3: Knit all stitches, creating smooth stockinette texture.
• Round 4: Purl all stitches, which creates a subtle horizontal ridge or interrupted line in the fabric.

This four-round repeat is worked multiple times throughout the cowl, with color changes occurring between repeats rather than within them. The pattern requires casting on 180 stitches and maintaining consistent gauge throughout.

Materials and Tools

The Interrupted Quads Cowl is worked in Valley Yarns Peru, a premium blend yarn composed of 84% Baby Alpaca, 8% Merino Wool, and 8% Nylon. Each skein contains 50 grams and yields 109 yards. The pattern requires one skein each of four colors: Color 1 (Frost), Color 2 (Red Maple), Color 3 (Denim), and Color 4 (Navy).

Construction requires US size 9 (5.50mm) circular needles measuring 32 inches in length, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. A stitch marker is also necessary to indicate the beginning of each round when working in the round. The recommended gauge is approximately 4.5 stitches and 8 rounds per 1 inch when worked in the Interrupted Quads stitch pattern.