Valley Yarns Bargello Cowl Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Bargello Cowl

What is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Bargello Cowl is a colorful neck accessory designed by Vickie Howell. This finished cowl measures 26 inches around and 11 1/2 inches tall, making it a versatile piece suitable for various necklines and styling preferences. The cowl is worked in the round using a distinctive bargello stitch pattern that creates visual texture and movement throughout the garment.

Techniques Used

This beginner-friendly cowl is worked in the round, a fundamental knitting technique that creates seamless, tubular fabric. The pattern employs color changes throughout the construction, with colors carried loosely up the inside of the work to minimize weaving in ends. The cowl features both a textured body section and ribbed bands at the top and bottom, demonstrating basic shaping and finishing techniques suitable for knitters new to circular needle work.

Stitches Used

The Bargello Cowl incorporates several key stitches:

• Knit through the back loop (ktbl) — used in the ribbed bands for a refined edge
• Purl (p) — creates the ribbed texture in the top and bottom bands
• Make loop (ML) — a special stitch created by inserting the right-hand needle into a stitch two rows down, pulling up a loop of yarn, then knitting the next stitch and passing the loop over it. This creates the distinctive bargello texture
• Slip stitch (sl 1) — slipped as if to purl with yarn in back, used to create pattern variation
• Double wraps — wrapping yarn around the needle twice to create elongated stitches that are dropped in subsequent rounds for textural effect

The bargello pattern stitch itself consists of four rounds that repeat throughout the body, combining knit stitches, make loop stitches, slipped stitches, and wrapped stitches to build the characteristic bargello appearance.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The cowl is worked with Valley Yarns Superwash Super Bulky yarn, which is 100% Superwash Wool. This yarn weight allows for quick project completion and creates a fabric with excellent drape and warmth. The pattern calls for specific colors designed by Vickie Howell: one ball of Pink Flamingo (color A), two balls of Astroturf (color B), and small amounts of Moontower Mustard (color C) and Aqua Oasis (color D). Each ball of Valley Yarns Superwash Super Bulky contains 55 yards.

The project requires a US size 13 (9.00mm) circular needle measuring 24 inches, or the size needed to achieve proper gauge. The recommended gauge is approximately 9 stitches and 14 rows over 4 inches in the bargello pattern stitch, ensuring the finished cowl reaches the specified measurements.

Construction Overview

The cowl begins with casting on 60 stitches and joining in the round. The bottom band consists of five rounds of knit-through-the-back-loop and purl ribbing. The body section features the bargello pattern worked over 24 rounds, with colors changing every four rounds to create the striped effect: Astroturf, Pink Flamingo, Moontower Mustard, Astroturf again, and Aqua Oasis. The top band mirrors the bottom band with five rounds of ribbing, and the piece is finished by binding off in ribbing and weaving in ends. Blocking is optional for this project.