Simpson Cowl
The Simpson Cowl, named for viol-player and composer Christopher Simpson, is a short cowl worked in the round featuring an all-over pattern of intertwining cable motifs. It’s part of the Twisted Strings collection - five accessory patterns inspired by the decorative tracery found on Baroque string instruments.
Skills & Techniques
Working 1-over-1 cables which can be knit without a cable needle (tutorial: How to work mini-cables without a cable needle)
Knitting in the round
Charts and written instructions are both provided in full
Materials Needed
1 skein of Malabrigo Washted (100% superwash merino wool; 210yds/192m per 100g skein), or 201yds/184m of worsted-weight yarn. Sample colourway: ‘Pearl’
US 6 / 4mm circular needles (or needle size that gives you the right gauge)
A cable needle (optional), a stitch marker, and a needle for weaving in the ends
Finished Measurements
Relaxed after blocking: 22”/56cm circumference, and 8.5”/21.5cm depth
To resize, cast on 12 additional/fewer stitches for a 2”/5cm change in circumference after blocking. You can also change the depth of the cowl by knitting additional/fewer repeats of the cable pattern: to add 3”/7.5cm of height, repeat Rounds 1-24.
Read more about the Twisted Strings collection and its inspiration on my blog.