New yarn! - Merino Hemp DK
I am introducing a new yarn base to my shop. This is a surprisingly soft and plump DK weight yarn made from 70% super wash Australian merino and 30% hemp. The hemp remains undyed and gives the yarn a beautiful tweedy look.
When I realised how soft this yarn is I decided to make a cowl from it. I wanted it to be simple to let the texture of the yarn be the interest but with two colours to make it more fun (to knit and wear).
I found this simple pattern free on a blog, Pool party cowl, but it was not quite what I wanted so I made something up myself. I have some basic notes for it that I will share here for anyone interested.
Merino Hemp DK cowl
I used a 3.5 mm circular needle and I am a loose knitter. My gauge in the colourwork section was about 20 stitches in 10 cm.
My cowl used 56g of the Silver colourway for the MC and 16g of the Sky colourway for the CC. The finished cowl measures about 23 cm tall and 56 cm around.
Pattern notes
With your main colour (MC) cast on 110 stitches loosely.
Border
Round 1: knit
Round 2: (k1,p1) repeat around
Round 3: knit
Round 4: (p1,k1) repeat around
Repeat round 1-4 one more time.
Colourwork pattern
Knit two rounds. Time to introduce the contrast colour (CC).
Round 1: (k1 with MC, k1 with CC) repeat around
Round 2: (k1 with MC, p1 with CC) repeat around
Round 3-4: knit around with MC.
Round 5: (k1 with CC, k1 with MC) repeat around
Round 6: (p1 with CC, k1 with MC) repeat around
Round 7-8: knit around with MC.
Work round 1-8 a total of five times, or until your cowl is at a desirable height (minus the border).
Border
Make the border in the same way as at the start but eliminate the first round (start with k1,p1)
Knit one round and then bind off loosely. Block and wear.
If you try this pattern please let me know, I would love to see the result!
I made a matching hat for my cowl using some other Rose Hip Island yarn. The pattern is Leni by Isabell Kraemer (available free on Ravelry) and I used one strand of my Dandy sock and one strand of Dainty mohair silk, both in the Calm waters colourway. It goes really well with the cowl!
