Mistake Rib Cowl
In our experience, beauty has very little to do with complexity. Complex things can be very beautiful, of course, but when they are, it’s only a coincidence. It’s just as likely that a simple thing will be beautiful, and in the case of our Mistake Rib Cowl, it’s definite!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!
The Mistake Rib stitch pattern is nearly as simple as knit 2, purl 2, but the finished fabric has a lovely loft and squishiness that regular 2 x 2 ribbing lacks. Purl Soho’s Mulberry Merino lends the pattern a particular depth with its gentle shine and richness. And in Dark Loam, our Mistake Rib Cowl is mysterious, lush, and simply beautiful! -Joelle
Update: New Yarn
December 2017
It turns out that Gentle Giant is just right for showing off the beautiful texture of this stitch and that our Mistake Rib Cowl in Gentle Giant is a new mistake rib favorite!
Update: Now In Cashmere!
September 2019
To celebrate our very first 100% cashmere collection, we used our Cashmere Tend (no longer available) for a beautifully updated Mistake Rib Cowl! You’ll need just two skeins of Cashmere Tend, so whether you’re looking for a quick gift or a knitting treat, this Mistake Rib Cowl in Cashmere Tend covers both!
Update: Now In Two Colors!
September 2020
Mistake Rib in one color is lovely, but add another, and you’re in the business off creating a herringbone textile so intricate looking you wouldn’t imagine that it’s a simple matter of knit 2, purl 2 and switching colors each round. Knit in two colors of our Season Alpaca, read all about this amazing knit here!
UPDATE: NOW IN SIMPLY YAK
FEBRUARY 2023
There’s no mistaking the simple beauty of our Mistake Rib Cowl in Simply Yak! One hundred percent undyed yak, combed from the downy, very warm undercoat of majestic, free-roaming yaks, this yarn celebrates the immense goodness of this fiber, just as nature made it. It only takes three skeins of Simply Yak to make a Mistake Rib Cowl. Pick some up and cast on for your own happy accident!
Designed by Purl Soho founder and co-owner, Joelle Hoverson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoMistakeRibCowl. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Mulberry Merino, 80% extra fine merino and 20% mulberry silk. Each skein is 247 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 451 yards required. We used the color Dark Loam.
- US 7 (4.5 mm), 24-inch circular needles
Gauge
20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
32 stitches = approximately 4 inches in Mistake Rib, unstretched
Size
Finished Circumference: Approximately 18 inches, unstretched
Finished Height: 15 inches
Note
Mistake Rib in the round is worked over a multiple of 4 stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 144 stitches, place a marker, and join to work in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 2: P1, *k2, p2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k2, p1.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until piece measures 15 inches from cast-on edge or desired length.
Bind off loosely in stitch pattern.
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
the stitch count on this pattern doesn’t make sense. 144 stitches; (k2, p2) is 36 pattern repeats, but p1,(k2,p2) to last stitch, p1 would end up 142 or 146 stitches. The 2 x p1 makes half a pattern repeat….
Dear Joan,
Thank you so much for your comment! I’ve edited the pattern to end the last repeat K2, P1. –Joelle
Bonjour à tous, quel beau modèle ! que je vais essayer de tricoter et d’offrir à ma petite-fille Marie.
Puis-je le faire avec des aiguilles droites en suivant les mêmes explications?
Merci
Hi Mamiannie,
I’m sorry to share that this pattern requires needles for circular knitting. You could definitely make our No Purl Scarf and seam it together though!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
i knitted and about 10 cm i totally lost count and thought, but am casting on again for another try, love the texture !!
non riesco a capire la spiegazione che significa maglia 2,rovescio 2 grazie
Hello, Franca!
Thank you for writing in! Let’s take a look at the pattern and see if that helps you:
Round 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round. Here you just knit 2 stitches, then purl 2 stitches. You’ll repeat that to the end of the round.
Round 2: P1, *k2, p2, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k2, p1. Here you will purl 1 stitch, then you knit 2 stitches and purl 2 stitches until you get to the last three stitches on your needle. These last three stitches you will knit 2 of them and purl 1 of them.
Does that help? Please let us know!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
I just want to confirm the yardage. Two skeins is about 500 yards – does it really use that much?
Thanks!
Hi Anne,
Thanks for your question!
I did not use the entire second skein, and estimate (based on weight) that I used approximately 410 yards.
Best wishes,
Joelle
Thanks for your response and for the pattern!
Anne
where do we find the correct pattern now..i cant find it ..thank you
Hi, Litsa!
Thank you for writing in! The correct pattern is here, https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2016/02/01/mistake-rib-cowl/. It was recently edited. If you have further questions, please let us know!
Again, thank you for your comment, happy knitting!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
I love the scarf, would love to make one…you be able to give the instructions for making it on straight needles? I cannot master working in the round, my stitches always twist..
thank you
Hi Suzanne,
If you’d like to make a flat version of this cowl we have a pattern for a scarf in this stitch pattern that you can adapt, also in our Mulberry Merino. You can find the complete directions for our Mistake Rib Scarf here.
To do the cowl flat, you would need to cast on 143 stitches and follow the scarf stitch pattern. Knit to the desired length and then sew the seam when you’re all through.
Enjoy!
Joelle
If you use a 24 inch cable with the 7 needle it will not twist if that doesn’t work use a 16 inch needle
If I were to use size 8, 24-inch circular needles and #4 weight yarn, how many stitches would I have to cast on? I wonder what it would look like if I cast on 144 stitches. I think I may have to cast on fewer stitches.
Hi Kathleen,
To figure out how many to cast on you will need to do a gauge swatch in your desired yarn and needles. Once you know your stitches per inch you will multiply this number by the desired circumference and cast on that amount, being sure your number is a multiple of 4 for the stitch pattern to work.
To work your gauge swatch flat the cast on and stitch pattern will be slightly different, it is a multiple of 4 plus 3, and the stitch pattern is:
*K2, p2; repeat from * to last 3 stitches; k2, p1
Hope this helps. Please let us know if you have further questions!
Best wishes,
Joelle
If you use a 24 inch cable with the 7 needle it will not twist if that doesn’t work use a 16 inch needle
Love your patterns easy to understand
this is sharp and I can knit it …. I have one skein left so Wed. will order another…. it will be a smart addition to Robyn’s uniform …. thank you for the scarf pattern….
Simple and fun. I will reduce the number of stitches to cast on and have a wonderful cowl for my greyhound.
Do you have an adjustment if I wanted to make it in bulky or chunky yarn?
Hello Linda,
Thank you for your question. The best way to alter this pattern is by doing a swatch in the mistake rib pattern with the yarn you would like to use and your desired needle size. Based on how many stitches per inch you got on your swatch you could figure out how many stitches to cast on to get an 18″ circumference. For example, if you got 4 stitches per inch on a size 11 needle in the mistake rib pattern then you would cast on 72 stitches (you need a multiple of 4 stitches). I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Happy knitting,
Allison
Any plans to make a pattern for matching hat? I made the scarf and I would love a hat to match.
Hi, Lourina!
Thank you so much for writing in! Unfortunately, we don’t have a mistake rib hat pattern, but will certainly let our team know that there is an interest for such a pattern! I have heard that there is a pattern out there for such a hat. I am certain that quick internet or Ravelry search will help you find a hat pattern for this stitch. Sorry we couldn’t be of more help!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
Would love to make a hat in the round using this pattern. Are instructions available for the decreases at crown. Thanks
Hello, Barbara!
Thank you so much for writing in! Unfortunately, we don’t have a mistake rib hat pattern. However, I have heard that there is a pattern out there for such a hat. I am certain that quick internet or Ravelry search will help you find a hat pattern for this stitch. Sorry we couldn’t be of more help!
Best wishes,
Kumeko
What does it mean to bind off loosely in stitch pattern? Is this just normal bind off or do you follow round 1 or 2 for bind off stitch pattern? Thank you
Hi Roberta,
Thanks for your question! Essentially, this means continuing the pattern while binding off to create an edge that matches the pattern. Where you would knit in this stitch pattern, you will knit and where you would purl in the pattern, you would purl while still binding off. So if you come to a purl, you will purl that stitch and then pass the previous stitch over it, thus binding it off. We do not have a video tutorial for this but I did a quick search on YouTube and found a number of videos about binding off in pattern. They do not address this stitch pattern specifically but the visual aid may be helpful.
I hope that this helps. Happy knitting!
Cassy
Love this pattern. Thank you so much! Can you tell me how I would adjust the pattern for girls age 8-10? Thanks!
Hi Cathy,
I am not sure what measurements would work best for an 8-10 year old. My suggestion would be to take out a few repeats and knit it to a shorter length. The Mistake Rib in the round is worked over a multiple of 4 stitches at a gauge of 32 stitches equaling approximately 4 inches in Mistake Rib, unstretched. You can modify the cast on to a more appropriate number based on how wide you would like the final product to be.
I hope that this information helps!
Cassy
I’m new to knitting and am confused by the measurements here. How does using a 24 inch length result in 18 inch circumference without stretch too much?
Hi Yael,
Good question! This pattern pulls in quite a bit as it knits up however it is still possible and easy to knit it on a 24 inch long needle. If you prefer, you may knit it on a 16 inch circular as well.
Happy knitting!
Cassy
Hi – wanting to do this for a male – so thinking that a shorter version would be better suited. Would 1 skein be ok?
Cheers
Jody
Hi Jody,
Thanks for writing in! I think one skein would be fine if you want to make this shorter. However, I do think two skeins might fare better (even for a male) because cowls tend to scrunch down when laying around the neck. Either way the cowl will be such a great gift!
Best,
Adam
I am relatively new to knitting and bought your yarn for this cowl. What is the best cast on? I have only ever really done the long tail. I looked around for the long tail tubular cast on and am thoroughly confused. I watched the video that you referenced but that really only deals with a 1×1.
Will I work the 144 stitches as a 1×1 as in the video thru the two foundation lines and then just change to the 2×2 after that? Won’t that look weird?
And when you transfer from the straight needles to the circular, when you join in the round, do you then have to sew the foundation rows together?
Sorry if these are ‘duh’ questions… just learning here and am super excited to try this, but don’t want to ruin my awesome yarn!!
Thanks.
Cyndi
Hi Cyndi,
Great question! For this cowl and for most of our patterns, we like to use a long tail cast on. Looking at the sample, it does make for a nice, tidy and stretchy cast-on for this cowl. Should you prefer trying the long tail tubular cast-on, you will need to cast on for a 2×2 ribbing instead of the 1×1. We do not have a tutorial for this but there are a lot of resources out on the web. I would suggest googling “tubular cast on 2×2 rib” and a number of videos should come up. However, for our version of this cowl, a long tail cast on will do just fine!
I hope that this helps and happy knitting!
Cassy
How would this cowl look in Gentle Giant? Would it have as much body as it does here? I like that this cowl ‘stands up’ more than the Mountain Cowl does — is this more about the type of stitch, the smaller circumference of the cowl, or the yarn itself? If using Gentle Giant for Mistake Rib Cowl what size needles and how many stitches do you recommend? How many skeins would be required? Thank you.
Hi Marly,
Thanks you for writing us! You can certainly do a mistake rib cowl in Gentle Giant. In terms of standing up on it’s own, that depends on how tightly you knit the Gentle Giant. If you knit it on a US 17, it will be denser than say a US 19. If you want to make this in Gentle Giant you’ll have to knit a swatch on your desired needle size in the mistake rib pattern. From this swatch you’ll determine your stitches per inch and multiply that by your desired finished circumference. This will give you a rough cast on number. For mistake rib in the round you’ll need to cast on in multiples of four stitch. Hope this helps!
Best of luck and happy knitting,
Adam
Working this stitch now, Lov it.
I have made several scarves with the ‘mistake’ stitch and just love them, so I am excited to try a cowl in the same stitch. Looks so luscious !! I just gave away one in brown for a church bingo prize – now I can’t wait to do this for myself in the dark color. Have to save up for your yarn.
I would like to stretch this occasionally as a shoulder cozy. What are the measurements when it’s stretched?
Hi Roberta,
Thanks for the question. We don’t have the measurements for this when stretched, but I can assure you that it wouldn’t fit over anyone’s shoulders. I suggest adding stitches on to the pattern to get the circumference you desire. Thanks!
-Adam
What adaptations would need to be made to knit this, and have it come out the same size (same circumference) in cashmere merino bloom? Many thanks
Hello Victoria,
Thanks for writing in! The first thing you will want to do is knit a gauge swatch. Your stitches per in will determine if you need to go up, down, or stay the same in needle size. Let us know how it goes!
Warmly,
Marilla
very good!
THank you this suggestion is just right. If I wanted to do the 2-color version that you have on your 2tone mistake Rib Scarf, can I buy one of each color for this cowl?
Hi Dale,
Great questions! To knit this pattern using two colors, when you get to the end of your row you would simply begin knitting with your contrast color. You would need just one skein of each color!
Best,
Cassy
I want the cowl to sit a little tighter round the neck at the top and using a slightly smaller needle for that? I’m thinking of changing back to the recommended needles size after about 2 inches. Would that be sufficient? I do not want to spoil the scrunchy effect for the rest of the cowl.
Hello Kerstin,
Thanks for reaching out out! This is a great idea- I think 2 inches should do the trick. Let us know how it goes and Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi, How well could Understory be substituted for Mulberry Merino? Would it stand as upright?
Understory and Mulberry Merino seem to be very similar in weight and yardage. I would swatch of course, but do you think I’d use the same needle size?
Also, after this pattern was published it seems that you may have rethought the gauge and needle size recommendations for Mulberry Merino yarn. Are there any changes you would recommend to this pattern?
Thank you! Can’t wait to get started.
Hi Marly,
Thanks for writing in! Although Understory and Mulberry Merino have almost the same yardage and weight, Understory is a heavy DK weight and Mulberry Merino is closer to sport weight. Many factors can affect the yards per pound of a yarn, including the relative weight of different types of fibers and how tightly the yarn is spun, so it’s not always a good indicator of what gauge a yarn will knit up! However, as a substitute in this pattern, I think Understory would turn out wonderfully. It is quite drapey because of the silk, but knitting it relatively tightly on US 7 needles in the Mistake Rib pattern should result in a fairly structured cowl similar to our original!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I was wondering if I could make this using Ella Rae Cozy alpaca chunky yarn 70% acrylic and 30% alpaca? Thank You
Hello Loraina,
Thank you for reaching out! The yarn we used is much thinner than a chunky yarn, but you could certainly adjust the pattern. You would just knit up a small gauge swatch with your desired needle size to figure out how many stitches per inch you are getting and then multiply that by the circumference to get your cast on number. You will just want to remember that the Mistake Rib in the round is worked over a multiple of 4 stitches.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Did the pattern originally use two strands of yarn together? I just want it to be really warm! Thank you for the beautiful yarn and the pattern.
Eve
Hi Eve,
Thanks for reaching out! We used just one strand of yarn for this lovely cowl! The texture of the stitch pattern creates a really lofty and cozy fabric with just one strand alone!
Best,
Cassy
I was in Italy in May and stopped at a yarn shop in Venice. I purchased 3 skeins (all they had left) of Filatura Di Crosa in Zara Print Melange. If it would work, I would like to make this cowl using this yarn. It is 100% Merino. DK weight. Needle size is US 4-6 and gauge is 23.0 – 31.0 = 4 inches. This is a big range. Do you think this would work for this pattern? I guess I’d have to do a swatch with different size needles to find the right gauge. Never been good and figuring this out.
Thanks.
JoAnne
Hi JoAnne,
Thanks for reaching out! Knitting and measuring a gauge swatch is the best way to figure out if your yarn will work for any particular pattern, but in this case, I would suggest taking a look at our original Mistake Rib Cowl in Mulberry Merino. Mulberry Merino is a sport weight yarn, which is much closer to the weight of your yarn, so I think you will have an easier time getting the correct gauge for that pattern. Other than the smaller gauge, it is identical to this cowl!
Best of luck, and I hope that helps!
Julianna
What color is dark loam? A friend wants me to knit a cowl in black. Love the look of the skein above, but want to be sure it is a nice shade of black. I look forward to hearing from you.
Joanne
Hi Joanne,
Thanks for writing in! Dark Loam is a very dark cool toned brown. Although it is dark enough to look black or off-black in some lights, it is definitely brown, especially when held against a black garment! If you would like a true black, I would suggest using Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in Kettle. It is a little thicker than Mulberry Merino, so you will need to knit a gauge swatch and possibly adjust your needle size and cast on to account for the heavier weight yarn.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello, I’m having trouble grasping the mistake stitch cowl pattern. I’m looking for a diagram so I can understand what the stitches look like as I continue to in the round. Ensuring that I’m doing the pattern correctly.
Hello Karen,
Thank you for reaching out! For a mistake rib pattern you will have a column of knits lining up with each other, then a column that alternates between knits and purls, then a column of purls, then another column of alternating.
I hope this helps, but if you have any further questions let us know!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi – Did I miss how many stitches to cast on if using Super Soft Merino?
Thanks-
Hi Bette,
Thanks for reaching out! We haven’t tried knitting our Mistake Rib Cowl up in Super Soft Merino yet, but I think it sounds lovely! To figure out how many stitches to cast on, you will need to knit a gauge swatch in pattern on US 11 needles and multiply your stitches per inch by 18 inches. You can then round that number to the nearest multiple of 4 and follow the rest of the pattern as written!
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
Would this cowl work in Rowan Kid Classic, which is 70% wool, 22% mohair and 8% polyamide? It takes a 4.5 mm-5 mm needle. I am making cabled wrist warmers in red in this wool to go with the Little Fair Isle hat I made in an adult size.
Thanks.
Hi Judy,
Great question! Since your yarn is an aran weight, I would suggest following the instructions for our Mistake Rib Cowl in Cashmere Tend – it should work out wonderfully!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi, I love this easy pattern but as a new beginner I have great trouble if I make a mistake. I can easily correct it if it is a knit stitch but otherwise not. I would love some help as this is the 3rd time I’ve had to unravel!
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for reaching out! The easiest – and least scary! – way to take out stitches is one at a time using a method called tinking, or un-knitting, and it works for both knit and purl stitches. Unfortunately we don’t have a tutorial for this, but if you search for “unknitting” in your preferred search engine, you should find several videos showing how to do it. Hopefully this gets you back on track without having to start over!
Best,
Julianna
Thank you!
I am making the Mistake Rib SCARF with size 6 straight needles.
Why do the instructions for the Mistake Rib COWL say to use a size 7 circular needle?
What length circular needle should I used for the cowl?
Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! The Mistake Rib Cowl uses a size 7, 24-inch circular, because we like the gauge we got with that needle for this pattern. As noted under MATERIALS, a 24-inch circular needle is recommended and what we used. Thanks again!
Kindly,
Anna
Hi there. I am a beginning knitter and whenever I make a mistake I run downtown to you guys and you are amazing. With COVID I obviously can’t do that and my sister is demanding I make this cowl for her for her birthday in late October. Eeeeeek!
I dislike the circular needles so I can make it with the straight as per the scarf version. But the scarf version is a lot thinner and longer. Which needles would I use to make the cowl on straight needles in the Mulberry Marino, can I cast on the same amount of stitches as in the cowl pattern and use just two skeins? I guess I would seam them together — if I remember how to do that without you! (God I wish she just wanted a simple scarf). And can I follow the instructions for the cowl on the straight needles rather than the slip stich/forward knit thingy in the scarf instructions? I only how to knit and purl and maybe a yarn over.
Thanks so much and hope you are all well!
Charlene
Hi Charlene,
Oh, we wish you could stop by too, but our top priority is the safety of our customers and staff! We can’t wait for the day we can safely welcome everyone back! I think the easiest way to knit this cowl flat would be to cast on 147 stitches, and then follow the stitch pattern from our Mistake Rib Scarf until the piece measures 15 inches. After that, you can sew together the sides of the cowl to create the loop. This should look just like our cowl with just one short seam!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi, do you think this would work with two colors? I love that new two color mistake rib cowl but it seems very large, I like the size of this one better. If so, what color combos would you recommend?! I was thinking black and cream but it looks like there’s no black in this yarn. Thanks so much!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for reaching out! Any of the Mistake Rib Cowl variations can easily be done with two colors (see the newest pattern to see how the switch colors!)
For the Mulberry Merino variation of this pattern I would recommend Heirloom White and Dark Loam!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
Would this pattern need to be adjusted using Ultra Alpaca Chunky?
Hi Betsy,
Thanks for reaching out! If you are planning on using a Chunky weight yarn you will need to adjust the pattern with an appropriate sized needle (US 11.) I recommend working a gauge swatch to get your stitch per inch and you can calculate your cast on from there!
All the best,
Gianna
Hi! I am knitting this cowl for my husband and almost ready to start a new skein. I am doubting which method of weaving in the ends would be best, since the cowl has 2 good sides. I could also felt the two threads together, but you can always see that in the end. Thank you!
Hi Sophie,
Thanks for reaching out! Since you will only be wearing the cowl on one side you can designate a side to be the wrong side and weave in the ends on that side! Our Weaving in Your Ends tutorial is a great resource to use and will demonstrate all the techniques we use with our samples and you can choose whichever works best for you!
I hope this helps, happy knitting!
Gianna
It looks like the cashmere you knit this in is now out of stock. If we wanted to treat ourselves to knitting this in one of your cashmere yarns (and, say, wanted to suggest the yarn as a good holiday gift from our partner… 😉 ) which yarn would you say would work best with this pattern?
Thanks so much!
Amanda
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for reaching out! Since we are out of Cashmere Tend, I recommend using the lovely Jade Sapphire 8-Ply Cashmere! It is the same weight as our cashmere so it will work perfectly with this pattern! However, just to be sure that you are consistent I do suggest starting off by working a gauge swatch prior to beginning!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
I have 146 stitches after knitting 4 rounds. Should I knit 2 together 2 times to get 144? Will the pattern be ok with 146? Thanks!
Hi Carol,
This stitch pattern only works over a multiple of 4 in the round, so I would recommend decreasing back to 144 stitches!
All the best,
Lili