Two-Color Cotton Cowl
I love a surprise, so it should be no surprise that Fisherman’s Rib worked with two colors is one of my favorite stitches to knit. With the magic of a single simple technique, a pattern that you’d assume, at first glance, would make horizontal stripes, in fact, creates vertical ones!
The simple technique: working into the stitch below! New to it? Fear not! Our video tutorial will make you a “k1b” expert, as you knit up this pretty Two-Color Cotton Cowl. Watch your single-row striping transform into broad, textured, vertically-striped ribbing. Like brioche stitch, but with a fraction of the abbreviations!
With its interlocking stitches, using two colors to work Fisherman’s Rib is fun and surprising. Pick soft and summery colors like we did for our Two-Color Cotton Cowl, or dip into Cotton Pure’s palette of 43 beautiful colors to create your own color expression! -Laura
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoTwoColorCottonCowl, and #PurlSohoCottonPure. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Cotton Pure, 100% organically grown cotton. Each skein is 279 yards/ 100 grams.
- Main Color (MC): 1 skein; approximately 279 yards required. We used Pink Sand.
- Contrast Color (CC): 1 skein; approximately 279 yards required. We used Egret White.
- US 4 (3.5mm), 40-inch circular needles
- US 6 (4mm), 40-inch circular needles
Gauge
16 stitches = 4 inches in stitch pattern, on smaller needles
Size
Finished Dimensions: 10½ inches wide by 57½ inches in circumference
Notes
WORKING INTO THE STITCH BELOW
- k1b [knit one below]: Insert the tip of the right needle into the stitch below the next stitch from front to back, knit normally (wrapping the yarn around the needle and pulling it back through the stitch below) and let the stitch above fall from the left needle.
- p1b [purl one below]: Insert the tip of the right needle into the stitch below the next stitch from back to front, purl normally (wrapping the yarn around the needle and pulling it back through the stitch below) and let the stitch above fall from the left needle.
For more information about these techniques, be sure to visit our Working into the Stitch Below Tutorial!
SINGLE ROW STRIPING
In this pattern, you will alternate yarn each round. Although the finished fabric doesn’t look like stripes in the round, the technique for switching yarns is the same. Learn how to do it with our Stripes in the Round Tutorial.
Pattern
Begin with Stockinette Stitch
With MC, cast 230 stitches onto the larger circular needles. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Work in stockinette stitch, knitting each stitch, for six rounds.
Continue in 2-Color Fisherman’s Rib
Change to smaller needles.
Round 1: With MC, * k1b (see Notes), p1, repeat from * to end of round.
Round 2: With CC, * k1, p1b (see Notes), repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until piece measures 10 inches from the beginning rolled edge, ending with Round 1.
End with Stockinette Stitch
Change to larger needles.
With MC, work in stockinette stitch for five rounds.
Bind off knitwise.
Finish
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
Wow, came across this beautiful pattern while trying to decide which brioche pattern to purchase. How can it look identical to brioche and be so much simpler – it’s stunning! And free! Thank you again Purl Soho – you never fail to amaze!
I would like to knit this cowl with White Caps Blue as the dominant color. Would you suggest a companion color(s)?
Many thanks, Linda
Hi Linda,
This is a lovely Cowl. To compliment the White Caps Blue you could do Seaside blue it would be a soft slightly distressed color next to it. If you preferred more of a contrast, you could do Blue Whale it is more of a washed navy.
Hope this helps.
Melissa
Melissa I followed your suggestion and purchased the seaside blue yarn to go with the white caps blue. Unfortunately the colors are so close that there is virtually no contrast so the stitch pattern doesn’t really show up.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Linda
Hi Linda,
I apologize about the yarn not working, you could go lighter and try the icicle blue it is much lighter, the stream blue would be pretty as well.
I hope this helps,
Melissa
I would like the pattern for the little Plain dress in todays email but the pattern is pages & pages long ! Is there no way to get it shortened ? Or can I order a hard copy from you ??
Thank You for a reply
Hello Lelah,
Thank you for reaching out! I’m not sure, but I think you are trying to print our Clean and Simple Baby Dress. If you look on the right side of the screen under the “Buy this yarn” and the “Save to Favorites” buttons there is a print button. If you click this button a new window will pop up and at the top right corner of the pop up box you’ll see a drop down menu and if you click on this, you’ll be able to remove all the images. If you follow these steps you will be able to print the pattern on six pages single sided or three pages double sided.
I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.
Warmly,
Marilla
This is a very attractive design. It looks like brioche knitting, from the pictures. Is there a similarity in the way it’s done?
Hello Crystal,
Thank you for your kind words! This stitch is very similar to brioche stitch, but with a fraction of the abbreviations. Like brioche stitch, you will be knitting into the stitch below. For a more in-depth look – check out our tutorial .
I hope this helps!
-Marilla
Thanks so much for your lovely patterns and easy to follow instructions. I’m excited to try this cowl and need to make up my mind on colors. You’ve also inspired me to try weaving and with the loom you carry. Need to study up on the process a bit.
Thx. again.
What are your thoughts on combining Warm Cider with Seaside Blue? Appreciate it!
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for writing us! I think Warm Cider with Seaside Blue will be gorgeous. The warmth of warm cider contrasted with the coolness of seaside blue will be dynamic and rich.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I love this scarf. Got the yarn and tried to start last night. Mine did not look like it should have. ripped it out will try again.
I purchased 438 yards of each color yarn for this cowl and I was wondering if I would have a significant amount left to use on another small project. I feel like 876 yards is a lot for just one cowl. Thanks !
Hello Alexis,
Thanks for writing in! The yarn we used for this project, Cotton Pure, Is about 262 yards and is a sport weight yarn. We use one skein for each color so the complete project takes about 524 yards of sport weight yarn. As long as you are using a sport weight it sounds like you will have a good amount of yarn left over.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.
-Marilla
I would like to knit this cowl in one color out of Simply Soft wool in country blue, since I have a lot left over. Should I cast on a smaller amount of stitches, since the wool seems to be heavier (4, medium) weight than the one you’re using? I also would like to make it a bit smaller (50″ circumference). Any advice would be appreciated.
Hello Sabine,
Thank you for writing in! You are correct, the yarn you are using is heavier than what the pattern calls for. I would recommend going up a couple needle sizes and knitting a Swatch in the round. Once you have the number of stitches er inch you are getting you can figure out how many stitches to cast on to get a 50″ circumference. Please let me know if you have any further questions and good luck with your project!
Warmly,
Marilla
Do you know whether this technique can be adapted for flat knitting? I’m thinking of making a two-color fisherman’s rib afghan in bulky weight yarn.
Hi Virginia,
Thanks for writing in! Fisherman’s rib certainly can be knit flat. For a 1 color version, you can reference our Seafaring Scarf and for a 2 color version, you can reference our Color Dipped Scarves.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
I love this cowl and am attempting the fisherman’s rib for the first time. The problem that I have encountered is how to fix a dropped K1B and P1 B. It is difficult finding tutorials for fixing. Please let me know how I can fix these dropped stitches! Thank you!!
Hi Karen,
Thanks for writing us! In order to fix fisherman’s rib, you need to know how to do Brioche stitch. Click here for a tutorial. When you rip out your fisherman’s rib you’ll notice that there is a normal stitch whose exiting thread of yarn floats past the next stitch and forms the stitch after that. You’ll want to pick up the “normal” stitch and then pick up the next stitch with the floating strand together. You’ll repeat this until you’ve picked up all the stitches. In order to get back to fisherman’s rib you’ll need to knit the “normal” stitch and then knit the next stitch together with the float. This will put you back on track.
I hope this helps!
Cassy
First of all thanks for this beautiful pattern! I just had a question about the yarn weight. Sometimes I see it described as sport and sometimes described as DK weight. From my understanding, sport should be lighter than DK. What would the cotton pure yarn register on the 0-7 yarn scale?
Hi Amy,
Thanks for writing in! Our Cotton Pure comes in at 5-6 stitches per inch on a US 4-6 needle. This can classify it as a Sport or a DK depending on what scale you use. Using the Craft Yarn Council standards, this also could register this yarn as a 2 or 3 (Sport or DK). The good thing here is that the yarn works as either a Sport or DK and should work for patterns using either weight.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Oh no! I’m about 2 inches in and I just realized that my knitting was so scrunched up on my needles that I started it with a single twist in it. O_o
Should I rip it out and start over or can I keep going? I love this pattern but idk if it’ll look awful with the twist or if it’ll be a detriment to the care of the piece? I’m so torn. T_T
What would you suggest?
Hi Anthony,
Unfortunately I would recommend ripping it back since there is no good way to fix a twist in a circular piece. If you think it looks nice with the twist I would say keep it! It might add a nice design element!
Best,
Carly
As you probably know, it’s so hard to discern the true color of yarn online. I’m considering Rose Bark (5700CP), Heather for the main color and Birch Bark (5200CP), Heather for the contrasting color for this beautiful cowl. What do you think? Is it too dark? I appreciate your advice.
Hi Dianne,
Thanks for writing in! Color can be a challenge over the internet but we are always happy to help! I think that you color combination will work well! When working with 2 colors, you want them to have plenty of contrast and these do!
Happy knitting!
Cassy
I’ve made this cowl according to the pattern, and now I’d like to make a single-wrap one in this style. What is the typical circumference for an adult cowl? How many stitches should I cast on?
Hi Sue,
Thanks for writing in! A single wrap cowl can range from 18-22 inches depending on how close you would like it too fit, how drapey the fabric is and how stretchy you stitch pattern is. I would try a 19 inch circumference to start out with being sure to try it on as you go. You could also take a scrap piece of fabric and measuring how you would like it to fit on you. Just be sure to leave enough slck to be able to get the cowl over your head!
Best,
Cassy
I finally got around to trying this new knit brio-like stitch! At the time, there was no “iceberg” white yarn available so I tried Seaside Blue (main color) and Fresh Butter.
It was a bit tricky at the start and especially tricky when trying to correct a mistake, but I am very happy with the results!
I tried to attach a photo. Let me know if this works.
image2.jpeg
Hi Amy,
Thanks for writing in! I am so glad that this pattern worked out for you! Sadly, photos can not be added here but we’d love to see it on Instagram. You can tag us or use #purlsoho or #purlsohobusyhands !
Best,
Cassy
can you recommend a Purl Soho woolen yarn that would translate well to this pattern?
Thanks!
…and maybe I should be a bit more specific–I like the drappy look of the cotton and wondering what sort of yarn might come close to that look
Hi Patti,
Thanks for writing in! Our Mulberry Merino or Season Alpaca would make excellent alternatives to the Cotton Pure that we used here. Season Alpaca will give you a bit more drape that the Cotton Pure and the Mulberry Merino will be a touch less. I think that Mulberry Merino would be the most similar but either would make a lovely cowl!
Best,
Cassy
nice! could I mix them?
Hi Patti!
Absolutely! Fisherman’s Rib is very forgiving with even larger differences in yarn gauges. I think mixing them could make a lovely result!
Best,
Cassy
Is this project compatible with the italian/tubular cast on? If it is, I haven’t figured out the way….
Hi DS,
Thanks for writing in! This lovely cowl begins and ends with a few rows of stockinette and thus a standard long tail cast on works well here. The tubular cast on is used for ribbing exclusively. We think that the standard long tail cast on works well here and gives a neat and clean edge!
Best,
Cassy
Any suggestions for other color combos? I was thinking of something darker – grays and blues and such – but I’m not sure.
HI ALice,
Thanks for writing in! We are happy to help with color ideas! For a blue version I think that Seaside Blue with Either Nocturnal Blue or Stream Blue would be lovely! For a gray version, I would suggest Cloud Gray and Flannel Gray. The most important thing is that there is enough of a value difference between the two colors so that you can see the difference in the two. If the color values are too close, it will be harder to see a difference in the colors once is has been knit up!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
If I want a single wrap cowl can I cast on half of the stitches? Does the pattern need an even or uneven number of stitches?
Thanks
Hello Rose,
Thank you for reaching out! For this pattern you will need an even number when casting on so I would recommend casting on 116 stitches, this will give you an approximate circumference of 28.5″.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Would love to be able to pick your beautiful yarn colors for our projects, by being able to click on several shades to compare them side by side on the screen to see if they “go together” for a multicolored project, instead of only being able to view one at a time.
Hello Denise,
Thank you for reaching out and for the suggestion! I will be sure to pass it along.
Happy crafting!
-Marilla
This looks absolutely gorgeous – and Pima cotton!
What do you think about Seaside green and Almond beige is it?, as a combo?
My daughter loves this color way and it matches her turquoise , brown flecked eyes.
Hello Kristy,
Thank you for reaching out! I think these will be a beautiful combination with a nice contrast- I say go for it!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Do you think this project would work well with the pink sand color and the teacake pink? I think it would be subtle but still something different, do you think that the colors look too similar in person though?
Hi Julieanne,
Thanks for reaching out! While Pink Sand and Teacake Pink do not contrast as strongly as the colors we selected for our sample, I think they would result in a beautifully understated cowl! If you wanted a color combination that is more subtle than our original cowl but with just a tad more contrast, Pale Almond paired with either Pink Sand or Teacake Pink would also be a good choice!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
When I first switch to the CC after the first row of k1b with the MC, will my first k1 be into a purl or a knit stitch from the row before? The last stitch I did with the MC was a purl… or should I have stopped with the k1b….?
I’ve never done this type of knitting with two colors and I’m worried I’m going to mess it up.
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks for writing in! In Fisherman’s Rib, you will always be knitting on top of your knits and purling on top of your purls, regardless of whether they were regular knits and purls or K1B or P1B in the previous row. When switching from the MC to CC, you should be ending with a P1 on the MC row, and beginning the CC row with a K1 over the K1B from the previous row.
I hope that helps! You’ve got this, and let us know if we can clarify anything else for you!
Julianna
Does anyone know how to adapt this to crochet?
Hello Carrie,
Thank you for reaching out! Unfortunately we do not currently have a crochet of this cowl, but I will certainly pass along your request!
Happy crafting!
-Marilla
Hi. What size of needles do you recommend if I were to use Peerie yarn?
Hi Tessa,
Great question! I would probably try a gauge swatch in pattern with Peerie on either a US 4 or 5 needle to see which results in a fabric I prefer. The fisherman’s rib pattern works on any even number of stitches so it should be quite easy to adjust your cast on based on the gauge of Peerie if necessary!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello! So I’m doing another one of these because the first one was a) so fun, b) super adorable, and c) very well received when it was gifted. However, I seem to be running into a new problem that I didn’t have the first time and I’m not sure what I’m doing differently? When I’m adding the CC for the first time I keep getting a hard line of color on my purl going across my main color. I tend to knit my tails in along with my first few stitches in a new color to secure them so I thought maybe that was my issue? I’ve ripped it out about 3 times and I keep doing it though I’m not sure how. Any thoughts on what I might be doing wrong?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Anthony,
It’s so exciting when someone loves one of our projects so much they make it twice! Although the purl stitches look a bit odd or two-toned when you work the first row of contrast color, when you work the second row and work purl one below into each of these stitches, they should look just as you remember from your first cowl.
I hope that helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Best,
Julianna
Hi. Could you use Linen Quill for this pattern?
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in! Linen Quill is a bit lighter weight than Cotton Pure, but I think you could make it work with a few adjustments! I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch in pattern on US 2 needles. Once you have measured your stitches per inch, multiply that number by 57.5 inches and round to the nearest even number to get your cast on number. You will then cast on and work the stockinette edge on US 4 needles, or a needle that is two sizes larger than your main needle.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hello,
First of all, thank you for this beautiful pattern. I can’t wait to try it. As I live in Ireland, what yarn would you suggest I use.
Hi Helen,
Thank you so much for writing in and for the kind words! Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with what yarns may be available locally to you, but the good news is that we ship internationally! Details about international shipping can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/shipping/. If you are out searching for local yarn, you will need about 260 yards each of two colors of sport to DK weight yarn.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I would like to make a scarf with the pattern running the width not the length (like the cowl). I like the st stitch edging and would like it on the scarf as well.
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for your question! This pattern is knit in the round but you can certainly knit flat and then seam the cowl up at the end. You’ll want to refer to the Color Dipped Scarves pattern for how to knit this stitch flat. Also, when working the edging at the beginning and end of the scarf, you will want to alternate knit and purl rows to create the rolled stockinette edging.
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi! I’m planning to knit this for a friend, but most of the yarn available locally are 70% acrylic 30% wool blends. Do you think they would be “drapey” enough to produce similar results to yours? If not, is there a way to make them more drapey?
Hi Jo,
Thanks for reaching out! It’s hard to say how your yarn will behave in the finished piece without seeing it, but the best way to find out will be to knit and block a swatch! I would knit a swatch in pattern and block it – acrylic responds surprisingly well to going through the washer and dryer, so if you aren’t happy with the drape after wet blocking, I would try that. If it isn’t drapey enough for your tastes, you could try another swatch with a larger needle to see if the drape improves.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hello! I am thinking of trying this pattern (I have never done this kind of knitting before, but am excited to try!) for my daughter, who is 7. How many stitches would you cast on to make this for say a small adult? Thank you!
Hello Heather,
Thank you for reaching out! For this pattern you can cast on any even number of stitches. I would reccomend measuring out what you would like your circumference to be. Once you have this number you can multiply it by 4 to get you cast on number.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I finally finished mine!
Do you wrap it twice or three times?
Hi Chris,
Congratulations on the finished cowl! We styled it wrapped twice for our pictures, but if you have enough length to do so comfortably you could certainly wrap it three times!
Best,
Julianna
Hello! I have the yarn and the pattern, but I’m confused as to how we switch between the colors. I haven’t had much experience with switching colors yet, so I am unsure of whether we just drop one color, knit one round in the other, and then pick it back up again. Thanks in advance!
Hi Jayde,
Thanks for reaching out! For this pattern, which is knit in a stitch called two-color Fisherman’s Rib, yes, you will only be using one color at a time – after finishing Round 1 with the main color, you will drop the main color and work Round 2 with the contrasting color, and then repeat rounds 1 and 2.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
I love this and have been having so much fun knitting it… until I dropped a stitch a few rows down! I am struggling to fix my mistake and have watched videos and read about it and I’m still having a hard time fixing it. Do you have any advice or recommended tutorials on fixing dropped stitches in Fisherman’s Rib? Thanks so much!
Hi Megan,
Thanks for writing in! Although we do not have a tutorial for picking up dropped stitches in Fisherman’s Rib, it is a very difficult task, even with the best tutorial! If you are having too much trouble, I would suggest placing the dropped stitch on a holder or safety pin to keep it from unraveling any further and tinking back as much as you need to until you are at the dropped stitch and continuing on from there.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I am making the two color striped cowl using the k1b technique. I
have no trouble with the pattern or the stitch and love the results but I absolutely cannot figure out how to correct a mistake without starting all over. Is there any easy explanation for how to do this?
Hello Nicole,
Thank you for reaching out! Fixing a mistakes in fisherman’s rib is one of the most difficult tasks in knitting, in my opinion. Sadly there is not a simple fix to this- I wish there was! I can give you some advise on how to rip back so you don’t have to go all the way back to the beginning.
When you rip out your fisherman’s rib you’ll notice that there is a normal stitch whose exiting thread of yarn floats past the next stitch and forms the stitch after that. You’ll want to pick up the “normal” stitch and then pick up the next stitch with the floating strand together. You’ll repeat this until you’ve picked up all the stitches. In order to get back to fisherman’s rib you’ll need to knit the “normal” stitch and then knit the next stitch together with the float. This will put you back on track.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any further questions!
Happy knitting and good luck!
-Marilla
Thank you SO much.
Nicole
This might be a silly question, but is it absolutely essential that you use two different sizes of needles? If so, what is the purpose of using larger needles for the trim? I don’t have size 6 circular needles, but I really want to start on this beautiful cowl!
Thank you!!
Hi McKinzie,
Thanks for reaching out! We used two different size needles because the gauge of the stockinette stitch border is very different from fisherman’s rib. By using a smaller needle for the fisherman’s rib, the stockinette border and the body of the cowl end up the same size. If you were to use a US 4 for the entire cowl, the top and bottom borders would end up somewhat smaller than the main part of the cowl and give a puckered appearance at those edges. If you can, I would strongly recommend getting a US 6 for the borders, but you might be able to make do with a US 7 if you have one!
Best,
Julianna
Beautiful!!! Can’t wait to start on my mother’s birthday present! One question….I think she would absolutely love a matching beanie or hat. Is there a pattern for that? Can be fitted or slouchy. Thx!
Hi Kristen,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for reaching out – what a lovely present! We don’t have a hat pattern written specifically to match this cowl, but you might be interested in either our Corrugated Hat or Striped Cuff Hat. Both hats are written for sport weight yarn and incorporate two colors, so they should coordinate nicely!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Love the look of this pattern. Do you think Super Soft Merino would work or would it be too thick? Thanks
Hi Dana,
Thanks so much for the kind words! This pattern is written for a sport weight yarn, which is much thinner than Super Soft Merino, but you could modify to use a heavier yarn if you wish, and Super Soft Merino looks fantastic in Fisherman’s Rib! I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch in the round and in pattern on US 11 needles. You can then multiply your stitches per inch by 57 and round to the nearest even number to determine how many stitches to cast on.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi there – I really want to make this and order your Cotton Pure yarn. What colors do you suggest that would be semi neutral? I tend to make green or grey things, but am willing to branch out. Just can’t make a decision on the website!
Hi Karla,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m happy to suggest a few neutral-leaning color combos! Carbon Black and Natural Flax would be an exciting contrast with pleasant warm undertones, or you could combine Gray Birch and Gray Shale for a cooler, somewhat more subtle look. Gray Birch and Linden Green would also be lovely together, although Linden Green is unfortunately out of stock at the moment. If you enter your email address on the product page, we will let you know as soon as we have it!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello,
Will the pink sand and egret white colors be restocked?
Thanks!
Hi Kim,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, we recently re-worked Cotton Pure and released an entirely new color palette, and the old colors, including Pink Sand and Egret White, will not be restocked. I’m so sorry about that! I would suggest using Beach Rose and Heirloom White from our current Cotton Pure colors to get as close as you can to the original colors of this cowl!
Best,
Julianna
Hello,
I am several inches into this pattern. I’m using the same yarn (first purchase from Purl SoHo and loving it) and the correct needles. However mine is looking much looser than it does in your photos above. I feel like I’m even trying to knit a bit extra tightly, but it looks very loose and stretchy. Am I doing something wrong?
Hi Jenelle,
Thanks for writing in! It sounds like your gauge might be too loose! Everyone knits somewhere on a spectrum from very loose to very tight, and it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with how you knit if you are a loose knitter, but you might need to knit the cowl on a smaller needle to get the same results we did. I would suggest reading our new All About Gauge tutorial to learn the hows and whys of getting the correct gauge, and comparing your stitches per inch on the section of the cowl you have completed to our gauge of 16 stitches per 4 inches to see if you need to adjust your needle size!
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I would like to try and knit this but would 36” circular needles work for this? If so, how many stitches would I need to cast on to adjust? Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for reaching out! A 36″ circular needle should be fine for this pattern, the stitches may be closer together on the needles but you don’t necessarily need to adjust the cast on unless you want a smaller dimension for the scarf overall (in that case the pattern works over a multiple of even stitches.)
All the best,
Gianna
Thank you!!
Hi – I’m looking for contrast suggestions for Rosy Red. What would you suggest?
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! Rosy Red is such a pretty color, and there are a few options I would suggest going with for a contrasting color! I would recommend pairing it with Beach Rose, Peach Peony, or even Silver Quartz!
I hope this helps and please let me know which color you end up going with! Happy knitting!
Gianna
Hi there!
Novice knitter and have to purchase all the tools necessary for this project. I see that the Cotton Pure yarn colors have changed. I’m interested in using a natural color combination like Heirloom White and Warm Rock but am afraid there won’t be enough contrast between the two for this. Could you please offer your suggestion? If they wouldn’t work together, is there another yarn I can use that has more color options? Thank you!!
Hi Chelsea,
Thanks for your question!
I think Heirloom White and Warm Rock would make for a lovely, neutral two-tone cowl! These colors work great together but, like you said, there wouldn’t be a huge amount of contrast. If you’re looking for more contrast, I would suggest our Good Wool, which we just launched in an all new dyed color palette! Good Wool comes in many natural colors as well and I think Heirloom White and Walking Stick or Hickory Nut would look wonderful.
With any yarn substitutions, it’s always a great idea to do a swatch to make sure your gauge is consistent with the pattern. We’ve got a guide on that called All About Gauge in case you’d like to learn more!
I hope this was helpful! Have a great day!
All the best,
Cat
This was very helpful! Thank you so much, Cat! I really appreciate your thorough response, and of course, your suggestions. I can’t wait to pick some yarn out and get started. I hope you have a great day as well! 🙂
Can I use combination knitting with this pattern (western knit, eastern purl)? I thought it made sense because in order to purl one below you sort of have to work into the back of the loop to avoid twisting the purls. I’ve done a few rows and thought one side looked a little wonky, but I might just need to trust the process. Thanks!
Hi Avery!
Thank you so much for your unique idea! Combined knitting is a great way to enhance this pattern, and it would make your cowl shine extra bright!
You can trust the process like you said, but if you’re not too far along already we’d recommend making a smaller swatch of this pattern in the round so you can get a quicker idea of how much you like it or not. All you need is some scrap yarn and an even number of stitches as you cast on again!
Another important factor to keep in mind is how much your gauge might change if you alternate your knitting. The ribbed section of this cowl might be a little tighter for example, so a smaller swatch would save you more time in figuring out what looks best in the long run.
Thanks again for bringing a new perspective to this pattern!
Best,
Margaret
Could I use season alpaca and mulberry merino?
Hi Carol,
Since this pattern was originally designed for a different sportweight yarn, you could absolutely use Season Alpaca and/or Mulberry Merino! Just be sure to double check your gauge before beginning. Animal fiber yarns often require a different needle size to achieve the same gauge as a cotton yarn.
All the best,
Lili
I’m trying the pattern with two colors and my second color seems to “peek” through in some places – I don’t seem to get the nice defined ribs. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Deanna,
Thanks for reaching out, although I’m sorry to hear that your stitches aren’t coming out as expected! The issue might be due to your gauge. If your gauge is on the loose side, the stitches will appear less defined and with more space in between, allowing the other color to show through. I’d recommend double checking your gauge measurements and decreasing your needles size if necessary!
If you’re still running into issues though, I’d suggest sending a photo of your work so far to customerservice@purlsoho.com. That way, we’ll be able to visualize exactly what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili