A bracing ramble along the rocky shores of the Atlantic, a traipse through the Midwestern plains, or a hike in the southwestern deserts among the piñon pines, wherever you get your nature, it’s important your hand-knits fit right in!

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho

Our Piñon Cowl does, indeed, with its simple stitch pattern that reminds us of the blossomy pine cones of piñon pines, an engineering feat by nature herself reflected in the knits and purls of our very own hands!

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho

And what better yarn for such an ode than our undyed Good Wool, 100% highland wool from the Andes mountains. In five shades of what the sheep grow, we love its down-to-earth beauty and affordable price tag!

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho

You’ll need just two skeins for your own Piñon Cowl, plus a plan to explore the great outdoors!

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!

Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoPinionCowl, and #PurlSohoGoodWool. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho
  • 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Good Wool, 100% undyed Andean highland wool. Each skein is 383 yards; approximately 755 yards required. We used the color Hickory Nut.
  • US 4 (3.5 mm), 32- or 40- inch circular needles
  • A stitch marker

NOTE: This pattern uses almost exactly 2 full skeins, so please make sure to check your gauge to ensure you have enough yarn.

Gauge

25 stitches and 34 rounds = 4 inches in stitch pattern

24 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Size

Finished Circumference: 56 inches

Finished Height: 12 inches

Notes

Stitch Multiple

This stitch pattern works over a multiple of 10 stitches.

Slip Stitches

Slip all slipped stitches purlwise with yarn in back.

Slip 1, k2tog, psso (slip 1, k2tog, pass slip stitch over)

Slip 1 stitch purlwise, knit 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over k2tog and off needle. [2 stitches decreased]

Pattern

Cast on 350 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Set-Up Rounds: Knit 5 rounds in stockinette stitch, knitting every round.

Work from either from Written Instructions or Chart, both below.

Written Instructions

Round 1: *K3, slip 1, k2tog, psso (see Notes), k3, yarn over (yo), k1, yo, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 2 and all following even number rounds: Knit to end of round.

Round 3: *K2, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 5: *K1, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 7: *Slip 1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 9: *Yo, k1, yo, k3, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k3, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 11: *K1, yo, k1, yo, k3, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k2, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 13: *K2, yo, k1, yo, k3, slip 1, k2tog, psso, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 15: *K3, yo, k1, yo, k3, slip 1, k2tog, psso, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 16: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rows 1–16 until piece measures 12 inches from cast-on edge, unrolled.

Chart

NOTE: New to reading charts? Unravel the mysteries with our Reading A Chart Tutorial!

Begin this chart in the bottom right corner. All Rows are read right to left. Work your way up the chart to the top line.

Repeat Rows 1–16 until piece measures 12 inches from cast-on edge, unrolled.

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho
Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho

(Want to see it bigger? Click here and view the chart as a PDF!)

Finishing

Knit 5 rounds in stockinette stitch.

Bind off knitwise.

Weave in the ends and wet block.

Piñon Cowl | Purl Soho