Eyelet Cowl
With its subtle details and gorgeous color, our Eyelet Cowl is a masterpiece of simplicity and the perfect showpiece for our gorgeous new Spindle!
We offer instructions for two sizes, so you can pick whether you want to play it close with a narrower tube or wrap your cowl twice for a toasty puddle of fabric.
Either way, the knitting is a cinch: Cast on, join in the round, and knit away! Halfway through, you switch colors and start knitting in some simple eyelets every few rounds.
You join the two ends of the cowl as you bind off, creating a striking double layer with a pop of color on the inside (or if you’re feeling bold, the outside!).
Spindle is a laceweight single ply that knits into a fascinatingly beautiful fabric. It provides the warmth and structure you want in a cowl but with a lovely drape and a wonderful feel.
Made in County Donegal of 80% merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% mulberry silk, Spindle is an exquisite interpretation of Irish tweed yarn, with a more delicate touch and a softer hand than strictly traditional versions.
Small bits (or “burrs”) of fiber add rich variation in color and texture and also lend a rustic look, underlaid by the elegance of Spindle’s single-ply simplicity.
Available in seventeen colors, Spindle has a gorgeous range of neutrals, as well as plenty of delightful pops of color. A palette perfect for pairing, whether you want a subtle contrast or a bold statement… Make your match and cast on!
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!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
- Purl Soho’s Spindle, 80% merino, 10% cashmere, 10% mulberry silk. Each skein is approximately 625 yards/100 grams.
- Color A: 1 (2) skein(s); approximately 290 (800) total yards required. We used House Wren for our Once-Around version and Heirloom White for our Twice-Around version.
- Color B: 1 (2) skein(s); approximately 290 (800) total yards required. We used Fuchsia Rose for our Once-Around version and Golden Meadow for our Twice-Around version.
- US 1½ (2.75 mm), 16-inch circular needles for Once-Around size, or 32- or 40-inch circular needles for Twice-Around size
- Two stitch markers, one regular and one removable
GAUGE
32 stitches and 44 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZES
Once-Around (Twice-Around)
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 23 (55) inches circumference x 11 inches tall
NOTES
CONSTRUCTION
You will knit this cowl in one piece, starting with Color B (the stockinette inner layer) and then switching at the halfway point to Color A (the eyelet stitch outer layer). You will finish by folding the work in half and knitting the cast-on edge together with the working stitches, binding off as you go.
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern is worked over a multiple of 8 stitches.
PATTERN
STOCKINETTE HALF
With Color B and using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast on 184 (448) stitches.
TIP: When you’re casting on so many stitches, it really helps to place a marker or piece of scrap yarn every 50 stitches. That way, when you lose count (which you will!), you won’t have to recount all the stitches. Just remember to remove these markers when you work the first round.
Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Set-Up Round: K1 and place a removable marker on this stitch (you will come back to this marker later), knit to end of round.
Knit every round until piece measures 11 inches from cast-on edge.
Cut Color B.
EYELET STITCH HALF
Join Color A.
Set-Up Round: Purl to end of round.
Rounds 1–3: Knit to end of round.
Round 4: *K6, yarn over (yo), knit 2 together (k2tog), repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 5–7: Knit to end of round.
Round 8: K2, *yo, k2tog, k6, repeat from * to last 6 stitches, yo, k2tog, k4.
Repeat Rounds 1–8 until piece measures approximately 22 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Round 3.
FINISHING
Weave in the ends at the color change (this will be inside the two layers when you are done).
NOTE: To see the following technique in action, visit our Knit Hem Tutorial, although, note that in this pattern we recommend picking up just one stitch at a time using your left needle instead of a spare needle.
Fold piece in half at purl round so wrong sides are facing each other. Hold piece so working needles and cast-on edge are parallel and at the top, with working needles on the outside.
Beginning with marked stitch from first Set-Up Round…
Bind-Off Round: Using left needle tip, [pick up purl bump on wrong side, right below cast-on edge and in same column as next stitch, knit next working stitch and picked-up stitch together] 2 times, pass first stitch on right needle over second stitch to bind off, *pick up next purl bump on wrong side, right below cast-on edge and in same column as next stitch, knit next working stitch and picked-up stitch together, pass first stitch on right needle over second stitch to bind off, repeat from * until end of round, cut yarn and pull last stitch through.
Weave in ends and gently wet block.
LEARN ABOUT SPINDLE + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Spindle is a truly exceptional choice for knitting projects that require a lace-weight yarn and the uniquely rich qualities of an Irish tweed. A gorgeous mix of 80% merino wool, 10% cashmere, and 10% mulberry silk, Spindle is a woolen-spun, single-ply yarn, which means it is light and lofty and elegantly simple with a down-to-earth beauty. Enjoy 17 extraordinary colors that reflect Spindle’s County Donegal origin!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of free Spindle knitting patterns and cast on!
More Lace-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of lace-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop merino wool yarn
- Shop cashmere yarn (What makes cashmere so special? Learn all about this amazing fiber in our guide to cashmere yarn!)
- Shop silk yarn
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!
Could you place a lifeline in the first row to aid in picking up stitches during the bind off?
Hi Chantal,
Yes, you can certainly use a lifeline if that makes the stitches easier to see at this point!
All the best,
Lili
I don’t understand the lifeline and can’t do this bind-off hem. Can you help? I pick up the stitch and knit the two together and then what?
Hi Amy,
Thanks for reaching out! You’re absolutely correct so far. You pick up the stitch and knit it together with the live stitch on your needles, and then continue doing this around the entire cowl, binding off as you go. The binding off just consists of passing the first stitch on the right needle over the second, as you would bind off normally. I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
I love this and I want it. But I also want to finish it this season. If there any chance of getting this pattern in a dk weight yarn?
Hi SM,
Thanks for writing in! You can certainly use a DK weight yarn for this pattern, and all you’d need to do is adjust the number of stitches you cast on so that the cowl comes to the correct dimensions.
To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the circumference of the size you’re making and cast on the nearest multiple of 8 stitches. Then you can follow the pattern as written!
All the best,
Lili
Hi SM
You can knit it with fingering sock yarn 4 ply on size 3 circular needles, with same amount of stitches. I’m doing the 184 stitch one. I can’t mention the yarn as it’s not one of theirs. If it comes out well, I might try it with some line weight yarn I still have. See if Purl has some sock yarn.
That’s a great suggestion! We still would recommend making a gauge swatch when using any yarn to double check that it will work with the original stitch count. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you for allowing me to see the instructions in full. It’s really appreciated.
I’m really loving this eyelet cowl, but our climate doesn’t get quite that cold. I’d like a looser version of the narrower tube, one where I wouldn’t wrap it around twice. I see that there should be enough yarn in each skein to CO maybe 200-250 stitches? Is there an even or odd number of stitches needed?
Hi Jan,
Thanks for writing in! The stitch multiple for this cowl is 8, so you’d need to cast on a multiple of 8 to make sure the eyelet pattern works out. You should still be able to use just 1 skein for a medium-sized tube!
All the best,
Lili
Hello, I love your patterns, have made several, and this one is goin on my list to make. Just wondering, is there a reason you didn’t use a provisional cast on, since the piece will be bound off with the working as well as the cast on edge? Thank you.
Hi Rose,
Thanks for reaching out, and I’m happy to hear that you’re interested in this pattern! The choice to use a regular cast-on was just based on the preference of the designer, but I believe it’s because provisional cast-ons are much more tedious, and doing one for 448 stitches (for the twice-around size) might not be very fun! But if you’d like to use a provisional cast-on, it would totally work.
All the best,
Lili
Hey guys is their a way to do it on bigger size needles, like size 8 with less stitches. I was wondering if I cast on 48 stitches too and knitted it long ways then sewed the ends together. I’d have to knit then Purl back since it’s not in the round. If I want to do it in the round, with 8 needles or size 6 how many stitches would I cast on instead of 184?
Hi Cheryl,
You can absolutely adjust the yarn and needles for this pattern! To figure out your new cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern (if this is daunting, we have a wonderful tutorial called All About Gauge). Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the width that you would like and cast on the nearest multiple of 8. Then you can follow the pattern as written (or modify it for flat knitting, if you’d like)!
All the best,
Lili
Would Night Ocean and Charcoal Blue look good together in this pattern?
Hi Laurie,
Yes, I think those two colors would look lovely together!
All the best,
Lili
what if i want to knit it some size in between? I tend to knit looser it seems than purl soho’s gauge , and would like to know about what i would want to do if i wanted to say…use 400 of each color instead (so one full skein)? How do i adjust the pattern
and if i do this, which needle size should I get?
Hi Erin,
I just saw this comment as well! Since you’re changing up the gauge, you can use whichever needle size you’d like. I’d recommend trying out a few sizes to figure out which fabric density you prefer!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Erin,
You can absolutely knit a size in between! To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the circumference that you would like and cast on the nearest multiple of 8 stitches. Then you can follow the pattern as written!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili,
This sounds like an excellent suggestion, but let’s say I live out of a suitcase (I do) and don’t have a lot of knitting needles. I’m looking to buy for project need and really can only justify getting 2 skeins of yarn (even though I like the look of the 4 skein, i also know that i end up with things being TOO HUGE on me). I want to use the full 2 skeins, so would the gauge approach still be appropriate here? And as such, being new to circulars, how would i know which size circular to get?
I’m keen on the white and green combo for this cowl. cute spring time hope cowl
Hi Erin,
There are a lot of moving factors in a question like this (gauge, yardage, dimensions), and I’m afraid I won’t be able to give you an accurate answer without keeping at least one as a constant! The easiest way to determine exactly how many stitches to cast on in order to use up 2 full skeins would be to knit it at the intended gauge. Since you know that you usually knit loosely, then you can anticipate that you’ll need to use smaller needles and start with a size 1 or 0.
Knowing the original gauge, I can then calculate exactly how many stitches you’d need to cast on to use up 2 skeins! With this amount of yardage (625yd per skein), you can make a cowl with a 50-inch circumference, and you would cast on 400 stitches for that.
In terms of what circular needles to use, you’ll just need needles that are smaller than the circumference of the cowl, since that will allow all the stitches to sit comfortably around them without stretching at all. For a 50-inch circumference, I’d recommend using 40-inch circular needles.
All the best,
Lili
Lili! Thank you for this kind and thorough response. I really really appreciate it and look forward to wearing my cute cowl.
Would this also work well in something like Line Weight?
Hi Saskia,
Yes, you can absolutely make this pattern with Line Weight! If you’re able to get the correct gauge (32 stitches and 44 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch), then you can follow the pattern as written. But Line Weight is a bit thicker than Spindle, so you may want to knit it up with a slightly larger gauge. If you want to take that route, you’d just need to change the cast-on number so that your cowl ends up the correct size.
To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern with Line Weight. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the circumference that you would like and cast on the nearest multiple of 8 stitches. Then you can follow the pattern as written with the new stitch count!
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lil, I have some line weight. I did a swatch with some leftover in that yarn. I cast on 8 stitches and did 8 rows in stocking knit, and got an inch using size 4 circular needles. I’m confused though how many stitches I would have to cast on instead of 184 stitches
Hi Cheryl,
It sounds like the gauge you’re getting is exactly the same as the gauge of the pattern! That means you can cast on 184 stitches, as the pattern states.
However, when swatching, it’s best to make a large gauge swatch (5 or 6 inches in length and width is what I recommend), so that you can take the measurement from the central stitches, avoiding the edge stitches where the tension is uneven. You may want to redo your swatch with these larger dimensions, just to double check that you’re actually getting 8 stitches per inch!
All the best,
Lili
Once again, you guys have somehow read my mind and written a pattern that has been living vaguely in my imagination for months… I have two skeins of very special silk and was planning to make basically this exact pattern, and now I don’t have to do the math myself! Thank you!
🙂
Hi Lili,
I tried to see if the answer to my question was already asked….can you twist the first round so that it knits up with a twist in the middle?
I’m thinking it might work?
Thanks
Vera
Hi Vera,
Thanks for writing in! Unfortunately, I don’t think that technique would work for this pattern. That’s because the way this cowl is constructed, you fold it in half to knit the cast-on edge together with the live stitches. If you twist the cast-on, that will likely not work out properly, and you won’t be able to close up the cowl!
All the best,
Lili
Help! Can I use a different cast on? I’m having trouble with the long tail cast on. I didn’t allow a long enough tail. And then when I re did it the yarn broke. I’ve had to scrap several yards. I was wondering if I could use the knitted cast on? That would be less stressful for the yarn and I could get the tension just right.
Hi Cheryl,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been having trouble with the cast-on for this project! You can certainly use the knitted cast-on though. I think that’s a great alternative to get this cowl started!
All the best,
Lili
I wanted to mention that I chose Black Sand for color 2 and Sumac Red for Color 1.
Is there away to knit this pattern as a wrap and not a cowl? I love the eyelet details and the two color idea but think it would also look good as a wrap.
Thank you
Hi Kay,
Thanks for reaching out, and modifying this pattern into a wrap is a great idea! Probably the easiest way to do so is to knit the pattern as written (but flat) and then seam the remaining loose edges together. Let us know how your project turns out if you end up trying this!
All the best,
Lili
I tried making this and gave up. I used #2 needles (chiaogoo) and a 30 in cable, cast on 448 stitches. It kept slipping off, and it was going to take way too long. I’m a fairly new knitter and haven’t ever worked with thin yarn. I’m going to return the 3 unused skeins and try something easier!
Hi Anna Maria,
We’re so sorry to hear that this pattern and yarn ended up being so frustrating to knit! We’ll keep an eye out for your return at our warehouse, and in the meantime we’re happy to help you brainstorm what to make instead. Just let us know if you’d like our advice!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks for this pattern – I’m having a blast with it! But I wonder if there might be a typo in the ‘Eyelet Stitch Half’ instructions above…? For Rows 4 & 8, shouldn’t the ‘regular’ knit number be five? If the pattern is an 8-stitch repeat, then there would be nine stitches if the k6 instruction is followed: k6 (6 stitches) + yo (2 stitches) + k2tog (1 stitch) = 6+2+1=9 stitches before the pattern repeats. I’ve been using k5, instead, and this seems to work.
Hi Bes,
Thanks for reaching out. I took a look over the pattern and can confirm that it’s correct as written! A yo actually just counts as 1 stitch, since it’s a 1-stitch increase, not 2, so the math works out like this: k6 (6 stitches) + yo (1 stitch) + k2tog (1 stitch) = 8 stitches. Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Is it possible to set this up as a double knit.??
Hi Tena,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m afraid that it may be pretty complicated to do double knitting for this pattern. The increase and decrease stitches in the eyelet section will be tricky to maneuver when you also have the other color’s stitches on your needle at once.
All the best,
Lili
So if I were wanting to make this as a scarf, not a cowl (a throw actually), and it’s not really feasible to knit it as a double knit… then what? I could knit the lace “face” and a solid backing, then would need to join the two somehow by sandwiching them public sides together then turning. This would be really a perfect little blankie for my minimalist son and DIL who are expecting their first if I can figure it out! They wanted more contrast than the DK blanket/throw. Any suggestions welcome.
Hi Deborah,
To make a scarf version of this pattern, I’d recommend casting on for the scarf along the length (not the width), knitting to your desired width with the first color, and then doing that again with the other color. Then you can work the Bind-Off Round as written, binding off along the length of the scarf. Finally, all you’ll have to do is seam the shorter ends together!
All the best,
Lili
Would sumac Red and charcoal Blue work together?
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for writing in! I think those colors would be wonderful together. Although you don’t necessarily need high-contrasting colors, I think these two shades would complement each other very well!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I need help binding off. I watched the tutorial, and I understand the process in theory, but my eyes are not able to pick out which stitch to pick up on the wrong side of the fabric. The purl bumps all look alike to me. I cannot tell which bumps belong with which column of stitches. I am 69 and I already need reading glasses to knit, but these little stitches are beyond my ability to see. I tried a magnifying light, but this didn’t really help and slowed me way down. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Hi Kimbria,
Thanks for writing in! One thing you could try is to take a spare needle, stick it through the knit side of the fabric where you are able to identify the knit stitch, turn your work, and pick up your purl bump. This will allow you to identify each stitch a little more easily than trying to search for the purl bumps on the wrong side. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any more questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Thanks!
Would it be possible to use Linen Quill for this cowl? I understand that Quill is a fingering weight and this pattern is written for a lace-weight yarn, so a gauge swatch is necessary. My question specifically is in regards to the yarns themselves … is Linen Quill a visibly thicker, denser yarn than Spindle? Or is it basically visually (thickness-wise) similar? And would the two layers (eyelet and all over stockinette) be too thick in Linen Quill for a cowl?
Thanks so much. I so appreciate all your terrific patterns.
Hi James,
Thank you for your question! You should be fine to use Linen Quill with this pattern without running into any issues! Since they are both fingering weights, you shouldn’t see any difference besides the yarns themselves being different! Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Cute pattern! But I’m confused as to why the stockinette section is 11” and the eyelet is 22”. Shouldn’t they be the same?
Hi Anne,
Thanks for writing in! You’re measuring the 22 inches from the cast-on edge, so it would equate to 11 inches of stockinette and 11 inches of eyelets!
All the best,
Lili
Got it….thanks!
I have some skeins of your Loft yarn by Brooklyn Tweed. Would this work with this pattern?
Hi Joan,
Brooklyn Tweed’s Loft would be a wonderful choice for this pattern! Since you already have the yarn on hand, you can knit up a gauge swatch to determine what size needles you should use. You may need to size your needles up or down to achieve the gauge of the pattern!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks Lili!
Hi, what is the removeable stitch marker used for? It says that it will be used later, but I don’t think it is. Thanks
Hi Heather,
You won’t come back to that marked stitch until you reach the FINISHING section! Here, it’s used to determine where you begin joining the two sides together:
Beginning with marked stitch from first Set-Up Round…
Hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
Oops. I thought I read through the entire pattern. Apparently I did not. Thanks so much.
I bought 3 each of the yellow and white to make a wrap version. I see now that I need to cast on a LOT of stitches because of the advice to cast on the length not the width. So I’m not left with a lot of leftover yarn, and can get a nice long wrap, do you have any advice on how to calculate the number of stitches to cast on? I could consider making it a bit wider than the 11 inches when folded as well. Thanks in advance!
Hi Cherrie,
To figure out your new cast-on number, all you need to do is multiply the number of stitches per inch (8 stitches, according to the gauge of the pattern) by the length that you would like and cast on the nearest multiple of 8 stitches. Though if you plan on knitting this flat for a wrap, you may also want to add some stitches along the sides to create a nicer edge!
All the best,
Lili