Luster Cowl
Like a velvety bed of moss, our Luster Cowl calls to you to burrow in!
With an extraordinary, spongy softness, it also emits a gentle glow, which comes from pairing our 100% mulberry silk Furl with our suri-merino Quartz.
Each yarn brings its own radiance, starting with the silk of Furl. Mulberry silk is renowned for its superior quality, and you can see, above, its stunning luminosity. Spun up in a bouclé, with fluffy loops of fiber strung along its central threads, Furl adds little curls and sweet nubs to the Luster Cowl’s wonderful texture.
And Quartz… Quartz’s mineralogical glow comes from its suri component. The suri breed of alpacas has long, sleek locks. They are much less common than their woollier cousin, huacaya alpacas, making this super lustrous fiber really special. Spun up with merino wool in a fine fingering weight, Quartz is smooth and elegant, the perfect yarn to hold with Furl!
The Luster Cowl is a simple stockinette tube that you knit (then turn purl-side out when you’re done), with some easy decreases for a nice fit. The pattern is as simple as can be so that you can savor the incredible fabric you’re creating as it spills off your needles. You may want to make many for many people!
You’ll only need one skein of Quartz and one ball of Furl and for one cowl, and you can choose your favorite evocative color combo from our ten Luster Cowl Bundles. You’re going to really love knitting this beauty!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. Click here to see even more of Hiromi’s work!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLusterCowl, #PurlSohoFurl, and #PurlSohoQuartz. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
Our Luster Cowl Bundle (no longer available) includes all the yarn you’ll need to make your own cowl…
- Yarn A: 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Quartz, 65% merino wool and 35% suri alpaca. Each skein of this fingering-weight yarn is 420 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 230 total yards required.
- Yarn B: 1 ball of Purl Soho’s Furl, 100% mulberry silk yarn. Each ball of this fingering-weight yarn is approximately 274 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 225 total yards required.
You will also need…
- US 6 (4 mm), 16-inch circular needles
- Stitch markers, including one unique
With 10 luminous palettes to choose from, find the combo that catches your eye, above! We used Yellow Yarrow + Cadmium Chartreuse, Hydrangea Blossom + Golden Bronze, and Reed Gray + Heirloom White for our cowls.
Or choose your own color combo by picking up one skein of Quartz and one ball of Furl!
GAUGE
21 stitches and 28 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, holding a strand of Yarn A and B together
SIZE
- Finished Circumference at Top: 19 inches
- Finished Circumference at Bottom: 22 inches
- Finished Height: 12 inches
NOTES
You will knit this cowl with the knit (or stockinette) side facing you, but will turn it inside out, so the purl (or reverse stockinette) side is facing you, for wearing. Be sure to weave in the ends on the stockinette side!
PATTERN
With one strand of Yarn A and one strand of Yarn B held together, cast on 116 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place a unique marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Work in stockinette stitch, knitting every round, until piece measures 3 inches from cast-on edge.
Set-Up Round: K58, place marker, knit to end of round.
Decrease Round: [Knit 2 together, knit to two stitches before next marker, slip slip knit, slip marker] 2 times. [4 stitches decreased]
Continuing in stockinette stitch, repeat Decrease Round every 18th round, or approximately every 2½ inches, 3 more times. [100 stitches remain]
Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 12 inches from cast-on edge.
Bind off knitwise.
Weave in all ends on knit (stockinette stitch) side. Turn inside out so purl (reverse stockinette) side is facing you and gently wet block.
LEARN ABOUT QUARTZ + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Quartz brings a special glow to this project! A wonderful mix of 65% merino wool and 35% suri alpaca, this fingering-weight yarn is lustrous, radiant, and sumptuously soft. The addition of suri gives this yarn a lovely halo and subtle luminosity, while merino brings strength, elasticity, and of course, beauty. Choose from nearly 30 gorgeous colors you’ll only find at Purl Soho!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our collection of (mostly free!) Quartz knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-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 suri alpaca 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!
bonjour! those decrease rounds are not clear to me, do we get a one-stitch decrease on each side of the two marquers in a single round?
Hi Marie-France,
Thanks for reaching out! Your interpretation is correct–you will work a one single-stitch decrease on either side of each stitch marker each time you work the Decrease Round. There’s an ssk before each marker, and a k2tog after each marker. Hope this helps clarify the decreases used in this pattern!
All the best,
Lili
That isn’t clear as written. I think you should change that instruction. I thought was ssk on both sides of the secondary marker.
Hi DMF,
I’m sorry to hear that the instructions are confusing! I took a look over the Decrease Round, and I’m seeing both the k2tog and ssk stitches represented in the instructions. Can you let me know what makes it seem like the ssk is worked on both sides of one of the markers? Then we can see how it might be clarified!
All the best,
Lili
Am I correct that you begin the decrease round with ssk, knit to 2 stitches before the next marker then k 2 together, slip the marker, then ssk, then knit to within 2 stiches of the next marker, ending the round with a K 2.
Because, that is NOT what the instructions say.
Hi Anne,
Actually, it’s slightly different! You begin the decrease round with a k2tog, knit to 2 stitches before the marker, then ssk, slip the marker, k2tog, then knit to 2 stitches before the last marker, ending the round with an ssk. Hope this helps clarify the instructions!
All the best,
Lili
Actually this instruction in comment is much better than the pattern. I had the same issue but thought the patern was telling me to k2tog at the start which is correct, but to do three ssk stitches around the midpoint marker which made no sense to me but being just an intermediate knitter thought maybe there was some draping feature I wasn’t seeing in pic that it was intended to have it off balance! I figured it out after looking at these comments. So much clearer to say it how you stated here – subtle difference but makes all the difference! Thx!!
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for writing in! It’s helpful to know this comment made things more clear for you! We’ll definitely keep the exact verbiage in mind for future projects and appreciate the feedback 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts in the meantime and we’re glad to know you’re comfortable moving forward now!
All the best,
Gavriella
Agreed! This comment made it so much clearer. Unfortunately I was working from a screenshot of the pattern while traveling and only when I got to the end and counted stitches realized I had 108 instead of 100 and am now debating tearing the whole thing out… will probably just use it as is though. Glad to know I’m not the only one who was confused though!
Can you suggest a substitute for the Furl yarn? I made the Luster cowl for myself but my daughter-in-law would like one in pink. Already have the quartz yarn. Please bring the Furl yarn back. So much fun to knit with.
Thank you.
Dee
Hi Dee,
Thank you for reaching out! While we loved this yarn, not everybody else felt the same way, so we’ve had to make the sad decision to stop producing it. We hope you can understand! Although we don’t have an equal alternative, any of our fingering weight yarns would work wonderfully.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Could you make a hat with the Furl and Quartz yarn? If it’s nice and soft it might feel great to pull on your head.
Hi Anne,
Oh that is a fantastic idea–a Furl and Quartz had would feel so soft and comfy to wear! Please let us know how it turns out if you end up trying this!
All the best,
Lili
Hi! I’m a little confused on the decreased round. Do I knit 2tog until the very last 2 stitches and then ssk right after? I want to purchase your yarn for this project but I need to make sure I fully understand and I’m a little confused. If you have the time could you please give me very specific instructions on the decreasing part. Does the decrease round start after your cowl measures 3 inches, how many decreases on the 1st row and how many rows will i decrease on? Thank you so much! I’m excited to get my yarn ordered and to get started on this cowl:)
Hi Jacquelyn,
I’d be happy to help describe the decreases in this pattern in more depth! First, you begin the Decrease Round by knitting an ssk. Then, you knit until two stitches before the next marker (which you placed after the 58th stitch on the previous round) and work a k2tog over those two stitches. After slipping this stitch marker, you immediately work an ssk on the next two stitches, then knit until two stitches remain before the end-of-round marker, and finally work a k2tog with those two stitches to finish the round.
As for the spacing of the decrease rounds, yes, you will knit your first decrease round once the height of the cowl reaches 3 inches! There are 4 stitches decreased on each Decrease Round. Then, you will work in plain stockinette, knitting each round, while working a Decrease Round every 2 1/2 inches (or on every 18th round, if you’re counting your rounds as you knit). You will keep doing this until you’ve repeated the Decrease Round 3 more times, at which point your stitch count will be 100.
I hope this helps clarify things, and please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you so much for the clarification. I appreciate you taking the time to explain that to me. I’m starting the cowl today:)
I love this, but if I wanted to use Fiddlehead yarn instead, which I love, how many stitches would I cast on and then finish with? How much yarn would I need?
Thank you!
Hi PT,
Fiddlehead would be a wonderful choice for a cowl, and we actually have a very similar cowl pattern already designed specifically for this yarn! You can check out our Coziest Cowl at this link.
All the best,
Lili
Love this pattern and would like to make it. Is there an alternative for the wool? Unfortunately, I’m allergic.
Hi Bethany,
Thanks for reaching out, and you can absolutely use a non-wool yarn for this project! I’d recommend using Santolina, which is a fingering weight yarn like Quartz, and it’s a mix of cotton, bamboo, and hemp. As always though, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge!
I also wanted to mention one more thing! Most people who are sensitive to normal wool do not have the same reaction to fibers like merino wool and alpaca, which is what Quartz is made of. Both merino and alpaca fibers are so fine that they bend to the touch, rather than sticking up and scratching. So if these are the symptoms that you have with wool, they may actually be perfectly fine with Quartz (and other merino or alpaca yarns)!
All the best,
Lili
I made this in Quartz and Furl and it is definitely too itchy for me to wear. So if you are very sensitive to wool even the merino/alpaca could be a problem.
Hi LH,
I’m sorry to hear that Quartz has been too itchy for you! While merino and alpaca tend to feel soft to most people, it can definitely vary from person to person.
All the best,
Lili
Would love to make this as a wrap/ scarf. How much of each yarn would I need?
Hi Jane,
Thanks for reaching out, and that’s a great idea! I would recommend getting 3 skeins of Quartz and 4 skeins of Furl for a wrap, or 2 skeins of Quartz and 3 skeins of Furl for a scarf. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Could this be done in any two different colour fingering weight yarns such as plain silk , cashmere or silk linen mix.
Hi Carolyn,
You absolutely can! I want to mention though that the texture of the knit fabric might end up pretty different. The nubbly texture which can be seen from the photos is created mainly because one of the yarns we used (Furl) is a boucle yarn. If you use two non-boucle yarns, then the texture of the cowl will be normal reverse stockinette.
And as always, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge! If you would like to learn more about this, we have a handy tutorial called All About Gauge, which you can find right here. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I am very allergic to wool. What yarn, other than wool, do you suggest for the cowl?
Thank you,
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
Thanks for reaching out, and you can absolutely use a non-wool yarn for this project! I’d recommend using Santolina, which is a fingering weight yarn like Quartz, and it’s a mix of cotton, bamboo, and hemp. As always though, we recommend knitting a gauge swatch before casting on your project, especially when you are substituting yarns. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge!
I also wanted to mention one more thing! Most people who are sensitive to normal wool do not have the same reaction to fibers like merino wool and alpaca, which is what Quartz is made of. Both merino and alpaca fibers are so fine that they bend to the touch, rather than sticking up and scratching. So if these are the symptoms that you have with wool, they may actually be perfectly fine with Quartz (and other merino or alpaca yarns)!
All the best,
Lili
So two strands of fingering held together is approximately a DK weight. If I wanted to use a single strand of sport weight yarn, how many stitches would I have to cast on to get the same result? This is a really cute design that I think would look great with a tweed or heathered yarn.
Thanks for your help!
Shelley
Hi Shelley,
I also think this design would be very successful in a tweed or heathered yarn! 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 width that you would like and cast on the nearest even number. Then you can essentially follow the pattern as written! The only thing you’d need to change is how many stitches you knit before placing the stitch marker. To determine that, just divide your cast-on number in two!
All the best,
Lili
My head is 23 inches. How do I add stitches to make it fit my big head?
Hi Carla,
Thanks for reaching out! This cowl will still fit over a 23-inch head. Knit fabric is very stretchy, so it’ll stretch over your head and fit well around your neck. Just be sure to bind off loosely so that it has the ability to stretch to its full potential!
All the best,
Lili
Really looking forward to knitting this pattern. Just to clarify- shouldn’t the pattern call for garter stitch, not stockinette stitch, since it says to knit every round? The pictures also seem to show a garter (?) stitch.
Hi Sara,
Thanks for reaching out! When you’re knitting in the round, knitting every round will result in stockinette stitch. And to achieve the garter bump texture on this cowl, we turned it inside out before wearing it! I hope this helps clarify things, but please let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Lili
Thanks, Lili! I am new at knitting in the round and very much appreciate this clarification.
I have some Furl in Blue Juniper. Would the Quartz – Aquamarine be a color match?
Hi Carrie,
Yes, Aquamarine Blue would be a wonderful color to pair Blue Juniper with! They’re very close colors, so they’ll match really well and create a very cohesive knit fabric. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I love the look of this cowl with the combination of the two yarn colors and textures. I already bought a bunch of skeins of Fiddlehead to make the Le Beret. But if I wanted to make a cowl, which of your yarns would you suggest to combine Fiddlehead with to produce a similar result? I especially love the idea of paring it with a supersoft luxe yarn like the mulberry silk, but it might not work with both yarn choices being curly. Thanks for any ideas you might have.
Avis
Hi Avis,
I would actually recommend using Fiddlehead on its own for a cowl! We designed the Coziest Cowl for Fiddlehead, and it’s a lovely accessory. Fiddlehead is made from gorgeous alpaca fiber, which I’d say is just as luxurious as silk–just in a different way!
All the best,
Lili
Let’s try this one more time and see if I am understanding the decrease! The 1st decrease after 1st marker SSK knit to 2 stitches before next marker KNIT 2 together , slip marker, SSK stitches knit to 2 stitches b4 1st marker knit 2 together?
Hi Cynthia,
Not quite! You have it exactly the opposite (which wouldn’t be disastrous, by the way!), but if you want to follow the pattern as it’s written, the first thing you do at the beginning of the round is knit 2 together; then you knit to 2 stitches before the next marker, ssk, slip the marker, k2tog; then you knit to the last 2 stitches of the round, ssk, and slip the (end-of-round) marker.
I hope this clears things up for you! Please let us know if we can help again, thank you so much for your question, and we hope you enjoy knitting your Luster Cowl… It’s a beauty!
Best,
Whitney
I am currently making this cowl and it looks very nice except that the bottom edge is rolling quite a bit. Do you think this will relax once I block it? Thank you.
Hi Mary,
I’m sorry to hear about the rolling! Yes, it should settle down considerably once you block it!
All the best,
Lili
This is stunning! is there a way to modify the pattern to add a hood to it? Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth,
Adding a hood is such a fun idea! I’m afraid that we don’t have the time and resources to create a new version of this pattern with a hood at the moment, but it should be possible. If you end up trying it our yourself, please let us know how your project turns out!
All the best,
Lili
Decrease instructions are confusing.
(Knit 2 tog, knit to two stitches before next marker, skip slip knit, slip marker) 2 times (4 stitches decreased)
Explain please this yarn is way too expensive to mess it up.
Hi Maggie,
Happy to explain! The first stitch in the round is a k2tog decrease. Then, you knit each stitch until there are only 2 stitches before the next stitch marker. You work an ssk decrease with these two stitches and then slip the marker. Finally, you repeat everything you’ve done so far once more! That will take you back to the beginning/end-of-round marker, where you’ll be able to begin the next round from. Let me know if this helps things make more sense!
All the best,
Lili
Lil,
Thank you very much. That is much clearer.
Best,
Maggie
Hi. I have a few skeins of Line Weight left & am wondering if that yarn would be appropriate for this pattern.
Hi Cynthia,
Line Weight would be lovely for this pattern! It’s super similar in weight to Quartz, so it would be easy to achieve the gauge once combined with Furl. I’d recommend knitting up a gauge swatch before beginning still!
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I’ve made one Luster cowl using Furl and Quartz, and I love it. My question is: is there enough yarn left in these skeins to make a second cowl?
Thank you,
Mary
Hi Mary,
So glad to hear that you love the cowl you made! I’m afraid that there is not enough yardage left over to make a second cowl though. You’ll need another skein of each yarn!
All the best,
Lili
I see the Furl yarn is only available in one color now. Is there a substitute for it?
Thank you.
Hi Pam,
I’m afraid we don’t have an exact substitute for this pattern but any of our fingering or sport weight yarns would work wonderfully!
All the best,
Gavriella
Would using 2 different colours of Furl work for this cowl? I bought some last year and won’t be making what I bought it for. I really like the cowl and am wondering about using 2 of my Furls for it. Would it be too nubbly or hard to knit with? Thanks!
Hi Jane,
Absolutely! That would be so cool! It might be a bit trickier to knit with in terms of the nubbles obstructing your view of the stitches, but I think it would be worth it.
All the best,
Lili