The 1997 Cowl is a chance for me to reimagine one of my most favorite, comfiest ribbed and striped sweaters from the 1990s, but for the new century I’ve turned it on its side and reworked it as an accessory. The most important part of this design is its simple shape: it is shorter in the back and dips down to create more volume in the front. This eliminates the bulk from the back of the neck so that it does not get in the way of longer hairstyles or big collars on wool coats (always popped for extra drama, in my case). The larger amount of fabric in the front provides warmth and a chance to show off some color and simple texture, here in the form of vertical, marled stripes and horizontal ribbing.

This is knit using two strands of fingering weight yarn held together. The Main Color strand is continuous throughout, while the stripes are created by alternating other colors, including an additional strand of the Main Color for a solid stripe. There’s a lot of room for customization and using up remnants from your stash in this project.

Sizes:
One Size.

Measurements:
24”/61 cm in circumference, 7”/18 cm high in back, 10.5”/26.5 cm high in front after blocking.

Yarn:
Brooklyn Tweed Loft, fingering weight, Targhee-Columbia wool (275 yds/251 m per 50g skein) in three colorways broken down as follows:

• Main Color (MC): a total of approx. 303 yds divided into two
balls, with one containing at least 236 yds which will be worked continuously throughout the pattern and one ball containing at least 68 yards that will be used in the MC stripe.
• Color 2 (C2): approx. 100 yds.
• Color 3 (C3): approx. 68 yds.

The combinations in the first sample shown in the pattern are Snowbound (MC), Faded Quilt (C2) and Cast Iron (C3); the second sample is a combination of Cast Iron (MC), Long Johns (C2) and Snowbound (C3). Be sure to review “A Note on Yarn Substitutions” in the pattern for help choosing colors, especially if you prefer to use only one skein of MC.

Needles:
US 7 (4.5mm) or size needed to obtain gauge.

Gauge:
19 sts and 30 rows = 4”/10 cm in 3x2 ribbing (k3, p2) with two strands of fingering weight yarn held together, after blocking.

Tools:
Tapestry needle for seaming and to weave in ends. You may also wish to use a 12” strand of more durable yarn (such as sock yarn) for seaming.

Skill Level:
Advanced Beginner

Skills Required:
Increasing, decreasing, seaming using mattress stitch.

Show off your work:
Use the hashtag #1997Cowl on social media to share your progress!