This cowl is easy and relaxing to work and yet has a bit of everything: knit and purl, lace and cables. The basic stitches and the intuitive pattern make it suitable even for an adventurous beginner but it has enough variety to keep the interest of those with more experience as well.

I often wear cowls indoors and this one has become one of my favourite indoor cowls. Sometimes a knitted sweater would be too much but it’s still a little chilly and a cowl is not only nice and warm but it can be quite decorative as well. The alpaca and silk blend yarn gives the Alsica Cowl a beautiful drape.

This cowl comes in two sizes but both the circumference and the height is easily adjustable. If you want a smaller or larger circumference, cast on 24, 48, 72 (or any other multiple of 24) stitches more or less than written. If you need more height, work more repeats than written.

Instructions are both charted and written. US and metric measurements.

Yarn
Artesano Alpaca Silk 4 Ply
70% alpaca 30% silk
200 meters (219 yards) / 50 g
2 skeins in #0485 Foxglove (MC)
1 skein in #5225 Cyclamen (CC)

Needle
3.5 mm (US 4) circular needle, 60 cm
(24 inches) long for size A or 100
cm (40 inches) long for size B

Notions
cable needle

Sizes
Size A
64 cm (25¼ inches) circumference and 51.5 cm (20¼ inches) high
Size B
117.5 cm (46¼ inches) circumference and 26.5 cm (10½ inches) high

Gauge
22.5 stitches / 31 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) in pattern, blocked