Description
“Scaccomatto” (checkmate in English) is a cowl inspired by a very special weaving technique called jacquard à fil coupé (cut-thread jacquard), which creates fabrics with decorative designs and motifs, finished by cutting the floating threads to form fringes that create a pleasing tactile and aesthetic effect.
In “Scaccomatto” the pattern on the front of the work is achieved by working in color knitting, performed in such a way as to firmly fix the threads not in use on the back of the work and create a double face knitted fabric, which has, instead of a right side and a wrong side, two right sides that are different both in terms of the design and the interweaving of the threads and in the creation of the fringes.
“Scaccomatto” is presented in three different versions: Squares and Columns. Once the technique has been learned it will be possible to experiment with different effects and results.

Video
In the pattern, there are four video links that show how to knit the cowl using two colors—either with one color in each hand or with both colors in the right hand. The videos also demonstrate how to manage the dominant yarn, depending on which pattern you prefer.

Construction
The cowl is knitted in the round, alternating two-colour sections with single-colour sections. The cowl can be worked without shaping, to create a perfectly cylindrical shape, or decreases can be made to tighten the end and create a conical cylindrical shape.

Measurements
Squares version: 25cm/10” top width - 29cm/11,5” bottom width -
25cm/10” lenght
Columns version: 24cm/9,5”x24cm/9,5”

Gauge
Both Squares versions: 20,5 sts = 4”/10 cm measured over stockinette stitch in the round after blocking
Columns version: 15 sts = 4”/10 cm measured over stockinette stitch in the round after blocking

Yarn
Squares versions:
Option A
50 g Cardiff Cashmere Classic col. 509 Silver (100% cashmere) – Color A
25 g Cardiff Cashmere Classic col. 628 Granata (100% cashmere) - Color B

Option B
50 g Lamana Como col. 03 M Silk Grey (100% lana) – Color A
25 g Lamana Como col. 15 Chili (100% lana) – Color B

Columns version:
50 g Gepard Woolia col. 599 black (100% organic merino wool) – Color A
50 g CaMaRose Snefnug col. 7811 white (55% baby alpaca, 35% organic cotton, 10% merino wool) or Gepard Puno col. 101 (68% Baby Alpaca, 10% Mulesing Free Fine Merino Wool, 22% Polyamide for the net) – Color B

Needles
Squares versions: US 4/3,5 mm – 20”/50 cm circular
Columns version: US 9/5.5 mm - 16”/40 cm circular

Notions
Squares versions: 12 stitch markers, 1 of which is a different color Columns version: 8 stitch markers, 1 of which is a different color