The String Lake cowl is one of nine patterns in Independent Fabrication: Volume 2, a collection of accessory patterns in small-batch yarn. The print + eBook bundle is currently available for pre-order from Tightly Knit and Sandreed Press; the individual patterns and eBook-only options are available on Ravelry.

Warm enough to tuck under a coat in the winter, but delicate enough to be worn year-round, the String Lake cowl is a great balance of wooliness and elegance. It’s worked in the round and shaped by decreasing needle sizes, so you can relax into the soothing slip-stitch texture. Bare Naked Wools’ Chebris Worsted is a loosley-spun Merino-mohair blend with amazing openness and drape. I’ve rendered it here in a slip-stitch pattern that gives it movement and texture without fighting its fantastic fluidity. The subtle sheen of the yarn, particularly as the light captures the garter ridges, makes for a sophisticated accessory that dresses up or down easily.

Size
One size: 32” / 81 cm circumference at bottom; 26” / 66 cm circumference at top; 8.5” / 21.5 cm tall.

Yarn
Bare Naked Wools Chebris Worsted (60% Merino, 40% Mohair, 225 yards / 205 meters per 4 oz / 115 grams), or approximately 200 yards / 182 meters of worsted-weight wool yarn. Sample knit in “Dragee.” (Note on yarn substitution: you’re looking for a loosely-spun, highly drapey yarn here. Look for something with alpaca, silk, or mohair in a significant percentage to match the look achieved in the sample.)

Gauge
18 sts and 28 rnds per 4” / 10 cm in stockinette stitch on medium-sized needle, after blocking.

Needles
One 24” circular needle in sizes US 5 / 3.75 mm, US 6 / 4.00 mm, and US 7 / 4.5 mm or size needed to obtain gauge, one needle size smaller, and one needle size larger.

Notions
Stitch markers (optional); tapestry needle.

Skills Required
Knitting in the round; sewn bind-off.