The Botanist’s Cowl combines two-colour brioche and garter stitch to create a striking leaf panel. The same panel (with a slightly different use of foreground and background colour) also appears on The Botanist’s Mittens.
Set discount: Both patterns together can be purchased at a set price of 7.50 CHF (coupon code BOTANIST, previous purchases apply).

The name of both designs was inspired by Botanist Anna Atkins, born in 1799, who is considered the first person to publish a book illustrated exclusively with photographic images. She had been interested in science and graphic arts from an early age and created most beautiful cyanotypes (or “blueprints”) of algae, ferns and flowering plants.

Are you ready to advance beyond plain brioche ribbing? If you are familiar with brioche increases and decreases (photo tutorial provided) and can work a sequence of panels in the round, this cowl is for you! Don’t be intimidated by the alternation of foreground and background colours - you only use one colour at a time, and both charts and written instructions guide you through every round of the pattern. The overall shape of the cowl is achieved with strategically placed increases and decreases.
Enjoy the rhythm of brioche knitting and watch the leaves appear on the garter panels!

Skills required: Basic knitting techniques (such as knitting, purling, casting on and binding off ), working two-colour brioche in the round, following a sequence of panels with different stitch patterns within the round.
The pattern includes photo tutorials for the different types of brioche decreases.

Measurements: 28 cm/11’’ high and 48 cm/19’’ around