Whit's Knits: Big Herringbone Cowl

This winter New York City streets are filled with people who have learned the secret of keeping warm. They are all wrapped up in the big soft folds of the oversized cowl. A long loop that you twist and double around your neck, it's definitely a glamorous touch in a what can otherwise be pretty frumpy season. Don't you love when fashion and function meet in such happy harmony?

This cowl was inspired by Joelle's classic Herringbone Poncho from her very first book, Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I have always been so taken with the drape and texture of Joelle's poncho that I was really excited to borrow her idea for this project!

I stuck with Joelle's choice of yarn, Blue Sky's Worsted, because it is by far one of Purl Soho's softest, most cuddly yarns, perfect for wearing around sensitive skin areas like your neck. A blend of fine merino wool and royal alpaca, it has a beautiful weight that creates cascading, dramatic fabrics. Just what I was looking for!

The cowl's final look keeps one foot in the past with a traditional herringbone stitch. It's such a distinctive stitch on such a powerful garment, you're going to feel about one foot taller when you wear yours!

The Materials

• 5 skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca's Worsted, 50% Royal Alpaca and 50% Merino. This color is "Ecru" #2003.
• A US #17, 32 inch circular needle.
• A Replaceable Jumbo Stitch Marker.

The Pattern

Gauge

15 stitches = 4 inches in herringbone stitch

Finished Size

14 inches wide and 58 inches around

Begin

Cast on 220 stitches. To ensure that your first round isn't too difficult, cast on fairly loosely; your stitches should easily slide up and down the needle.

Join into the Round

Make sure the stitches aren't twisted around the needle, and slip the last stitch you cast on from the right needle to the left needle (so that it is next to the first stitch cast on).

Place a replaceable jumbo stitch marker on the right needle.

K2tog and slip only the first stitch off the left needle (leaving the second stitch on the needle)...

...so it looks like this.

Continue

Round 1: *K2tog and slip only the first stitch off the left needle, repeat from * until 1 stitch remains.

Remove the stitch marker and k2tog, slipping the first stitch off the left needle. Place the stitch marker to the right of the first stitch on the right needle.

The next stitch looks like this...

Remove that stitch from the needle and twist it so it looks like this...

Round 2: *K2tog through the back loop (K2tog tbl), slipping the first stitch off the left needle, repeat from * to last stitch. Remove the stitch marker and k2tog tbl, slipping the first stitch off the left needle. Place the stitch marker to the right of the first stitch on the right needle.

The next stitch looks like this...

Remove that stitch from the needle and twist it so it looks like this...

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until piece measures 14 inches from the cast on edge, ending with all the steps of Round 2.

Here's what the right side of Herringbone Stitch looks like:

And here's what the wrong side looks like:

Bind Off

NOTE: You will continue to work the Herringbone Stitch for the bind off.

Bind Off Round: [K2tog and slip only the first stitch off the left needle] 2 times, pass the first stitch over (just like a normal bind off), *k2tog and slip the first stitch off the left needle, pass the first stitch over, repeat from * until 2 stitches remain (1 stitch on the left needle and 1 stitch on the right needle), knit the last stitch tbl and pass the first stitch over. Cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitch. 

Weave in the ends, gently block and then bundle up!

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Does this yarn pill? A lot or a little?

[Audrie]

That looks so soft and gorgeous! Might have to attempt this one before winter's over :)

[Sarah H]

This is a beautiful stitch! I've never seen it before! I'll have to give this a try.

[Jen]

This is a great looking stitch, looks very unusual. Do you think it would work on a hat?

[Teje]

That looks so great! New to me and looks a little bit complicated but I'll give a try with your good photos! Really beautiful cowl!

[Arndís]

So beautiful!

[clare s]

Hello - are there any other suggestions on what yarn I could use? I am based in the UK and this yarn is not easy to come by...i am also relatively new to knitting so not great at finding substitute yarns.

thanks for the pattern - it looks so beautiful!

[Hayley]

I LOVE this pattern! Have never seen this stitch before and cannot stop looking at it. Thank you!

I have 29" #17 needles- Would that be too much of a squeeze? 220 is quite a lot of stiches...

Cheers!

[Jeanie]

Super awesome! Thanks.

[Chrissy]

I love anything in herringbone and this, my friend, is particularly gorgeous. Thank you.

[flavia]

mi piace tantissimo questo punto a ferri!!! ma non riesco a capire, visto che sono italiana, l'esecuzione del punto specialmente l'inizio e i primi due passi...potrei avere una maggiore spiegazione??? anche in video Grazie!!!

[rose]

I love your site and the way your pattens are photographed. every thing is so beautiful. This scarf is awesome, but I think I need a video tutorial for the pattern. Your instructions are always clear, but this confuses me a little. I would love, love, love to make this scarf.

[Cayenne]

i darn say it...but i'm confused too. also can you share what the gauge should be in stockinette stitch.

[Leah]

Did you use all 500 yards or close to? The yarn I've chosen....well 2 skeins are 420 yards. Is that enough? Oh I hope it is. Please let me know! I'm ready to CO!

[Megan]

I'm ready to make this beautiful cowl - do you have any other yarn suggestions from your site?

[Tara]

I tried finding the size 17/32" circular needles on your site, and you don't have them. Any suggestions. Not an easy size to find.

[Dianna]

I'm also a little confused! How is the second of the k2tog stiches slipped off the left needle onto the right? I've read and re-read the instructions - am I missing this somewhere?

[Rachel]

I have a terrible time knitting in the round...my hand cramps up horribly! How would one do this stitch to make something flat such as a scarf?

[Sarah]

This is beautiful!

I just re-read the pattern, and answered my own question.
Finished Size
14 inches wide and 58 inches around

I have 60" circular needles, so I'm going to stretch it out and try ... looks like it should fit.
(of course my yarn is too bulky ... so that will add to the size )
... either way I'm going to enjoy trying the herringbone stitch

[Diana]

I also don't know what to do with the second stitch... Do you use it to K2tog with the next stitch?

[Jessica]

This cowl is absolutely gorgeous, and I desperately want to make it. I just have one question. As a broke college student, are there any yarns you can suggest substituting? Or qualities I should look for in a yarn? The yarn and needle you used would be most of my paycheck. :(

[purl bee]

Hi Diana,

Yes, you've got it - your next k2tog is made with the second stitch from the previous k2tog plus the next stitch! It ends up that each stitch actually gets knit twice.

Please let us know if you have any more questions - we'd be happy to help!

Thank you for your question,
Whitney

[Tara]

Thank you! Lovely post, and I've learned a new stitch. I've taken to making my own yarn and using whatever needles are available to make things.. so I've adapted a bit of this to make a neck warmer.. thanks again.

[Kitty]

I saw this post after i bgt some yarn from your website, ready to knit a scarf! I bgt Manos Del Uruguay handspun semi solids. Any idea if i can use that for this crowl? and i can only find a 9mm needle at the yarn store. Will that do? how do i know how much to adjust for the pattern?

Thank you in advance!!!=D

[Whitney S.]

Whitney and friends! This cowl is beautiful. I just knit the whole thing with a different yarn (same weight as the Blue Sky) and the recommended needles following the instructions exactly. At the end I decided that with the yarn I was using I could stand to use size #15 needles instead (it's too loose and seems to be vulnerable to pulls) and is about 5 inches too long (I like them so that I only twist it twice and it hugs my neck- this one is long enough to twist three times.
That said I used Stitch Nation "Full o Sheep" yarn and it only took two skeins to make the whole thing. I am planning on redoing it with the #15 needles taking out about forty stitches and I think then it will be perfect for me!

Thanks so much for the pattern, other Whitney!
Happy knitting,
-Whitney S

[barbara robbins]

seems like everyone posting blogs could print the pattern ,but me! what a beauty! you gave such great instructions, that it seems that it's available straight from the site--beautiful site, by the way!

[abbey]

are there any video tutorials for this stitch? i think i had the first row correct, but when it came to k2tog tbl i kept getting a double stitch...twisted etc. i have to start over now!
i'd love to just be able to see details for the tbl row...

thanks!

[lightbluegrey]

O, so beautiful. Will keep it in mind!

[Christi]

Which cast on do you recommend? I'm having trouble with backward loop on the circular needles and knit cast on looks too prominent.

Thanks for the beautiful pattern!
Christi

[Sian]

Thankyou, I am loving it!

[aw]

beautiful.

[purl bee]

Hi Christi,

I would recommend using the Long Tail Cast On (for this and most every other project!). We have a tutorial here: http://www.purlbee.com/cast-on-tutorial/

Thanks for your question and good luck!

Whitney

[orangesugar]

This scarf is gorgeous! I'm just starting on my first knitting project, I think I'm a long ways away from figuring this out. I just don't understand how knitting in the round works.

[purl bee]

HI Orangesugar-

Thanks for your nice comment. If you want to try knitting in the round a hat is a good place to start. Here is a fairly simple one:

http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2010/11/21/whits-knits-winter-hats-for-everybody.html

These handwarmers would also be a good introduction:

http://www.purlbee.com/ribbed-hand-warmers/

Good Luck!

- Molly

[Sierra]

To Rachel:

I adapted it for working straight by knitting the K2tog row as a P2tog (WS) and the K2tog tbl the same as in the pattern (RS). I hope this helps! It is certainly a beautiful stitch.

[Sarvi]

Sierra, I had the same question, thank you, it works great! What an elegant pattern.

Anyone have thoughts on needle size if making this with a chunky yarn? I have seven skeins of a beautiful very pale lavender alpaca that I'd love to use for this. I tried knitting it up on size 15s, and while I loved the look, the fabric was a bit too dense. Since I won't be able to use the needles I have already and will need to purchase a pair, I'd love any suggestions from folks who've worked similarly dense stitches with bulkier yarns. Thanks!

[Helen Onulak]

From the photo, it looks like the edges of the cowl lie flat. I've been looking for a nice stitch that gives weight to the finished project, and yet would lie flat for use in a scarf. Do you think this would work well for a scarf?

[purlbee]

Hi Helen,

My guess is that you would have trouble keeping a regular scarf flat with the Herringbone Stitch because the stitch is essentially all knitting on one side and all purling on the other. The edges of the cowl did curl a little bit (especially the bind off edge), but with blocking, plus the weight and size of the fabric it does end up nice and flat, but I don't think you would have this kind of result with a traditional scarf shape.

Thanks so much for your question,
Whitney

[mika]

i got it!!
i was tring this patter 1 hour (*o*)omg
(i have many times because of catching influenza!)
i could not understand row 2
but now i can knit it !

so beautiful stitchs (^o^)

[Toot Sweet]

Thanks so much for the pattern. It is snowing right now and I am adding this to my list of must knits.

[Jennifer]

Help!
Having a horrible time with this. Using Addi circular 47" - should have plenty of room for the stitches-- but the needles are very crowded & twist like crazy. I'm casting on loosely as suggested. When it comes time to do the 1st round, my stitches keep slipping off my left needle- becoming a mess. I've had to start over 3 times now.
What am I doing wrong?
About to give up & just knit a long herringbone panel & sew the dang thing together!

[Lisa Mackay]

Thank you so much for this pattern - I made it right away! Although it shows all my dropped stitches, (I am still very much an amateur) I just love how snuggly it is! Here is my full report. :) http://wickednweird.blogspot.com/2011/02/knitting-madness.html I really appreciate you posting lovely patterns like this and the way you photograph them is just beautiful. Keep it up!

[purlbee]

Hi Jennifer,

I'm not sure that you're doing anything wrong - the first couple of rounds are a bit challenging, but if you get through them the knitting becomes a lot easier - I promise! I'm wondering if you know that after you join the stitches into the round it doesn't matter if your stitches twist around the needle - no need to tame them! And for the slipping, try holding the stitches on the left needle with your left index finger.

Good luck!
Whitney

[Sandy B]

Good Evening.. Like everyone I too love your Herringbone Cowl - It is so beautiful.

I am wondering if I might find the written pattern rather than trying to
follow the video..??

Also I have some Berocco Baby Alpaca yarn (3 Skeins)
Yards + 645 yds or 198 meters

I don't have your US Size 17 inch needle but have 10mm Addi-Turbo Circular
needles.. Does it matter?? I have no idea where I could find 17" inch US
circular needle (which is Size 12" mm) for those of us here in Canada

If I am not able to find the actual Yarn you used can I use another yarn?

Thank You..

[purl bee]

Hi Sandy-

Thank you for your questions. Here are some answers:

Here is a link to our size 17 circular needles, and we ship to Canada: http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/item/8-Skacel-Addi-Turbo-Circular-Needles

You can use any heavy worsted weight yarn, which would get 3.5 stitches per inch in normal stockinette.

I'm not sure what you mean by the video, as this pattern isn't a video, and is written out. You might find it helpful to look at Joelle's book Last Minute Knitted Gifts, for another explanation of the stitch. The book is available here:
http://www.purlsoho.com/purl/products/purl/products/item/635

Thanks again. Happy Knitting!- Molly

[alke]

I just wanted to thank you for the picture tutorial.
I knit for 30+ years, and now for the first time the herringbone, thanks to you.
Very very nicely done. Thanks for the trouble.

[My DarlingKnits]

I love this pattern!! Too many things on the go right now to start, but it's definitely going in my faves!
The picture tutorial is excellent! Rarely are photo tutorials so large and clear. It really makes it easy to follow. I have a feeling I'll be back to your blog!

~ Jessica

[Monika]

I found several tutorials on youtube, and as the recipe says, when you're working on a circular needle, just knit in the back loop instead of turning you work as you would if you we're knitting back and forth.
Search for "my so called scarf" for tutorials.

[Vesna from Germany]

Hello there!

thankfully to your blog, I just discovered the herringbone stitch and fell in love with it. I would like to use this to outline the stockinette stitch blanket I plan to knit soon - so my question is, how I do the row 2 of this stitch? Just P2tog as Sierra proposed?

I am sorry if the question was already answered :)

[Malena]

Love this! THANK you for the awesome pics - removes all doubt!