Free Horizontal Cowl Pattern

Insulation.

Gauge is not critical for this project. This super-bulky yarn, knit in a rib pattern on size 15 needles creates a fairly dense fabric with nice drape that conforms to the neck & shoulders in a flattering way. My finished cowl measures 8.5 x 30.5 inches.

Materials:
1 skein Brown Sheep Burly Spun (132 yards/121 meters)
3 2-inch buttons (my oak tree-branch buttons are from The Hickory Tree)
Straight or circular needles size 15
Large tapestry needle

Always slip the first stitch of each row -

Using the long-tail method, cast on 20 stitches.

Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: sl 1, p 1, Knit 1 into the row below, p1, continue to end of row.

Repeat row 2 until approximately 28" from beginning.

Buttonhole row: Work 4 stitches in pattern, then slip the first stitch on the left needle as if to knit. Move the yarn to the front of the work and leave it there. Slip the next stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Pass the first slipped stitch over the second slipped stitch and off the needle. Repeat until you have bound off the number of required stitches for the buttonhole. (I bound off 3 stitches for my 2" buttons) Slip the last stitch from the right needle back to the left needle. Turn. Bring the yarn to the front of the work. At the edge where the buttonhole was begun, cast on the number of stitches you bound off plus one additional stitch.*
Turn. Slip the first stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Pass the extra cast on stitch over the next stitch; then slip this stitch back to the left needle.

* a good cast on for the buttonhole: twisted purl cast on

This buttonhole was published in Maggie Righetti's Knitting in Plain English (St. Martin's Press, 1986)

Continue to work in established rib pattern until you run out of yarn. (save a little bit for sewing on the buttons!)

Place 3 buttons as shown in photo. By placing the buttons this way, the cowl can be buttoned a few different ways; up close to your neck, or looser & extending further onto your shoulders. Wrap it around your neck & rock the cold air.