Easy, Air-y, Purse-stitch Cowl

 This is my fourth version of a one-skein cowl that I decided to name the Easy, Air-y, Purse-stitch Cowl.  It was so popular (in my family) that daughter #1 selected a pale blue version for herself; daughter #2 requested a very long one made out of grey sock yarn, and stylish sister #2 was thrilled with her ice-grey one! 

The cowl pictured below is 44 inches long.  This is long enough to wrap twice around neck. 

 

Here are the instructions:

Materials:

One ball of S Charles Luna lace weight mohair/silk/glitter yarn.  You could also use  Kid Silk Haze (no glitter).  About 230 yards. Note: You can purchase either yarn at the Sow's Ear in Verona.  About $14 per ball.

Needles:  For the version in the photo I used size 7.  For two previous cowls I used size 9.  For the long cowl using fingering weight sock yarn I used Size 4. 

Basically, use whatever lace-weight or fingering weight that you want.  Use a needle size that is larger than the recommended needle size on the ball band. 

 

 Stitches used:

1) garter stitch: i.e. knit every row
2) purse stitch: Worked on an even number of stitches
 P1, *yo, P2 tog*, P1  Repeat between ** until the last stitch (which is the P1)

Instructions:

--Cast on 32 stitches.  (Note, I used a provisional cast-on so that I could use the Kitchner Stitch to weave the two ends of the cowl together.  If you use a traditional cast on, you will have to sew the two ends together.)

--Work four rows in garter stitch (i.e. knit every row) ; this gives you two rows of "garter bumps."

--{Work 12 rows of Purse Stitch.  That is, P 1, *yo, P2tog*, Repeat between ** until one stitch remains in the row, P1. 

Work 8 rows of Garter Stitch.}

--Repeat between { } until you have just enough yarn to work about six rows of garter stitch.  I eyeballed this and used all but one yard of the yarn!!  !!Do NOT work six rows of garter stitch!!

--Work FOUR rows of garter stitch.

--If you used a Provisional Cast-On, now you do the Kitchener Stitch to weave the two ends of the cowl together.  If you used a traditional cast-on, now you do a traditional bind-off and sew the ends of the cowl together!!

Done!!