How to Make a Knit Cowl - Vampire Style

When midnight finds you under a full moon and nowhere to hide, cozy into your Under Cover of Midnight Hooded Cowl. From the book "Vampire Knits: Projects to Keep You Knitting from Twilight to Dawn" by Genevieve Miller, the free pattern for this knitted cowl is meant for someone with some knitting experience as well as a taste for blood.

Potter Craft

Designed by Julie Turjoman

Skill level: Intermediate

Size: One size

Finished Measurements: 18" x 32" (circumference at bottom edge) (46cm x 81cm)

Gauge: 14 stitches and 18 rows = 4" (10cm ) in stockinette stitch

Special skills: Cables

Special instructions:
C6F: Place 3 stitches on cable needle and hold to front, k3, k3 from cable needle.
C6B: Place 3 stitches on cable needle and hold to back, k3, k3 from cable needle.

Materials:
KnitPicks Cadena Bulky (70% wool, 30% alpaca, 31⁄2 oz/100g, 110 yds/100m): 4 skeins in Admiral - Size 101⁄2 (6.5mm)
16" and 24" circular needles
Stitch markers
Cable needle
Tapestry needle

Stitch patterns
SEED STITCH (worked over an odd number of stitches)
Round 1: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.
Round 2: *P1, k1; repeat from * to end.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 for pattern.

GRADUATED 9-STITCH BRAIDED CABLE
Graduated cable lengths are created by working 5 rounds
even between cable crossing rounds twice, then 4 rounds
even between cable crossing rounds twice, then 3 rounds
even between cable crossing rounds to the end.

Note: Change to shorter circular needle when needed.

Cowl
With longer circular needles, cast on 143 stitches. Place marker and join in a round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Work in seed stitch for 4 rounds.

Next round (cable set-up): M1 purlwise (p1, k1 in same st), p6, *pm, k9, pm, p7, repeat from * to end of round, ending with k9—144 stitches, 7 stitches in each purl section.
Work 2 rounds even in pattern.

Cable Repeat
Next round (cable round 1): *P7, C6B, k3; repeat from * around. Work 5 rounds even in pattern.

Next round (cable round 2): *P7, k3, C6F; repeat from * around. Work 5 rounds even in pattern.
Work Cable Repeat once more.

AT THE SAME TIME, when piece measures 4" (10cm), decrease 9 stitches evenly across next round in the purl sections, as follows: *p3, p2tog, p2, work cable crossing or knit stitches depending on round; repeat from * around—135 stitches, 6 stitches in each purl section. Work Cable Repeat twice more, working 4 rounds even instead of 5 between cable rounds.

Work Cable Repeat to end, working 3 rounds even instead of 4 between cable rounds.

AT THE SAME TIME, decrease 9 stitches evenly around in purl sections every 2" (5cm) 4 times more, as follows:

Decrease Round 1: *P2, p2tog, p2, work cable crossing or knit stitches depending on round; repeat from * around—126 stitches, 5 stitches in each purl section.

Decrease Round 2: *P2, p2tog, p1, work cable crossing or knit stitches depending on round; repeat from * around—117 stitches, 4 stitches in each purl section.

Decrease Round 3: *P1, p2tog, p1, work cable crossing or knit stitches depending on round; repeat from * around—108 stitches, 3 stitches in each purl section.

Decrease Round 4: *P2tog, p1, work cable crossing or knit stitches depending on round; repeat from * around—99 stitches, 2 stitches in each purl section. Continue in pattern until cowl measures 171⁄2" (44cm) long. Work in seed stitch for 4 rounds. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Finishing
Weave in ends. Block lightly.

Reprinted by permission from "Vampire Knits" by Genevieve Miller. Photographs by Heather Weston. Published by Potter Craft / Random House, Inc.