Folks, please find for your enjoyment, a new, free knitting pattern developed by yours truly!
In May, Hugh and I traveled to the UK. We had a fabulous trip, visiting Exeter, Oxford, London, Islay, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham and Cheltenham. Hugh’s parents purchased first class BritRail passes for us and it was the best thing ever! It made covering all of that distance so much easier and worry-free.
Hugh and I made a bit of a deal for this trip that I would humour him visiting all the distilleries he wanted, if he humoured me visiting all of the wool shops I wanted. It worked out quite well! From Exeter, we visited nearby Devon, where I knew there was a museum in an old woollen mill, and I had reason to believe they sold knitting wool.
Coldharbour Mill Museum was fantastic! Even Hugh enjoyed it and was a bit inspired to look into spinning wheels. I think he liked the large factory feel to it. I made sure to purchase enough wool to make a sweater, but they also had a bargain bin full of unlabelled skeins. I grabbed all of this chunky, dark green wool that I could, 2 full-sized hanks and one smaller one.
While on the train between destinations, I started sketching out what I wanted this wool to become. Inspired by the dreich but beautiful gloom of Scottish weather, and probably as a result of watching too much Outlander, I’m quite pleased with the result.
Ladies and gentleman, I present to you, the Jamie Fraser cowl (I prefer to call it the James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser cowl, but that was a bit wordy for publication). Scroll to bottom to download the pattern in PDF.
This unisex cowl is knit in the round and incorporates trios of cables and panels of seed stitch knit in super bulky yarn. Pair it with your favourite tartan and be sure to enjoy with a fine dram of whisky.
Use any bulky, super bulky or chunky wool and size 7.0mm (US 10.75) circular needles (or size appropriate for your wool). My finished cowl is 92cm in circumference and 26cm in height, but these measurements can be easily modified by using a thinner wool and knitting fewer rounds.
abbreviations
c2f: Cable 2 front. Worked over 4 sts. Slip 2 stitches to cable needle and let hang in front; knit the next 2 stitches from the left-hand needle, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
c2b: Cable 2 back. Worked over 4 sts. Slip 2 stitches to the cable needle and let hang in back; knit the next 2 stitches from the left-hand needle, then knit 2 stitches from the cable needle.
c4f: Cable 4 front. Worked over 8 sts. Slip 4 stitches to cable needle and let hang in front; knit the next 4 stitches from the left-hand needle, then knit the 4 stitches from the cable needle.
pattern
Cast on 124 sts, place marker and join to work in the round.
Rnd 1 (and all odd-numbered rounds): [(k1, p1) 3 times, k1, p2, k4, p2, k8, p2, k4, p2] 4 times.
Rnd 2: [(p1, k1) x3, p3, k4, p2, k8, p2, k4, p2] x4.
Rnd 4: [(k1, p1) x3, k1, p2, c2f, p2, k8, p2, c2b, p2] x4.
Rnd 6: [(p1, k1) x3, p3, k4, p2, k8, p2, k4, p2] x4.
Rnd 8: [(k1, p1) x3, k1, p2, c2f, p2, c4f, p2, c2b, p2] x4.
Repeat rounds 1 – 8 a total of five times (or until you have reached desired length), then repeat rounds 1 – 7.
Bind off.
finishing
Weave in ends and give Laird Fraser a warm bath with some wool wash. Block to desired measurements.
Download PDF jamie fraser cowl pattern
mindful.melbourne 