Ever since I knitted that Jumbo Basketweave Cowl last winter, I’ve been wanting to do another version — at a thinner gauge and long enough to wrap twice around my neck. And from the moment I first laid my hands on that indigo-dyed Sincere Sheep Luminous wool/silk yarn we’ve got in the shop (for a few more days at least), I knew I had to knit with it, and that I wanted it piled up around my neck. So the two urges merged into this Double Basketweave Cowl. Double because it loops twice, because it’s knitted with two strands of yarn, and because it uses almost exactly two skeins of the Luminous. I also love it doubly as much as the original. It’s the knitwear equivalent of that most beloved and worn pair of blue jeans.

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DOUBLE BASKETWEAVE COWL PATTERN | download PDF

This is a super simple, easy to memorize knits-and-purls stitch pattern. Feel free to knit more or fewer rows of the basketweave pattern for a wider or narrower cowl, as desired. If adjusting for the circumference, multiply your stitch gauge by whatever you want your circumference to be, then round to the nearest number that is divisible by both 4 (for the ribbing) and 6 (for the basketweave pattern).

Materials:

• 7.75 oz/640 yards Sincere Sheep Luminous or other DK/light-worsted yarn, held double throughout (shown in Modern Alchemy*)
• 32-inch 6.5mm/US10.5 circular needle
• tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Measurements (before blocking):

• Gauge is 4 sts and 5 rows to the inch in basketweave pattern
• Finished size is 48-inch circumference by 9 inches wide

Directions:

Holding two strands of yarn (throughout pattern), CO 192 sts
place marker and join for working in the round, making sure stitches are not twisted around needle
work k2/p2 ribbing for 4 rounds
knit next round
work 10-round basketweave pattern (below) 4 times
work k2/p2 ribbing for 4 rounds
BO loosely and weave in ends

Basketweave pattern:

Rounds 1-4: *k2, p4, repeat from * through end of round
Round 5: knit all stitches
Rounds 6-9: p3, *k2, p4, repeat from * until one stitch before marker, p1
Round 10: knit all stitches

(Fave, queue or download it at Ravelry)

*Note that when using indigo-dyed yarn, as with a new pair of blue jeans, there will be some color transfer. Expect your hands to turn slightly blue while knitting (it washes right off) and for the soak water to turn blue when blocking the finished piece. After that, the dye should be set.