Originally published in Coffeehouse Knits, the Cafe Cowl is now available as an individual pattern from my Ravelry store. For more houndstooth knitwear inspired by the cowl, see my indie designs Kaffi Vest and Kaffi Hat.

A pattern of classic houndstooth makes a modern cowl, easy to work in simple slipstitch colorwork using only one color per row. Pick your favorite two colors to combine in the nubby texture, and create your own quintessential accessory.

Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, working in the round; the slipstitch pattern is both written and charted.

Size: 10” tall and 26” circumference.

Yarn: Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Worsted (100% fine highland wool; 123 yards/112m/50g), shown in No. 1314 Deep Velvet (MC) and No. 1312 Drift Wood (CC); 1 skein each, or 240 yards total of worsted weight yarn. The sample as written used approximately 118 yards of each color.

Other Materials: US 8 (5mm) 24” circular needle, or size to match gauge; marker (1); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 16 st and 34 rows/4” in slipstitch pattern, unblocked; the slipped stitches compress the fabric horizontally as compared to the garter stitch. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or larger finished cowl, and different yardage requirements.

Thank you to Kerry and the team at Interweave/F&W.