Hail, Tartania! Who isn’t mad for plaid? This tartan cowl uses an easy non-stranded method to produce a graphic plaid. The horizontal colors are knit as stripes using one color at a time per row in a wide rib, then the vertical stripes are added at the end with a crochet hook in the purl columns; no crochet skills are needed – it’s as simple as picking up dropped stitches. Worked in the round in your choice of three colors, the possibilities are endless for this colorful and stylish accessory.

The Tartania Cowl is available individually, or as part of the Hail, Tartania ebook collection, which includes the cowl, hat and fingerless mitts.
If you are using Malabrigo Merino Worsted, you should be able to make all three accessories with a total of 3 skeins, one in each color, if you use a different MC for each as in the sample photographs.

Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, knitting in the round; this pattern includes written instructions, as well as a chart and table for the plaid; a video tutorial is provided for the non-stranded plaid technique.

Size: 27” circumference and 10” height.

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted (100% Merino; 210 yards/192m/100g); 1 skein each MC, CC1, and CC2. Shown in MC Hollyhock, CC1 Cadmium and CC2 Tortuga; the sample used approximately 160, 35 and 55 yards respectively.

Other Materials: US 9 (5.5mm) 24” circular needle or size to match gauge; Stitch markers (1); Size I/9 (5.5mm) crochet hook; Yarn needle.

Gauge: 16 st and 24 rows/4” in stockinette stitch on larger needle; 16 st and 32 rows/4” in garter stitch, after blocking. One plaid repeat of 12 st and 16 rows is 3” wide and 2.5” tall. 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 my lovely test knitters, and my wonderful tech editor Kate Vanover.