During the summer of 2018, I had the pleasure of test knitting the Storyteller Hat pattern for Lindsey Faciane, the designer behind The Chesapeake Needle. It was my first time test knitting anything, and I was thrilled to be allowed this privilege as a budding knitter. I enjoyed making the hat so much that I decided to find another way to use the stitch pattern used in that design. The result is the Storyteller Cowl, my first and still my most popular pattern, named after the hat which inspired it.
Below is the pattern, which I am posting here as a free pattern. Much thanks is due to Lindsey for inspiring this design.
Storyteller Cowl
Yarn
2 skeins Kenyarn DK in colorway “Desert Highway” or approximately 370 yards of another DK weight yarn. (Note that yardage listed is for a cowl that is 12.5” deep and that more yardage will be required if you prefer to knit a deeper cowl.)
Note: Since this cowl was designed, Jake has closed the yarn dyeing portion of his creative business, so the yarn used in this sample is no longer available. Any DK weight yarn will work. My own naturally dyed Gondorian DK would make a lovely version.
Needles
US #7 – 4.5mm 24” circular knitting needles
Notions
one stitch marker
Gauge
19 sts x 19 rows = 4” in Mock Honeycomb stitch
Finished Measurements
Approximately 12.5” deep and 30” around
Pattern abbreviations
k = Knit
p = Purl
st/sts = stitch/stitches
sl = slip (Unless otherwise indicated, all slipped stitches are slipped purlwise.)
k1tbl = knit 1 through the back loop
wyif = with yarn in front
Instructions
Cast on 192 sts (or another multiple of 4, if you wish to make the cowl larger or smaller), using long-tail cast on. Place marker.
Join to work in the round, making sure that your sts aren’t twisted.
BOTTOM RIBBED BORDER
Round 1: *k1tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round, sl marker.
Rounds 2-8: repeat round 1.
BODY OF COWL
Round 1: knit to end of round, sl marker.
Round 2: *sl3 wyif, k1, repeat from * to end of round, sl marker.
Round 3: k to end of round, sl marker.
Rounds 4 & 5: repeat rounds 2 & 3.
Round 6: k1, *pick up the two strands of yarn that were passed in front of your work from rounds 2 & 4 and place on left needle, knit these two strands together with next stitch, k3, repeat from * until 2 sts remain, k2, sl marker.
Round 7: knit to end of round, sl marker.
Round 8: k2, *sl3 wyif, k1, repeat from * until 2 sts remain in round, sl 2 wyif, sl marker, sl 1 wyif.
Rounds 9: knit to the end of the round, sl marker.
Rounds 10 & 11: repeat rounds 8 & 9.
Round 12: *k3, pick up the two strands of yarn that were passed in front of your work from rounds 8 & 10 and place on left needle, knit these two strands together with next stitch, repeat from * to end of round, sl marker.
Repeat rounds 1-12 seven times more or until your cowl is as long as you want it to be*.
*(Note: you will need more yarn than is listed in the materials portion of the pattern if you intend to make a longer cowl.)
TOP RIBBED BORDER
Round 1: *k1tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.
Rounds 2-8: repeat round 1.
FINISHING
Bind off. Weave in all loose ends. Block to finished measurements.