Contains:
- Knitting pattern for quick shawl/poncho/cowl/cape hybrid garment
- Suitable for advanced beginners
Materials you need at home:
- 315 m of bulky weight yarn. Sample was knit in Madelinetosh ASAP (superwash merino)
- 9.0 mm/US 13 circulars, or size needed to obtain gauge. You will need a 40 cm cable at the end (collar), but a longer cable is best for the beginning (bottom of garment)
- Four stitch markers
- Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Warm-Hearted—Woman seeks soulmate with the best qualities of shawl, poncho, cape, and cowl. Must work up quickly, boast both simplicity and texture, and provide hands-free warmth at the heart. Send pattern and yarn.
Is it a shawl? a poncho? a really big cowl? I’m not sure exactly! What it is is a very useful, easy to wear accessory. Wear it over (or under) your coat as a big cozy cowl for extra warmth. Wear it sideways as a poncho that leaves your arm free. Wear it like shawl that doesn’t slip off your shoulders! I find myself reaching for this all the time.
Quick and easy to knit - we did it in seven roughly one-hour sessions as a Christmas mystery in 2014 (“Just for You”). There are some simple short rows, but you don’t have to pick up any wraps.
One size fits most; for reference, model is 168 cm tall.
Gauge: 10 stitches to 10 cm of garter stitch
Note: Though conversions to the metric system have been made on this page for your convenience, the pattern itself uses American measurements.
Laura Aylor
If ‘knitting designer’ had been one of the job choices for those aptitude tests they give you in high school, I wouldn’t have spent so many years trying to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. My best subject in high school was math; my best classes in college were logic, drawing, and a commercial art class. After careers in computer programming/analysis and child-rearing, knit design snuck up on me, but I think it’s the perfect use of my odd skill set! I love every step of the process, from figuring out how to actually make what I’ve envisioned to putting the finishing touches on a pattern, not to mention all the knitting that comes in between!
I also love reading and hiking and spending time on Brier Island in Nova Scotia every summer.