Soulmate is a cool, rustic cowl with a hood. It features a split high neck and plush cables. The Viking inspired shape emphasizes the shoulders and keeps your chest warm where your jacket or coat will often be open.
The idea for this design popped up when I first saw the incredibly nice alpaca yarn from Frisenvang. It struck me that this world is in serious need of a masculine cowl in sustainable yarn - the masculine look is emphasized by the draping of the alpaca yarn. I imagine men walking the city streets wearing a warm, soft hooded cowl underneath the denim jacket.
Techniques and Difficulty Rating
The cowl itself is worked top-down in one piece. Then stitches are picked up for the hood, which is finished off with a casing for the I-cord drawstring.
There is no seaming apart from weaving in the ends. You must know how to – or be prepared to learn – to make an I-cord, which is the technique used for the drawstring. You will also cast on with the Italian cast on technique and cast of with the Italian cast off technique. You will need to pick up and knit stitches, make increases and decreases and graft with Kitchener stitches. All in all this cowl pattern offers you a guided tour in different knitting techniques that you will encounter in other patterns too….if not already encountered. You are gonna have great fun doing this.
As always, I offer tutorials to support you all way through and I have been very careful in providing detailed descriptions to support you.
The cowl is worked on needles size 4.5 mm and 5 mm, so in the end it is quite a quick knit.
Sizes
The pattern covers 8 men's sizes: (XS) S (M) L (XL) XXL (XXXL) XXXXL. Neck circumference (37) 39 (41) 43 (45) 47 (49) 49 cm/(14.5) 15.25 (16.25) 17 (17.75) 18.5 (19.25) 19.25 inches.
Tension
Stocking stitch: 16 sts/10 cm and 23 rows/10 cm using 4.5 mm needles with yarn held double.
Tubular knitting: 25 sts/10 cm and 24 rows/10 cm using 4.5 mm needles with yarn held double.
Cable pattern: 25 sts/10 cm and 26 rows/10 cm using 5 mm needles with yarn held double.
The cowl is worked in two strands of Royal / Baby alpaca from Frisenvang. The yarn contains 90-95 % baby alpaca fibre and 5-10 % royal alpaca fibre. It runs 250-300 meters per 100 g.
For the 4 smalles sizes you will need 3 skeins and for the 4 larges sizes you will need 4 skeins.
The fibres are sourced from small, local producers and is hand spun and hand dyed according to traditional methods by a small group of craftspeople in the Marcapata region of the Peruvian Andes. Purchasing this yarn will support the local population on their journey towards better living conditions.
Remember to make a swatch to ensure the measurements of the garment.
The pattern is available in Danish and English. Upon purchasing, you receive an e-mail with a link to the pattern in both languages.
