The Old Bittersweet
By Megan Goodacre

A couple of years ago, I made a quick cowl and posted a recipe for it on my blog, and called it Bittersweet Cowl. It was a quick last minute pattern, easy to adapt. Recently, I decided to update and improve and re-photograph a new sample.
For knitters who like the old version, warts and all, here it is.
Just a quick post and a free knitting pattern for an easy lace cowl with subtle striping. It's the gloomiest rainiest day of the year, so the pictures are a little dark and blurry, but it's now or never because this baby's getting wrapped in about 2 minutes. No time to make a downloadable pattern this morning, so I'm just putting the Bittersweet Cowl pattern right into the blog.
materials (these amounts are approximate)
worsted or aran weight. (Shown using KnitPicks Comfy Sport double stranded with elann Bamboo Classic for Main, and Diamond Luxury Merino Aran with Elann Bamboo Classic for Contrast.)
Main Colour: 120 gms, about 200 yds
Contrast Colour: 80 gms, about 130 yds
gauge: 16sts = 4 inches on 5.0mm
supplies: 5.0mm circ needles, tapestry needle
finished size: approx 42 inches around (meant to be worn in a double loop). To make a small cowl 21 inches around, cast on half the number of sts.
pattern
With MC, cast on 160. Join in round. (You can place a marker for the beg of row, just be careful about its position as you work rows 11-20 of the lace pattern). Knit 1 row. Now work the Lace Pattern chart 2 1/2 times as follows: *Work Rows 1-10 of lace pattern in MC, then Rows 11-20 in CC. Switch back to MC and repeat from * 1 time. Then switch to MC and work rows 1-10. Bind off purlwise or using sewn bind off.
lace pattern (mult of 8 sts)
Rnd 1: *K2, yo, k4, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 2 and all even Rnds: Knit all sts.
Rnd 3: *K3, yo, k3, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 5: *K4, yo, k2, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 7: *K5, yo, k1, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 9: *K6, yo, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 11: *K4, yo, k2, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 13: *K3, yo, k3, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 15: *K2, yo, k4, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 17: *K1, yo, k5, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 19: *Yo, k6, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 20: Knit all sts.
For knitters who like the old version, warts and all, here it is.
Just a quick post and a free knitting pattern for an easy lace cowl with subtle striping. It's the gloomiest rainiest day of the year, so the pictures are a little dark and blurry, but it's now or never because this baby's getting wrapped in about 2 minutes. No time to make a downloadable pattern this morning, so I'm just putting the Bittersweet Cowl pattern right into the blog.
materials (these amounts are approximate)
worsted or aran weight. (Shown using KnitPicks Comfy Sport double stranded with elann Bamboo Classic for Main, and Diamond Luxury Merino Aran with Elann Bamboo Classic for Contrast.)
Main Colour: 120 gms, about 200 yds
Contrast Colour: 80 gms, about 130 yds
gauge: 16sts = 4 inches on 5.0mm
supplies: 5.0mm circ needles, tapestry needle
finished size: approx 42 inches around (meant to be worn in a double loop). To make a small cowl 21 inches around, cast on half the number of sts.
pattern
With MC, cast on 160. Join in round. (You can place a marker for the beg of row, just be careful about its position as you work rows 11-20 of the lace pattern). Knit 1 row. Now work the Lace Pattern chart 2 1/2 times as follows: *Work Rows 1-10 of lace pattern in MC, then Rows 11-20 in CC. Switch back to MC and repeat from * 1 time. Then switch to MC and work rows 1-10. Bind off purlwise or using sewn bind off.
lace pattern (mult of 8 sts)
Rnd 1: *K2, yo, k4, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 2 and all even Rnds: Knit all sts.
Rnd 3: *K3, yo, k3, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 5: *K4, yo, k2, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 7: *K5, yo, k1, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 9: *K6, yo, k2tog; rep from *.
Rnd 11: *K4, yo, k2, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 13: *K3, yo, k3, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 15: *K2, yo, k4, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 17: *K1, yo, k5, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 19: *Yo, k6, ssk; rep from *.
Rnd 20: Knit all sts.
