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Hills and Valleys Cowl/Hood (free pattern)

I was searching for the perfect cowl that I had in my mind to knit. Trawling on Ravelry, I wanted one, just the right size around, only once around my neck and not too tight, loose enough to pull up around my face and tall enough to get it around my ears during a windy dog walk, but able to squish it down into my collar of my coat and not be too thick and bulky. About a third of the way into the pattern I decided to make it long enough to pull up as a hood also.  I finally just un-vented this one, as Elizabeth Zimmerman would say.
Hills and Valleys Cowl/Hood (free pattern)
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This is a simple stitch textured cowl/hood (you decide the length). Suitable for beginning knitters. Purl ridges make the cowl easy to scrunchy down or pull up. You can wear the ribbed end on top if you are wearing it as a cowl to make it snuggie around your neck or, wear the purl ridges on top if you are pulling it up as a hood. If you have any questions or find an error please let me know so I can correct it!  I’ve added some tutorial links/videos for clarification.

Thanks so much to Willie for her patience in helping me write this pattern.
Yarn/Yardage: I used some from my stash, Fisherman’s Wool from Lion Brand, it wasn’t a whole skein, approx. 375-400 yards for the hood and 275 for the cowl. Worsted weight yarn, After I knitted the first one, I decided this would be good for handspun also.
Gauge: 3 stitches/inch, don’t stress about this too much, cowl can be looser or tighter by a couple of inches.
Needles: Size 10 circular (29 inch) or size needed to get gauge
Size: Approx.  28-29 inches around
Length: 12-13 inches for a cowl or if knitting the hood about 4-6 inches longer

*Pattern revised and written as two separate patterns*
Hills and Valleys Cowl/Hood (free pattern)


Cowl Pattern:
Cast on: 88 stitches, using a loose cast on, I used the knitted cast on. (see here for tutorial) Long tail cast on also good
Join to knit in the round, place marker, taking care not to twist stitches.

First section will make Purl ridges
1-Purl all around
2-Knit all around
repeat step 1 & 2 six times
3-knit 4 rows
4-purl 2 rows  
repeat step 3 & 4  three times 

Moss stitch section
5-k2,p2 all around
6-p2,k2 all around
repeat step 5 & 6 four times 

Purl Ridge section
7-Purl all around
8-Purl all around
9-Knit all around 
10-purl all around 
repeat step 9 & 10 two times 

Seed stich section  
11-k1,p1 all around
12-p1,k1 all around
repeat step 11 and 12 six times

purl ridges
13-Purl all around
14-Knit all around
repeat step 13 & 14 two times 

Plain ribbing
15-p1,k2 all around
repeat step 15 five rows 

Ribbing area this is your last section

Cluster ribbing section
16-p1,yo,k2, with left needle lift yarn over up and over the 2 knitted stitches and slide the yarn over off of the needle) See video here for help
17-p1,k2 all around
repeat step 16 & 17 two times 

18-purl all around

repeat step 18 two times

19-bind off using a stretchy bind off, I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind off, also the Russian Bind off is a good one or other technique to get a loose bind off. EZ sewn bind off link, Loose bind off 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Hood Pattern:

Cast on: 88 stitches, using a loose cast on, I used the knitted cast on. (see here for tutorial) Long tail cast on also good
Join to knit in the round, place marker, taking care not to twist stitches.

First section will make your purl ridges

1-Purl all around
2-Knit all around
repeat step 1 & 2 six times
3-knit 4 rows
4-purl 4 rows  (repeat step 3 & 4 four times  

Moss stitch section

5-k2,p2 all around
6-p2,k2 all around
repeat step 5 & 6 four times 

Purl Ridge section
7-Purl all around
8-Purl all around
9-Knit all around 
10-purl all around  
repeat step 9 & 10 four times  

Seed stich section
11-k1,p1 all around
12-p1,k1 all around
repeat step 11 and 12 six times

Purl ridges
13-Purl all around
14-Knit all around
repeat step 13 & 14 four times  
Ribbing area this is your last section
Plain ribbing
15-p1,k2 all around
repeat step 15 for five rows

Cluster ribbing section
16-p1,yo,k2, with left needle lift yarn over up and over the 2 knitted stitches and slide the yarn over off of the needle) See video here for help

17-p1,k2 all around
repeat step 16 & 17 six times

18-purl all around
repeat step 18 two times

19-bind off using a stretchy bind off, I used Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind off, also the Russian Bind off is a good one or other technique to get a loose bind off. EZ sewn bind off link, Loose bind off link
Hills and Valleys Cowl/Hood (free pattern)

Hills and Valleys Cowl/Hood (free pattern)
Happy Knitting!

Comments

  1. This is really nice. I love the Fisherman's wool. It's like an oatmeal color. Very pretty

    ReplyDelete
  2. What does it mean on row 4 when it says on row 4 purl 2 rows (purl 4 rows for longer hood version) repeat rows 3 & three times for cowl and 4 four times for longer hood version.

    I understand purl 4 rows for longer hood version but do not understand repeat row 3 & three times for cowl and 4 times for longer hood version.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Willie, I'm unable to reply to you directly, you have not enabled your email reply from blogger. So I hope you look here
    Willie:
    I'm sorry for the confusion, I'm not an experience pattern writer.
    I tried to write it for two versions, a shorter cowl and then the hood version (which is longer)
    Thanks for pointing out what is a typo. It should read repeat rows 3 & 4 (the 4 got left out) I will edit it. I tried to highlight the instructions for the hood version, and just have the cowl version in plain type. I thought that would helpful, but now I'm thinking I should have separated the instructions.
    I'm going to edit that, and please let me know if you have any more questions! Thanks and I would love to see how yours turns out!
    Thanks
    Vicki

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vicki

    I have made it to rows 9 and 10 and need a little explanation. It says to repeat row 9 & 10 a total of 32 rows for longer length. You said this is a repeat of 4 times. Don't know how to come up with that number of rows if I only repeat 2 rows 4 times each.I come up with 8 rows not 32. Help...Thanks again. Willie

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think I'll rewrite the pattern, and make it into two patterns, both totally written out, to help clarify, so sorry for the confusion!
    Thanks for being my "test knitter", **grin**
    Vicki

    ReplyDelete
  6. How many rows do I knit. I am going for 32 unless you tell me different repeating only rows 9 and 10 thanks again

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I revised the pattern look, and put it into a cowl pattern and hood pattern, repeat steps 9 and 10 four times.
      I cannot directly reply to you, due to blogger saying you are a "no reply" commenter, I'm trying to figure out how to contact you besides replying here. Hope you see this message.
      Turns out Google + & Blogger made the change that if you have your Blogger connected to your Google + – your email is no longer attached to comments, making you automatically a “no-reply” blogger.

      Delete
    2. I finished cowl/hood Love it For my neighbor I had one extra stitch in the last section before bind off. Sending you a picture when I figure out how.

      Delete
  7. Would you mind clarifying the cluster ribbing section for the hooded cowl? The instructions say p1,yo,k2, all. Repeat 5x's. The video you reference for help is very different. Which is correct? Thank you! This is a beautiful pattern!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous7/27/2018

    Hi! I could have sworn I've been to this website before but after checking through some
    of the post I realized it's new to me. Anyways, I'm definitely delighted I found it and
    I'll be bookmarking and checking back often!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8/02/2018

    Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up and
    let you know a few of the pictures aren't loading correctly.
    I'm not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
    I've tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same outcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for letting me know! I always use chrome and it looks ok on that. I'll check it out!
      Vicki

      Delete
    2. I believe I've fixed the pictures not loading correctly. Thanks for letting me know. Keep knitting.....

      Delete

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