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Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl

Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl

by Kristen Mangus

Wrap up with the cozy Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl!  Created to match the Family Fair Isle Hats this cowl uses the same techniques to make this simple two color stitch pattern.  The Fair Isle stitch pattern is bordered with ribbing on both the top and bottom to keep you cozy on even the most blustery days.  This pattern includes four sizes so everyone can have a perfect fit.

Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl and Hat picture

Make the whole set with the matching hat pattern:
Family Fair Isle Hats

(Psst! I’ve also got needle knit versions of the hat and cowl.)
Fair Isle Knit Hat
Fair Isle Knit Cowl

You’ll notice that I don’t have a separate video for the Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl pattern! Don’t worry ALL the techniques that I used are identical to the Family Fair Isle Hats pattern and I’ve linked that video below. The cast on, row instructions and fair isle instructions are the same until you get to the hat crown. I marked that spot in the pattern so you’ll know when to stop following the hat video. The rest of the cowl is just the same as the beginning! So easy!

Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl PIN image

Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl Pattern

A downloadable PDF of this pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry.

MATERIALS

Materials list may contain affiliate links to products I use.  Using these links costs you nothing extra, but it does help support GKK and allows us to provide patterns and videos free of charge to you.

Yarn
Contrast A Patons® Alpaca Blend (3.5 oz/100 g; 155 yds/142 m)  Black Cherry. 1 ball.
Contrast B Patons® Alpaca Blend (3.5 oz/100 g; 155 yds/142 m)  Birch. 1 ball.

Loom
Small Gauge (3/8”) loom with multiple of 4 set up to work in the round
Knitting Board All In One loom used in sample.  (20-peg extenders needed to make largest size.)

Notions
Tapestry needle to weave in ends
Crochet hook (for cast on; small enough to fit between pegs)
Stitch marker

ABBREVIATIONS

Approx = approximately
Beg = Beginning
Cont = Continue
K = Uwrap Knit
P = Purl
Pat = Pattern
Rep = Repeat
Rnd = Round
St(s) = Stitch(es)

GAUGE

16.5 sts x 25 rows in 4” (10 cm) in stockinette.
CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Change loom peg count to obtain correct size.

SKILL LEVEL

Easy+

SIZES

XS, (S, M, L)

MEASUREMENTS

Circumference 21.25 (23.25, 25.25, 29) inches [54 (59, 64, 73.5) cm] and 6 (7, 8.5, 9.5) inches [15 (18, 21.5, 24) cm] in height

NOTES

Chain cast on is listed in pattern instructions, but you may also use the double ewrap or longtail cast on if you prefer.

Item will be worked in the round.  For right handed knitters work from right to left (clockwise); work in the opposite direction for left handed knitters (counter clockwise).  

All knit stitches are Uwrap knit.  Be sure to work loosely to achieve correct gauge.  Tight knitters may be able to use the true knit stitch.  Ewrap is not recommended for this project.

FAIR ISLE TECHNIQUE

When knitting fair isle the accent yarn (B) is carried on the back side of your work. It will create a long strand called a float. Long floats (more than 2 stitches wide) can be loose and snag when worn.  To prevent this problem use the following technique to trap the float behind the main color.

On a colorwork round:

  1. After working B, knit the next peg with A as usual.
  2. Then move the working yarn for color B to the front of your loom between the last peg worked and the next peg.
  3. Uwrap the next peg with A and move color B back between the same pegs so it is behind your work again.
  4. Knit over peg wrapped with A.  The float for color B is now wrapped around the working yarn for color A between the stitches.
  5. Knit the next stitch A as written.  
  6. The next stitch worked is B, work as above throughout the round.

INSTRUCTIONS

With A cast on 88 (96, 104, 120) sts and join in the round. Place stitch marker on Peg 1 to mark beginning of round.

Rnd 1: *K2. P2. Rep from * to end of rnd.
Rep Rnd 1 for 1 (1, 1.25, 1.25) inches [2.5 (2.5, 3, 3) cm].

Rnd 2: Knit.
Rnd 3: Knit. Do not break yarn.

Attach Contrast B and proceed as follows:

Rnd 4: *With B K1. With A K3. Rep from * to end of rnd. Drop B, do not break.
Rnd 5: With A Knit.
Rnd 6: With A K2. *With B K1. With A K3. Rep from * to end of row.
Rnd 7: With A Knit.

Rnds 4-7 form Fair Isle Pat. Cont in pat until work from beg measures approx 4 (5, 6, 7) inches [10 (12.5, 15, 18) cm]. Break B.

At this point in the pattern the instructions no longer follow the video tutorial for the Family Fair Isle Hats pattern. The cowl is finished with 2 rounds of knit and then another ribbed section just as you did at the beginning.

Rnd 8: Knit.
Rnd 9: Knit.

Rnd 10: *K2, P2.  Rep from * to end of rnd.

Rep Rnd 10 for 1 (1, 1.25, 1.25) inches [2.5 (2.5, 3, 3) cm].

Bind off in pat. Weave in tails.


Follow the Family Fair Isle Hats tutorial to make the cowl:

Suggested bind off for the Fair Isle Loom Knit Cowl (video starts at bind off):