Autumn Trellis Cowl

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A cozy, colorwork cowl you’ll be wearing all throughout those chilly -ber months! The Autumn Trellis Cowl is knit in the round with two skeins of DK weight yarn, one for the main color and the other for the contrast color. A 2×2 ribbing in the main color accentuates the colorwork on the top and bottom of the cowl, and the main and contrast colors are knit in the same rounds for the colorwork pattern. The pattern includes a colorwork chart to create the symmetrical speckled trellis design.

Where can you purchase the printable PDF pattern? Click the link to your favorite shop below, or save to your Pinterest board for later.

Want the FREE version instead? Find it here on the blog, plus read more about the design & inspiration, & yarn choice below.

The pattern was tech edited by Megan Wilding – CalmHouseCrafting

The pattern was also test knit by an amazingly talented group of test knitters. Check out their Autumn Trellis Cowls on Ravelry.

Design & Inspiration

For this one, I chose the yarn before having a design in mind. I already knew I wanted to make something with Butterscotch and Reckoning from Sewrella Yarn (read more about the yarn choice below), I just wasn’t sure what. Then, as I was perusing my copy of the 750 Knitting Stitches: The Knit Stitch Bible for inspiration, I noticed the Speckled Trellis colorwork pattern and decided to give it a go. 

This is my first design using colorwork, and the Speckled Trellis pattern is a good one to start with for anyone new to colorwork knitting. It’s a consistent repeat of 6 stitches over 6 rows and uses only two colors. Plus, the alternating colors are close enough together that floating the yarn isn’t necessary.

My test knitters FLEW through this pattern. To be honest, I thought there would be a lot of questions and clarification requests from the group given that it’s my first colorwork design (my imposter syndrome got the best of me)… BUT to my surprise, I heard nothing but positive feedback and saw some really pretty Autumn Trellis Cowls. Check out all the color variations my testers came up with here on Ravelry.

Yarn Choice

As I mentioned earlier, I really liked how Butterscotch and Reckoning looked when paired together and wanted to design something with them. I had purchased both colorways in Classic DK from Sewrella Yarn last Fall–Butterscotch from the Autumn Tonals in Stock collection and Reckoning from the Salem collection. I fell in love with Butterscotch instantly; I mean, how can I not. To me, that’s the quintessential Fall colorway. And Reckoning just had that perfect, slightly moody haunted vibe for a neutral colorway, I couldn’t say no.

Skill Level

Intermediate best describes the skill level for knitting the Autumn Trellis Cowl.

Skills you’ll need to know:

  • Knit and purl in the round
  • Work colorwork (able to read a colorwork chart and knit with two strands of yarn in the same round)

Pattern

MATERIALS

  • Main Color – 1 skein of Sewrella Yarn Classic DK or 231yds/211meters of DK weight CYC category 3 yarn
  • Contrast Color – 1 skein of Sewrella Yarn Classic DK or 231yds/211meters of DK weight CYC category 3 yarn
  • Size US 5/3.75mm circular knitting needles with 32” cord or DPNs
  • Size US 6/4.00mm circular knitting needles with 32” cord or DPNs
  • Stitch marker
  • Tapestry needle

FINISHED SIZE

9.5”/23.5cm height x 30”/75cm circumference

GAUGE

24 sts x 28 rnds = 4″/10cm in Stockinette Stitch in the rnd

ABBREVIATIONS

*Pattern is written in standard US terms*

Notes: The Autumn Trellis Cowl is worked in the round from the bottom up, beginning with a 2×2 ribbing in the main color and with the smaller size knitting needles. An extra round is worked with the main color in stockinette stitch before starting the colorwork section. This extra round acts as a buffer between the bottom ribbing and colorwork sections so that the contrast color will not show in the ribbing.

For the colorwork section, follow the Colorwork Chart on page 3, adding the contrast color accordingly. The colorwork section is worked for 48 rounds in stockinette stitch and with the larger size knitting needles. To make the cowl taller or shorter, increase or decrease the colorwork section by a multiple of six rounds.

An extra stockinette stitch round is worked in the main color once the colorwork section is complete and before the top ribbing section. This extra round acts as a buffer between the top ribbing and colorwork sections once again so that the contrast color will not show in the ribbing. At this point, the contrast color is no longer worked, so the yarn can be cut and woven in.

The top ribbing section is worked the same way as the bottom ribbing section with a 2×2 ribbing in the main color and with the smaller size knitting needles. Finish the cowl by binding off in the 2×2 ribbing pattern and weaving in all ends.

PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

Bottom Ribbing Section:

With MC and US 5/3.75mm circular knitting needles with 32” cord or DPNs, CO 180 sts. Join to K in the rnd. PM to indicate the beginning of the rnd.

Rnds1-8: *K2, P2, and rep from * to the end. SM at the end of each rnd. (180 sts per rnd).

Rnd9: K all sts. SM at the end of the rnd.

Colorwork Section:

Change to US 6/4.00mm circular knitting needles with 32” cord or DPNs.

Rnds10-57: Follow the Colorwork Chart, alternating the MC and CC accordingly. K all sts and SM at the end of each rnd. Work the Colorwork Chart 4 times for a total of 48 rnds. (180 sts per rnd).

Colorwork Chart:

Change to US 5/3.75mm circular knitting needles with 32” cord or DPNs.

Rnd58: K all sts with MC only. SM at the end of the rnd.

At this point, the CC is no longer worked. Cut the yarn and weave in the ends. The larger size needles are also no longer needed and can be set aside.

Top Ribbing Section:

Rnds59-66: *K2, P2, and rep from * to the end. SM at the end of each rnd. (180 sts per rnd).

BO in K2, P2 ribbing and weave in all ends.

HELPFUL LINKS

How to Knit with 2 Strands of Yarn– Video tutorial for knitting colorwork with 2 strands on the same round

Contact

Please email me at gourdgeousknits@gmail.com if you have any questions about the pattern. Feel free to send and tag me in any photos of your works in progress and finished projects with #AutumnTrellisCowl and #gourdgeousknits. I love seeing your knits and sharing them on my social media sites.

The patterns and photographs are the property of Kristin Strecker-Kellogg of gourdgeous knits and are for personal, non-commercial use. The selling or distribution of these patterns physically or electronically are not permitted. Please credit gourdgeous knits when sharing on social media with #gourdgeousknits.

© gourdgeous knits 2022

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