During my first PhD fieldwork season I wanted a project to keep me occupied during my downtime, and what better subject than my study species?! Inspired by Fair Isle designs I’d seen during previous fieldwork up in Shetland, this cowl brings together the woolly northern isles with the woolly south.

Yarn
You’ll need a main colour and two contrast colours. I used:
MC: BC Garn Bio Shetland GOTS in Light Grey
CC: BC Garn Bio Shetland GOTS in Dark Grey
CC (a small amount): Uradale Yarns Organic Native Shetland Jumper Weight in Speedwell Heath

I chose blue as the contrast colour in the borders to reflect the beautiful blue eye ring that the Falkland shags develop during the breeding season, giving them the colloquial name of blue-eyed shags.

Needles
Circular needle
3.0mm/US 2 ½
3.5mm/ US 4
Or whichever size needles are needed to obtain gauge.

Gauge
Approx 28sts per 10cm
Approx 40 rows per 10cm

Finished size
55cm/22” circumference x 20cm/8” tall