✨ Use the coupon code colorplay15 for 15% off through Tuesday, November 10 (or subscribe to my newsletter for 20% off!)

The idea of a colorwork cowl had been calling to me for a while, and I’d been curating a small stash of beautiful color-shifting yarns and complementary solids. I was also still in the thick of a demanding year at work and fresh off of knitting a handful of Tipping Point Scarves, so I wanted to stick with something small and engaging to knit.

I knew exactly where to start and opened a computer file I’d named “Colorwork Playground”—the one I turn to whenever I want to experiment with multi-color stitch patterns and chart new designs. Several ideas in there have yet to see the light of day, but this time I was looking for something specific. Something that wouldn’t be overly repetitive along the length of a cowl worked sideways. A bold yet unfinished chevron-and-diamond motif I’d started years before caught my eye.

I excitedly completed the shapes, experimented with placements, and fine-tuned the repeats. And then I had a finished chart. I hopped off my barstool so fast it was probably still spinning as I ran to the next room and opened my yarn cabinet to pull out a deep purple skein and some Spincycle Dyed in the Wool that shifted from shades of orange to pink to lavender. I cast on right away and worked on it almost daily, only pausing to finish preparing for my first time teaching at Flock Fiber Festival.

The day after I finished that cowl, I started a second with a deep teal and another Spincycle colorway I’d picked out at Flock. In the end, I had two unique cowls that I loved equally. The shades of a vivid PNW sunset against the dark plum background in the first cowl were mesmerizing. The vibrant rainbow of colors against the saturated teal shone in the second. I couldn’t wait to share both cowls with the world.

I chose the name Glow and Arrow because it captured what you see in this pattern—diamonds that look like they’re glowing from within, arrow-like chevrons arranged throughout the motif—and the wordplay felt fresh and playful. It perfectly matched the energy of a pattern that was simply supposed to be fun.

Now it’s your turn to make something just as joyful. Grab two yarns and let Glow and Arrow be your colorwork playground too!

Why knitters love this pattern

• Bold, engaging colorwork chart. The large-scale, chevron-and-diamond motif holds visual interest when knit sideways along the cowl’s circumference.
• Engaging, low-stress project. Familiar colorwork rhythms and a manageable project size make this a satisfying knit that’s ideal for a handmade gift or personal wear.
• Flexible yarn weight. Designed for contrasting sport weight yarns, but the chart and instructions work beautifully with fingering or DK without modification. It’s a great project for whatever color combination or weight you have on hand.
• Unique, invisible grafting technique. A provisional cast on lets you start the colorwork right away without a plain round. Then, a seamless two-color graft joins the cowl so the motif carries through and no duplicate-stitch fixes are required.
• Optional twist. Graft it closed straight for a traditional look or add a half twist before joining for that classic möbius shape.

What’s included

In the PDF download, you’ll find:

• Tips on choosing colors, stranding for consistent color dominance, and catching floats + a video on colorwork knitting basics.
• Step-by-step written instructions from cast on through grafting with two colors, as well as a full video demonstrating the grafting technique.
• Two colorwork charts: one for a dark background with a light motif, the other for a light background with a dark motif.

The Knitty-Gritty

Description
A cowl is a classic accessory: cozy, practical, and the perfect thing to wear during seasonal transitions or just when you need a pop of color to frame your face and warm your neck. The Glow and Arrow cowl takes it further with a bold chevron-and-diamond colorwork motif that I started designing years ago but finally completed during an inspired evening. After provisionally casting on and knitting the cowl sideways as a tube to its full circumference, you’ll graft it closed—with or without a twist! And if you’ve made this type of colorwork cowl before, the two-color grafting technique used in this one might surprise you and become your new favorite …

Sizes
1 (2)

Finished Measurements

• Circumference: 26.75–28.5 (32–34.25)“ / 67–71.5 (80–85.5) cm, depending on round gauge within the range below
• Height: 7.25–7.5” / 18–19 cm, depending on stitch gauge

Yarn
Approximately 590 (708) yards / 540 (648) meters sport weight yarn:

• Main color: 290 (348) yards / 265 (318) meters
• Contrasting color: 300 (360) yards / 275 (330) meters

Needles
US 4 (3.5 mm) circular needle, 16” (40 cm)

Gauge
30–31 sts and 28–30 rnds = 4” (10 cm) in stranded colorwork worked in the round, after blocking

Exact gauge is not critical, but it will affect your cowl’s finished size and required yarn amount. Pattern includes yarn selection and swatching tips as well as sample yarn and gauge details.

Notions

• Approximately 9 yards (8 meters) waste yarn, smooth and same weight as working yarns, in a high‑contrasting color
• (1) Stitch marker for beginning of round
• (1) Locking stitch marker, waterproof/rustproof
• (3) Additional stitch markers, distinct from beginning of round marker (optional)
• Silicone cord for holding live sts during blocking (optional)
• (2) Tapestry needles

Deutsch

Anleitungsdetails

Beschreibung
Ein Cowl ist ein klassisches Accessoire: kuschelig, praktisch und perfekt für den Übergang zwischen den Jahreszeiten oder einfach dann, wenn du einen Farbtupfer brauchst, um dein Gesicht zu rahmen und deinen Hals warmzuhalten. Der „Glow and Arrow“ Cowl geht noch einen Schritt weiter mit einem kräftigen Chevron- und Rauten-Farbmuster, das ich vor Jahren begonnen habe, aber endlich an einem inspirierenden Abend fertiggestellt habe. Nach dem provisorischen Anschlag und seitwärts Stricken des Cowls als Röhre bis zum vollen Umfang nähst du ihn mit Maschenstich zusammen — mit oder ohne Verdrehung! Und falls du bereits einen Cowl im Fair-Isle-Muster gestrickt hast, könnte dich die hier verwendete zweifarbige Naht-Technik vielleicht überraschen und zu deinem neuen Favoriten werden …

Größen
1 (2)

Fertige Maße

• Umfang: 67–71,5 (80–85,5) cm, abhängig von der Rundenprobe innerhalb des unten stehenden Bereichs
• Höhe: 18–19 cm, abhängig von der Maschenprobe

Garn
Ca. 540 (648) Meter Garn in Sport-Stärke, also Garn mit einer Lauflänge von 300–350 Meter pro 100 g:

• Hauptfarbe: 265 (318) Meter
• Kontrastfarbe: 275 (330) Meter

Nadeln
3,5 mm Rundstricknadel, 40 cm

Maschenprobe
30–31 Maschen und 28–30 Runden = 10 cm im Fair-Isle-Muster, rundgestrickt, nach dem Spannen

Die exakte Maschenprobe ist nicht entscheidend, wirkt sich aber auf die fertige Größe und den Garnbedarf aus. Siehe Seite 2 für Tipps zur Garnauswahl und zum Stricken einer Probe sowie Details zu den bei den abgebildeten Cowls verwendeten Garnen und Maschenproben.

Zubehör

• Ca. 8 Meter Restgarn, glatt und in der gleichen Garnstärke wie die Arbeitsgarne, in einer stark kontrastierenden Farbe

• (1) Maschenmarkierer für den Rundenbeginn

• (1) Verschließbarer Maschenmarkierer, wasserfest und rostfrei

• (3) Zusätzliche Maschenmarkierer, unterscheidbar vom Maschenmarkierer für den Rundenbeginn (optional)

• Silikonschnur zum Stilllegen der Maschen während des Spannens (optional)

• (2) Vernähnadeln