This pattern can be a little tricky if you’re not familiar with provisional cast on and Kitchener grafting but these techniques are well worth learning, as they make an almost undetectable join if done correctly. The Artesano Super Chunky has been discontinued but try it with another super chunky, provided the gauge is similar. I would say that synthetics won’t give the same shape, as the original yarn is very dense. This cowl weighs about 300g. If you prefer smoother selvedge edges, then simply slip the first stitch purl wise and knit into the back of the last stitch on every row. I usually do this but for this design I found it benefited by having the bumpy, almost picot-esque look.