FREE PATTERN: Announcing HRH, The Queen

Wynona Studio’s Cowl for the Portland Yarn Crawl 2011, used Recycled 50% alpaca & 50% wool from Peru in a DK weight that they have in stock in an Amethyst purple color, they’ve named Bubble Yum Grape Bubble Gum. Yardage used estimated at between 130 to 140 yards, with a Size 7, 16” circular needle. The measurements, because of the close fitting ribbed pattern, is a stretchy 15” around and about 7” long. It is created with a picot cast on at the top, worked down through the body using braided ribs, a leaf border around the bottom is knit-on for a seamless piece that may be a challenge for an intermediate knitter, as two-stitch cabling is used that does not require a cable needle and a little bit of lacework. Fifteen 10mm pearl buttons were added at the base of every other leaf, but that is completely optional.

Terms used.
K=Knit
P=Purl
TR=Knit the second stitch on left needle at the front, knit the first stitch and draw off both, twisting right.
TL=Knit the second stitch on left needle at the back, knit the first stitch and draw off both, twisting left.
YO=Yarn Over
KFB=Knit in front AND back of stitch. This makes two stitches from one.
K2tog=Knit two stitches together. Left slanting decrease.
SSK=Slip two stitches as if to knit, then knit them together. Right slanting decrease.
Slip1-K2tog-PSSO= Slip first, SSK the next two, then slip the first over the decrease. This decreases two stitches over center knit stitch.

GAUGE: 24 rows & 26 stitches to 4”.

PATTERN:
Picot Cast-on Edge:
Cast on 5 stitches. Sample was slip-knot cast on.
Bind off 2 stitches. Continue until there are 90 stitches on needle. Join, careful not to twist.

Garter border: Place marker to indicate end of row. Work garter stitch for 5 rows: Knit one row, purl one row, knit one row, purl one row, knit one row.

Ribbed Cowl body: Work following pattern for 10 stitches, repeating 8 times. Should be 90 stitches throughout.

Row 1: P1, K3, P1, TR twice, K1.
Row 2: P1, TR, K1, P1, K1, TL twice.
Row 3: P1, K3, P1, TR twice, K1.
Row 4: P1, K1, TL, P1, K1, TL twice.

Repeat this pattern for desired length. Sample worked from cast-on edge for 5 inches.

Leaf border: Sample’s border was knitted on. Remove row marker.
Cast on 7, using provisional method. Method used here was the ‘E’ cast on. Knit one row, back to edge of work.
Row 1: (right side) K1, P1, K1, YO, K1, YO, K3. ~ 9 stitches.
Row 2: K1, P6, KFB, K2tog with one stitch off work. ~ 10 stitches.
Row 3: K1, P2, K2, YO, K1, YO, K4. ~ 12 stitches.
Row 4: K1, P8, KFB, K1, K2tog with one stitch off work. ~13 stitches.
Row 5: K1, P3, K3, YO, K1, YO, K5. ~ 15 stitches.
Row 6: K1, P10, KFB, K2, K2tog with one stitch off work. ~16 stitches.
Row 7: K1, P4, K4, YO, K1, YO, K6. ~ 18 stitches.
Row 8: K1, P12, KFB, K3, K2tog with one stitch of work. ~ 19 stitches.
Row 9: K1, P5, K2tog, K8, SSK, K1. ~ 17 stitches.
Row 10: K1, P10, KFB, K4, K2tog with one stitch of work. ~18 stitches.
Row 11: K1, P6, K2tog, K5, SSK, K2. ~ 16 stitches.
Row 12: K1, P8, KFB, K2, P1, K2, K2tog with one stitch of work. ~17 stitches.
Row 13: K1, P1, K1, P5, K2tog, K3, SSK, K2. ~ 15 stitches.
Row 14: K1, P6, KFB, K4, P1, K1, K2tog with one stitch of work. ~16 stitches.
Row 15: K1, P1, K1, P5, K2tog, K1, SSK, K2. ~ 13 stitches.
Row 16: K1, P4, KFB, K4, P1, K1, K2tog with one stitch of work. ~ 14 stitches.
Row 17: K1, P1, K1, P6, slip1-k2tog-psso, K2. ~ 12 stitches.
Row 18: P2tog, continue binding off the next 5 stitches purl-wise (total 5 stitches cast-off), P3, K1, K2tog with one stitch of work. ~ 7 stitches.

REPEAT THESE 18 ROWS around body of work 9 more times. Without having to make any adjustments, you should have 10 leaves, cut yarn at end of last row long enough to weave end of last leaf with beginning of first. Should flair a bit, as you’ve knitted two rows to each stitch from body of work.

The leaf pattern is a heavily modified version of Ms. Barbara Walker’s ‘Tulip-Leaf Edging’ in her book A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns (1970).

3/10 A reader already found a mistake and sent me a message on Ravelry! Thanks, Noni, the KL was actually supposed to be TL. Fixed it.