INTRODUCTION

Straits

by Jordan Prouty

I love blue. Seriously, for me, other colors basically exist for the purpose of contrasting or highlighting the awesomeness of blue. And deep, purply blues are my absolute favorites. So, when I saw that Deep Fall 2024's theme was Seaside Indigo, I felt like it was written just for me.

I immediately had visions of stripes and classic cables, coming together in a long, cuddly cowl with a nautical feel. Straits has a tubular shape to make sure there's no ugly wrong side to try to hide, and the in-the-round knitting makes for a relaxing project. I love super long cowls for fall, you can leave them dramatic and flowing until you get really chilly and then wrap them twice around your neck for warmth and snuggles. The yarn I chose is 50% wool and 50% alpaca, so it's fuzzy and cozy and has a beautiful slightly heathered appearance.

model: Jordan Prouty

photos: Keziah Prouty

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Circumference: 52 inches/132 cm
Width (flat): 7 inches/18 cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Quince & Co. Owl [50% American wool/50% alpaca; 120 yd/110 m per 50g skein];
[MC] Straits; 4 skeins
[CC1] Elf; 2 skeins

Yarn Characteristics
The sample shown uses a worsted-weight wool and alpaca blend. The yarn is fuzzy, squishy, and springy.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #7/4.5mm 16-inch/40-cm circular needle
A second circular needle in the same size or smaller, for joining

Notions
crochet hook and waste yarn for provisional cast on
1 stitch marker
cable needle
2 locking stitch markers – helpful for grafting
tapestry needle
scissors

GAUGE

22 sts/24 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
27 sts / 21 rounds in Straits Cable pattern

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Construction method: Straits begins with a provisional cast on, then is knit in the round as a long tube with sections of stripes alternating with sections of cables and is finished by grafting the two ends together.

Customizing the size of the cowl is easy. Any of the sections can be knit to your desired length. To change the width, simply adjust the cast on number by multiples of 10 sts. Remember that changing the size of the cowl will change your yarn needs.

C4B: Slip 2 sts to cable needle, hold in back of work; k2, then k2 from cable needle

Techniques:

• provisional cast on (video tutorial)
• jogless stripes (photo and video tutorial)
• cables (photo tutorial)
• General grafting information: photo tutorial and video tutorial
• tubular grafting (video tutorial).

CHARTS

Straits Cable:
Work from chart or written instructions as you prefer.
Worked over a multiple of 10 stitches.

Rnds 1–2: (P1, k4) around.
Rnd 3: (P1, C4B, p1, k4) around.
Rnds 4–6: Repeat Rnd 1.
Rnd 7: (P1, k4, p1, C4B) around.
Rnd 8: Repeat Rnd 1.

DIRECTIONS

Using a provisional crochet cast on method and scrap yarn, CO 80 sts.

Join MC. Knit across all sts, place marker and join to work in the round. 

Large Stripe Section
Continuing with MC, knit all stitches for 11 rounds.
Switch to CC and knit all sts for 12 rounds.

Repeat this pattern (12 rounds of MC, 12 rounds of CC), until you have 4 MC sections and 4 CC sections.

Cut CC.

First Cable Section
Using MC, knit 1 round.
Cable round: Work Straits Cable pattern 8 times around.
Work as set until you have worked Rounds 1-8 of the Straits Cable 8 times, in total.

Small Stripe Section
Using CC, knit all sts for 4 rounds.
Switch to MC and knit all sts for 4 rounds.

Repeat this pattern (4 rounds of CC, 4 rounds of MC) until you have 10 CC sections and 10 MC sections, then work one more CC section.

Cut CC.

Second Cable Section
Work as for first Cable section.
Cut MC.

Final Section
Join CC and knit 11 rounds.

Cut CC, leaving a tail that is at least 5 times the circumference of the knitted tube.

At this point, turn cowl inside out and weave in all ends except the final CC one.

FINISHING

Unzip provisional cast on and return sts to second circular needle, making sure you still have 80 sts.

Graft the two ends of the tube together. With this long a join, it can be challenging to maintain proper tension. I recommend you stop every few sts and make sure the stitches look good, adjusting the tension with your tapestry needle as necessary.

To block, soak cowl in cool water with a wool wash. Gently squeeze excess water out; then wrap in a towel and gently squeeze as much water out as possible. Lay flat and allow to fully dry.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Jordan Prouty learned to knit in 2010 and began designing knitwear in 2017. She lives with her husband and their four kids in Michigan, but they can frequently be found traveling in their camper, exploring the wonders of the natural world, with Jordan frequently finding inspiration for her designs in the beauty of creation.

You can email for pattern support and find Jordan on Ravelry and Instagram.

Pattern & images © 2024 Jordan Prouty