by Ashley Knowlton

I love single-ply lace, and, as a beginning spinner, made it my ambitious mission to come up with a skein of my own. I only had the patience for about 300 yards of the super-thin pink stuff, but it was just the right amount for a lacy Estonian-inspired cowl. And dipping the finished yarn alternately between hot and cold baths during setting made sure it would all stay together.

I spun it on my drop spindle as I unfortunately don't yet have a wheel. There's also something extremely satisfying about making very thin yarn on a drop spindle, and I enjoy the rhythm of it. My drop spindle is very light (18g) so can handle spinning thin singles very well as long as the staple length is long enough, and I spun it so it ended up still soft spun, quite a bit like Malabrigo Lace. It was definitely a learning experience and really resulted in my first usable handspun yarn, and I'm quite proud that it turned out so well. I must say that this project has made me a spinning convert, and I foresee many hand-spun items (and a wheel!) in my future.

If you’re blessed with the patience for extra yardage (or are using a commercial yarn), you may want to add an extra repeat of the Lace Pattern for a cowl that will fit snugly over your head. (See pattern notes.)

Experiment with chopping and changing colors in hand-dyed roving to create a flash of self-striping pattern. If nupps and hand-spun, singly-ply yarn (understandably) scare you, why not add a scattering of beads instead?

The stitch pattern used in the cowl is a classic Estonian pattern called Spruce and Diamond, and “Kuusk” is Estonian for spruce.  It’s pronounced, roughly, “koosk”, but with an alluring Scandinavian spin. 

SIZE
One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 24 inches
Height: 10 inches (customizable)

MATERIALS
Fiber
LHogan [100% merino; roving]; color: Cocktails; 4 oz

Finished Yarn:
Wraps per inch: 22
Yardage used: 220 yds
Plies: single
Drafting method: Short Draw

Commercial Yarn Alternative
Malabrigo Lace [100% merino; 470yd/430m per 50g skein]; color: Shocking Pink, #184; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
24-inch US #7/4.5mm circular needle

	Spinning Tool: Enid Ashcroft Oak Top Whorl Spindle, 18g

Tools
Stitch markers
Yarn needle

GAUGE

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

To adjust length, simply work more repeats of the Lace Pattern. Each additional repeat requires about 100yds of yarn, and will add about 4 inches in length.

Nupp: Work (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) into next st. On the next rnd, you will knit these 5 sts together.

Edging Pattern 1
Worked over a multiple of 20 sts.
Rnd 1: [Ssk, p2, k3, p2, yo, k1, yo, p2, k3, p2, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: [Ssk, p1, k3, p2, yo, k3, yo, p2, k3, p1, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 3: [Ssk, k3, p2, yo, k5, yo, p2, k3, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 4: [Ssk, k2, p2, yo, k3, nupp, k3, yo, p2, k2, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 5: [K3, p2, k4, k5tog, k4, p2, k4] to end of rnd.

Work Lace Pattern:

Lace Pattern
Worked over a multiple of 20 sts.
Rnd 1: [K2, (yo, ssk) twice, k2, nupp, k1, nupp, k2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k3] to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: [K8, k5tog, k1, k5tog, k9] to end of rnd.
Rnd 3: [K1, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, nupp, k1, yo, ssk, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k2] to end of rnd.
Rnd 4: [K9, k5tog, k10] to end of rnd.
Rnd 5: [K2, yo, ssk, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k3] to end of rnd.
Rnd 6: Knit.
Rnd 7: [K1, yo, ssk, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k3, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k2] to end of rnd.
Rnd 8: Knit.
Rnd 9: [K3, (k2tog, yo) twice, k5, (yo, ssk) twice, k4] to end of rnd.
Rnd 10: Knit.
Rnd 11: [K2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k7, (yo, ssk) twice, k3] to end of rnd.
Rnd 12: Knit.
Rnd 13: [K1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k2, (yo, ssk) twice, k2] to end of rnd.
Rnd 14: Knit.
Rnd 15: [(K2tog, yo) twice, k2, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k2, (yo, ssk) twice, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 16: Knit.
Rnd 17: [K1, k2tog, yo, k2, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k2, yo, ssk, k1, nupp] to end of rnd.
Rnd 18: [K19, k5tog] to end of rnd.
Rnd 19: [Nupp, k3, (k2tog, yo) twice, k3, (yo, ssk) twice, k3, nupp, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 20: [K5tog, k17, k5tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 21: [K2, yo, ssk, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k1, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k2, nupp] to end of rnd.
Rnd 22: [K19, k5tog] to end of rnd.
Rnd 23: [K1, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k3, yo, ssk, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k2] to end of rnd.
Rnd 24: Knit.
Rnd 25: [K2, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k3] to end of rnd.
Rnd 26: Knit.
Rnd 27: [K3, (yo, ssk) twice, k5, (k2tog, yo) twice, k4] to end of rnd.
Rnd 28: Knit.
Rnd 29: [K4, (yo, ssk) twice, k3, (k2tog, yo) twice, k5] to end of rnd.
Rnd 30: Knit.
Rnd 31: [K1, yo, ssk, k2, (yo, ssk) twice, k1, (k2tog, yo) twice, k2, k2tog, yo, k2] to end of rnd.
Rnd 32: Knit.
Rnd 33: [K2, yo, ssk, k2, yo, ssk, yo,sk2po, yo, k2tog, yo, k2, k2tog, yo, k3] to end of rnd.
Rnd 34: Knit.
Rnd 35: [K1, (yo, ssk) twice, k4, nupp, k4, (k2tog, yo) twice, k2] to end of rnd.
Rnd 36: [K9, k5tog, k10] to end of rnd.

Edging Pattern 2
Worked over a multiple of 20 sts.
Rnd 1: [Ssk, p2, k1, yo, k9, yo, k1, p2, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: [Ssk, p1, k2, p1, yo, k7, yo, p1, k2, p1, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 3: [Ssk, k2, p2, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, p2, k2, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 4: [Ssk, k1, p2, k2, p1, yo, k3, yo, p1, k2, p2, k1, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.
Rnd 5: [Ssk, p2, k2, p2, (k1, yo) twice, k1, p2, k2, p2, k2tog, k1] to end of rnd.

DIRECTIONS
Cowl
CO 120 sts, place marker and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work Rnds 1-5 of Edging Pattern 1 once, using written or charted instructions as you prefer.

Work Rnds 1-36 of Lace Pattern twice, or as many times as desired, using written or charted instructions as you prefer.

Work Rnds 1-5 of Edging Pattern 2 once, using written or charted instructions as you prefer.

Bind off as follows:
K1, *k1, sl 2 sts back to LH needle and k2tog] until 1 st rem.  Cut yarn and draw through final st.

FINISHING
Block cowl, opening up lace pattern and exaggerating scallops for edging. Weave in ends.

Ashley is an American ex-pat who designs, edits, writes, cycles, and knits from a bungalow in a beautiful, sheep-filled corner of Wales. 

Find her on Ravelry as Wonk, or her designer profile here.