Bel Canto

Originally published as part of the Knitcircus Issue #12 Winter 2010-2011 Pattern Collection ($7.99). It is no longer available from this source, but has been reformatted/rephotographed and can be purchased here directly from Ravelry.

From pattern description: This cowl pattern is named after Ann Patchett’s book Bel Canto: the single cable braid running across the cowl reminded me of the scenes where two unlikely friends plait one another’s hair in the mornings.

• The cowl is knit in the round and finished with plain rolled edges. Most of the cowl is stockinette, and the main design detail is the braided cable running diagonally up the center of the cowl, set off by openwork faggoting and simultaneously positioned on the bias with increases/decreases placed on every round. Additional decreases distributed across the stockinette portions of the cowl create a flared shape to hug the neck and shoulders.
• The bias shaping gives the cowl an interesting shape at the base of th