Circumnavigate

Circumnavigate Cowl by Heidi Kirrmaier

What Is Being Made

Circumnavigate is a knitted cowl designed by Heidi Kirrmaier in cooperation with Malabrigo Yarns. This is a neck cowl—a tubular garment worn around the shoulders and neck for warmth and style. The finished cowl measures 100 cm (39 inches) in circumference and 20 cm (8 inches) in width, making it a substantial, versatile accessory suitable for layering.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern calls for 270 meters / 300 yards of yarn in DK weight, which translates to approximately 2 skeins of Malabrigo Silky Merino. The pattern was developed and tested with Malabrigo Silky Merino in the colorway '411 Green Gray', though any DK weight yarn of similar yardage and fiber content may be substituted. Knitters should note that yarn quantities are tight; the designer reports knitting the pattern twice with 2 skeins each time, with results varying between 5 meters leftover and 5 meters short. For those working with limited yardage, the pattern includes optional modifications to conserve approximately 11–12 meters of yarn with minimal design impact.

Needles and Notions

Construction requires a 4.5 mm / US 7 circular needle, or the size necessary to achieve the specified gauge. Stitch markers are essential: 1 color 'A' marker (to mark the beginning of rounds) and 12 color 'B' markers (to mark pattern repeats throughout the cowl).

Gauge and Difficulty

The pattern is worked at a gauge of 21 stitches per 10 cm (4 inches) in stockinette stitch. Circumnavigate is rated as an intermediate difficulty project, indicating that knitters should have solid foundational skills including cast-on techniques, knitting in the round, stitch marker placement, and the ability to follow written instructions with pattern repeats.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

Circumnavigate employs fundamental knitting techniques worked in the round on a circular needle. The construction begins with a cast-on of 234 stitches, which are then joined in the round with careful attention to avoid twisting. The pattern uses stockinette stitch as the primary stitch structure. Marker placement is integral to the design: knitters place markers every 18 stitches to establish pattern repeats across the circumference, with a distinct color 'A' marker identifying the round beginning. The pattern includes several rounds of stockinette stitch knitting (either 4 or 3 rounds depending on yarn conservation choices) before progressing into the marked pattern sections. This systematic use of markers ensures even distribution of design elements around the cowl's circumference.

Pattern Format

Circumnavigate is provided as a downloadable PDF pattern document, making it accessible for immediate use once purchased or downloaded. The pattern was copyrighted by Heidi Kirrmaier in November 2011.