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The Story:
While traveling during the holiday season, I noticed a lady at the airport who had on a great cowl neck sweater but I could not see how it was made. As luck would have it, she sat next to me on the flight, giving me the perfect chance to examine the sweater. What I liked about the neck was the drape—it had no definite top seam because the cowl grew up from the neckline.
This was the inspiration for my Turtle Cowl (although mine does not look much like the cowl neck I saw on that flight). This cowl begins with a ribbing, to keep it close to the neck, and then increases to an unusual lace pattern that drapes well. The ribbing pulls the lace in at the top, giving the piece a gentle A-line shape without any shaping in the lace section. Woodland could not be more perfect for this project because it has body to help the cowl stand up and it blocks beautifully.
The Yarn:
Woodland
65% wool, 35% nettles
Woodland, a part of our Verde Collection, is a blend of wool and environmentally friendly nettles. Nettles is a weed that grows easily with little use of water, fertilizer or pesticides. Nettle fiber is a bast fiber, taken from the stem of the plant like linen and hemp. But nettles is softer and silkier than other bast fibers and is naturally resistant to stains, bacteria and mildew. When mixed with wool, nettles add lightness, minimize shrinkage and add breathability to the fabric.
The wool and nettles in Woodland take dye differently, creating a softly heathered yarn that is offered in 5 neutral and 7 vibrant colorways. Woodland has a propensity for crisp detail and will show off stitches from the simplest rib to more intricate cable or lace work.
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more photos
The Pattern:
Here is the free downloadable Woodland Turtle Cowl pattern. (file size: 1.4 MB)
If you have difficulty downloading or printing the PDF pattern above, try these: page 1 - page 2
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