Living in Ireland with the weather changing by the minute year-round, it is always the season to celebrate and wear transitional pieces and layers. For me, my Taffy Twist Cowl is just such a piece since it stays in place, adds a bit of color to any outfit, and can carry you through winter into spring. Perfect for using a thick-to-thin yarn that may otherwise be problematic for consistent gauge in a garment (or if you don’t have much of it and want to have it be the star of a piece).
Taffy Twist Cowl
A cowl for handspun or colorful bulky yarn because it works well with yarn that goes from thick to thin and back again.
Construction/Shape: In the round.
Finished measurements: Large enough to loop around twice.
Yarns used in sample: I used 180-250 yards (164-228 meters) Bulky or heavy Aran weight yarn (in this sample, I used di.vé fiamma). 9 mm or 13 US circular knitting needles
Generally, which yarns work best: 180-250 yards (164-228 meters) Bulky or heavy Aran weight yarn, including yarn that varies in thickness.
Notes: This cowl is a transitional piece to balance the bit of evening chill in the air. It stays in place, adds a bit of color to any outfit, and can carry you through winter into spring. I named my creation the Taffy Twist Cowl because once it was knitted up, it reminded me of a caramel apple coated in sprinkles and crushed rainbow lollypop shards with maybe a rainbow of marshmallows too. The imagery alone reminds me of an October carnival, which is a happy memory to loop around my neck to keep me cosy.
*throws confetti*
A cowl for handspun or colorful bulky yarn
Helpful Resources:
• A video showing both the Russian Join and the Felted Join thanks to Abigail’s Crafts How To.
• surprisingly stretchy bind off.
Doubled around the neck, it blocks out any breeze and is a comfort when you have a sore throat. Twice around the neck with the second one pulled up over the nose and mouth blocks out cold air, especially good if that is one of your asthma triggers. And, let’s face it, wearing this looks a lot less creepy than donning a balaclava or ski mask when you’re around town. Worn loosely around the neck it gives any shirt a whole new look. Once around the neck then again just behind your forehead and it warms your neck and ears as a kind of hood. Twice around the head makes it a cosy headband/earwarmer. Here are a few photos of the cowl in action:
If you like Di.Ve‘ Fiamma, it is available from Knitted Together or you can hunt for it on Ebay. It is soft – very soft. Though it goes from thick to thin, it is strong and sturdy. I never had any breakage though keeping it from splitting while I knitted in the dark watching a movie was occasionally a challenge. The colorway is delicious! It reminds me of the rainbow swirl mashmallows some gourmet cafés serve in their hot chocolate. The care allows for hand wash in luke warm water, but I think blocking after any dampness or washing is recommended to retain your pattern’s desired shape. I’m grateful to have eight more skeins of this in two colorways to play with.
Please comment here or on the Ravelry pattern page if you end up trying this cowl pattern. Of course, you can also comment for fun.
I love the description for the colours! Almost makes me want to taste the yarn! I did something similar outnof handspun thick’n’thin yarn. It ended up being Rob’s cowl because he liked the colours so much. The one I made had more purple in it.
“Hello” from the east coast of Canada. We’re still in Halifax, NS but our time is nearly at an end. We go home on Wednesday.
That is so beautiful and so stylish!
Wow – that’s really cool – I love the twist part of the recipe. 🙂 LOL! I LOVE the colors too. If you check my Ravelry – I have a red scarf in Di Ve wool – it’s WONDERFUL …
I know you’ll enjoy wearing your cowl and keeping out the Irish wind. 🙂
i love the yarn! so cool, and p e r f e c t for autumn! kudos 🙂
what does twist only oncemean
Twist only once means that when you would join in the round with the stitches lined up exactly, you would twist the stitches once so they are joined in the round perfectly lined up but offering a little spiral to the rows you’d then knit. It will not effect your knitting. Not twisting still produces a lovely cowl.
I can’t find the PATTERN for the Taffy Twist Cowl… I AM on http://evinok.net/?p=705
can you help me please? I think it’s beautiful!
Thank you.
The pattern is within the text of the email at the moment. I will add a pretty PDF soon.
This is beautiul. Am going to do this one. Have made different cowls, but this is delightful in its colors and textures. Love it!
Thanks so much, Lana!
I am really having a hard time finding the color and di.ve yarn. Where would you suggest that I get it? Thank you for your time.
I did see that you said to check Knitted Together or Ebay but everyone seems to be out of it right now. I will keep checking.