A Scandalous Cowl

Washed, pressed, and ready to wear for this evening — this merino and silk ribbon man’s cowl was made for masked crusader, Troy Samaroo. He travels for work often and needs something warm and versatile to wear over or under his coat. But mostly he wanted something slightly unusual to wear  for Halloween — super villains beware, a Scandalous Cowl is on the prowl.

We looked at a selection of fine yarns at Stitch Therapy. Maxcine has some beautiful yarns in the shop for winter. Among them are two luxury yarns: a deep saffron merino, SWTC Saphira; and a variegated hand-painted copper silk ribbon, Karabella Silk Organzina.

I sketched out a few basic ideas until we arrived at a favorable design. Troy’s signature contribution was a single archery-inspired sleeve guard — the Elves of Rivendale would be envious. I calculated 131 yards at 8 skeins of Saphira to marl intermittently with 92 yards of Silk Organzina at 3 skeins to create rustic striations and a deep texture.

Three gauges of needles create a smooth taper as the cable patterns transition into each other. Traveling ribs twist their way down the collar into a body of cabled lattice. The double silk hem adds stability and masculine elegance to this man’s garment.

The single left-hand sleeve is knit into the cowl at the neckline, which is reinforced at the front to make the cowl roll. The thumb hole is a minor detail but it makes this sleeve feel more like gear. The simple cable pattern runs up the arm picking up from the same patterns in the body. The result is a handsome, exquisite Scandalous Cowl.