A golden-colored cowl with alternating rows of eyelets, bobbles, and seed stitch is laid flat and surrounded by pink and white roses, antique paper ephemera, and a blue and white teacup.

Today, I am re-releasing the Sycamore Canyon Cowl. This was one of my early designs that I love so much. While it’s a great pattern, I wrote and released it before I met my excellent tech editor, Bonnie Davis. I also published it before I was aware of low vision accessible patterns, so this one was in need of a little sprucing up.

So, behold, the improved and upgraded Sycamore Canyon Cowl! Below you’ll find links to buy a PDF download on all of my usual platforms so you can knit your own version of the pictured item in this post, along with a little bit about the inspiration behind it, some technical details, and more.

Payhip

Here’s where you’ll find the Sycamore Canyon Cowl on Payhip.

Etsy

Here’s where you’ll find the Sycamore Canyon Cowl on Etsy.

Ravelry

Here’s where you’ll find the Sycamore Canyon Cowl on Ravelry.

About the Sycamore Canyon Cowl

This cowl was inspired by one of my favorite places. Sycamore Canyon is a state campground tucked into the Santa Monica Mountains between Camarillo and Malibu. It’s full of—you guessed it—sycamore trees.

My family used to camp there for Thanksgiving every year, and the smell of sycamore trees in late autumn is heavenly. I carry that scent with me in my heart everywhere. The canyon also has a little stream that runs through it, though by November, it’s usually dry. I spent hours there as a kid building forts among all the boulders.

The bobbles on this hand-knit cowl remind me of those boulders, while the color I chose is one you often see in sycamore leaves as they turn and fall. I created this knit cowl pattern using a single-ply wool-silk blend by Malabrigo. This yarn is one of my all-time favorite yarns, and I’ve used it for several projects over the years. I like the softness, the faint sheen from the silk, and the fluffiness of the single ply yarn.

There are benefits and drawbacks to this yarn construction for this project, though. Because it’s a cowl, I don’t have to worry too much about it getting a lot of wear and tear. That means I can use a single ply yarn without being too worried about its delicacy. However, because the yarn is a single ply, it doesn’t have as much stitch definition as a yarn with more plies might have. I liked that for this cowl, but if you’re looking for one where the bobbles pop a little more and the stitches are more clearly visible, consider choosing a yarn with more plies.

Easy Shopping List

In case you want to knit this cowl using the exact materials I did, here is a shopping list with easy links for you. These are affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy something through those links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I will always identify affiliate links for you. Thanks for supporting my work!.

Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino (unfortunately, the colorway I used has been discontinued, but there are lots of other beautiful options)

Needles: Addi Turbo 24″ Circular Needles

Sycamore Canyon Cowl Details and Specs

A golden-colored cowl with alternating rows of eyelets, bobbles, and seed stitch is laid flat and surrounded by pink and white roses, antique paper ephemera, and a blue and white teacup. The photo is shot from a low angle at the bottom left of the cowl, so that the teacup is blurred in the foreground and the cowl is clear in the middle of the photo

This pattern has been tech edited and test knitted. It includes a second PDF accessible for knitters with low vision, following guidelines from Ravelry’s Accessible Patterns group.

SIZES

One size
Piece measures: 12.75” (32.5 cm) high by 11.5” (29 cm) wide

MATERIALS

DK weight yarn, 250-300 yds (229-274 m)

Sample shown knit in Malabrigo Silky Merino, 51% silk, 49% merino wool, single-ply, 150 yds (137 m) per 1.76 oz (50 g)

GAUGE

4” (10 cm) square = 26 stitches and 29 rows in seed stitch after blocking (remember to check your gauge, because each knitter’s personal gauge is different and you could end up with an enormous cowl)

NEEDLES

One set of 24 in (60 cm) circular needles in a size to match gauge listed above

Suggested needle size: US 6 (4 mm)

TOOLS

One stitch marker
Crochet hook, size G (4 mm) (optional)
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

SKILL LEVEL

Intermediate
Techniques: increases, decreases, bobbles, knitting in the round

Some Helpful Tips for Success

Sometimes, tackling new knitting techniques can be tricky. Here are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of this cowl knitting pattern.

  • You can knit this  infinity scarf pattern in other yarn weights very easily. You’ll just have to add or delete a repeat or two of the stitch pattern. For example, if you wanted to knit this pattern in thicker yarn like a worsted weight yarn, I’d recommend removing one repeat of the stitch pattern and using slightly larger needles than the pattern calls for. 
  • If you want to change the size of the cowl, you can either add/remove repeats or use larger/smaller yarn and larger/smaller needles. This cowl is pretty easy to customize. Please know that doing so will probably affect your total yarn usage, though, and you’ll end up needing more or less yarn than I’ve recommended for this pattern.
  • The PDF pattern includes both written instructions and a chart for each round. This way, you can choose whichever pattern-reading method is most comfortable for you.
  • I very strongly recommend knitting this cowl with a circular needle. While you can knit it with double-pointed needles, the circumference of the cowl will make this knitting method a bit unwieldy.
  • If this is your first time knitting a lace pattern, this is a great choice for you. The lace in this cowl is an easy pattern with a short pattern repeat, so you’ll be able to memorize it quickly.
  • You might find a row counter helpful in this pattern because this is a rather tall cowl​. I’m a big fan of the chain row counters from Twice Sheared Sheep. (That’s an affiliate link, which means if you choose to buy something through those links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I will always identify affiliate links for you. Thanks for supporting my work!)
  • If seed stitch is absolute agony for you, you can substitute garter stitch for the parts of this cowl that are rows of seed stitch. The row gauge will probably be a bit shorter if you do that, though, so you might want to work an extra round or two. I would not recommend using stockinette stitch for these sections because the top and bottom borders need to have some stability.

If You Liked This Pattern, You’ll Also Like…​

If there’s one thing I’ve discovered in my years as a knitter, it’s that many of us have favorite motifs we like to revisit. In case you’re the same, here are some suggestions for some of my other cowl patterns you might enjoy knitting.

And if you want something that’s not a cowl, you can find all of my knitting patterns on Ravelry and on Etsy. Thanks for stopping by!

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Owner & Designer

I'm a former lawyer turned knitwear designer who designs soft, romantic patterns for knitters who want a brief escape from the everyday. When I'm not knitting, you can usually find me puttering about in my rose garden, hosting tea parties, or collecting sea glass at the beach.

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