Surround yourself with the lusciousness of huge poppies even in the coldest moments of the year.
Escher's Cowl has an attractive twist to it when worn long as a fabulous flower-adorned necklace, but untwists itself when you coil it twice about your neck for extra warmth. The cowl is easy to make and becomes the perfect canvas for the oversized poppies that decorate it.
The poppies themselves are created all in one piece and are beautiful works of art that look lovely decorating most any surface: picture them not just on this wrap, but in different yarns (beaded silk!) and decorating different surfaces, such as the top of a gift box, a felted hat, and the ends of a conventional scarf. . . the possibilities are as tantalizingly endless as Escher's favorite cowl.
The Complete Poppy Cowl Kit Contains
See the Additional Details tab below for more information about the size of the cowl and flowers, about difficultly level, skills required, and the materials you will need on hand to make this project.
Cowl Pattern Difficulty Level
The Cowl is Intrepid Easy: requires knowledge of provisional cast on, knitting and purling, and grafting stitches together.
The Poppies are Intrepid Intermediate: they require knowledge of knitting and purling, increasing and decreasing using several methods, picking up stitches, working in the round on circular needles, a small field of intarsia, and some simple hand-sewing (and optional wiring).
Approximate Finished Dimensions
Cowl Height: 9" (22.5cm) [13" (32.5cm)] and Circumference: 42" (105cm) NOTE: Finished sizes may vary slightly with yarn choice, needle size, and gauge.
Flower blossom diameter: 8" (20cm)
Stem: 2" (5cm) or desired length
Gauge
Cowl: 16 sts and 24 rows over 4" (10cm) in stockinette stitch. To save time, please check your gauge.
Poppies: To make poppies the size and appearance pictured, a gauge of 24 sts and 32 rows over 4" (10cm) in stockinette stitch must be maintained.
Additional Materials You Need to Make This Project
Size 10 (6mm) circular needles to make the cowl
Size 6 (4mm) double-pointed needle (set of 5) or needle size needed to knit flowers densely (i.e. 24 sts/32 rows over 4" (10cm)
Lock stitch markers used as stitch holders for the flower petals
Darning needle and 28-gauge brass wire
Sewing needle and like-colored nylon beading thread
Pictured Sample
The cowl was made in hand-dyed Noni Exclusive worsted weight yarn in "Mushroom" (worsted weight; 85% wool, 15% mohair; 190 yds [174m] per 4 oz [113g] skein)
The pictured flowers were made in Shepherd's Wool's Zinnia Pink and Raspberry by Stonehedge Fiber Mill (worsted weight; 100% merino wool; 250 yds [229m] per 4 oz [113g] skein): 10 yds (9m) Spring Green (A), 125 yds (114m) each of Raspberry and Zinnia Pink (B), 10 yds (9m) Midnight Lake (C), and 5 yds (4.5m) of fingering weight Midnight Lake (D)