Mystic Beach

Rippling waves meet mountain ridges in this modern möbius cowl. Twisted stitches create a raised, geometric pattern on a stockinette background, evoking the waters and mountains of Canada’s west coast.

Mystic Beach is worked in the round as a tube, which is then given a half-twist and grafted closed to form a möbius shape, joining the stitch pattern into an unending circle of mountains and sea. The pattern includes illustrated tutorials for crocheted provisional cast on and the twisted stitch technique used in the sample, as well as a link to a tutorial on grafting, and tips for choosing your yarn. Instructions are both charted and written.

Size

Finished circumference: 71 cm/28 in; depth: 24 cm/9.5 in

Yarn

Madelinetosh Pashmina (75% superwash merino wool, 15% silk, 10% cashmere; 329 m/360 yds per 113 g/4 oz.): 2 skeins (shown in Cousteau)

Our sample used 2 skeins of Julie Asselin Fino in 'Week End' (370 m / 400 yds / 115 g). When knitting with a hand-dyed yarn, we recommend alternating skeins every few rows to blend together any colour changes. We chose to use a fingering weight yarn that blooms after blocking rather than a sport weight.

If you’re substituting yarn, look for a sport weight yarn with good stitch definition that gives a fabric that you like at the pattern’s gauge and that is comfortable against your neck.

Needles

3.75 mm (US 5), 40 cm (16") circular needle, or size needed for correct gauge

Spare needle 3.75 mm (US 5) or smaller, 40 cm (16") or longer, for joining the ends

Gauge

28 sts & 35 rnds = 10 cm/4 in. in twisted stitch pattern on 3.75 mm/ (US 5), worked in the round and blocked

24 sts & 34 rounds = 10 cm/4 in. in stockinette stitch on 3.75 mm (US 5), worked in the round and blocked (provided for reference if substituting yarns)

Exact gauge is not essential, though differences in gauge will affect the size and amount of yarn required.

Notions

• 4 stitch markers and 1 locking stitch marker
  
• Stitch holder or scrap yarn for holding stitches
• Tapestry needle
• Wool wash

Skills Required

Knit, purl, increases, decreases, working in the round, provisional cast on, grafting, three-needle bind off (optional)

Photos © Gale Zucker 2024