The Birthday Gift

A work colleague is celebrating her 50th birthday and I wanted to make her a gift.  As we are heading towards summer it needed to be something lightweight but I'd left it too late for a shawl.  I had a look through some patterns online, but none were quite what I wanted.  So I started experimenting.  As I have yet to give her the present (and because it's not finished yet!) pics of the finished cowl will follow.  I've put the pattern up while I have a quiet 5 minutes - please feel free to grab up a hook and some yarn and try out the pattern :)  I will be adding a ravelry link next week!

Finished size is around 34" around and 7" deep (approx!  I'm not finished making mine yet!)

You will need:
Around 25g laceweight yarn (200m)
4mm hook
A little patience!

V st: dc, ch1, dc in same st

1. Ch146 (or starting chain can be a multiple of 4 + 2 for the turning chain).

You may want to FSC (foundation sc) 144 here if working into a long laceweight chain is likely to send you over the edge!  You may also prefer to join starting chain and work as a round straight off, in which case you will need to drop the ch2 and start with ch144 :)

2.  dc in 3rd ch from hook (ch 2 does not count as stitch), *sk ch sp, V st, sk ch sp, dc* along ch, ending on a V st.  Leave last ch unworked and end with a sl st in top of first dc of the row to join into a round (careful not to twist!).

3.  ch2 (doesn't count as a st), 3dc in first dc, *sc in ch sp of Vst, 5 dc in next dc* around, ending with a sc in ch sp of last 5 st.  To complete the round work 2 dc in the same st as the beginning 3 dc were made and join with a sl st.

4.  ch1, sc in first st, *ch2, sk 2, dc in sc of previous round, ch2, sk2, sc in middle dc of shell* around, ending with dc in last sc, ch2, join with a sl st to first sc made.

5.  Repeat row 2

6.  Repeat row 3

7.  Repeat row 4

Repeat rows 2-4 as required and end on a row 4.  Fasten off and block as needed.  When sewing in the ends, for the starting chain stray end, be sure to join the gap created if you have followed the pattern as written (starting with rows and joining to rounds).

If you started with an FSC row you may want to do a final row of sc around for balance.

I am still in the midst of my cowl but I think I will end up with 7 rows of shells.

Here is an in progress shot of what I have so far:

 

The Finished Article :)

 

I ended up with 7 rows of shells and ended on a round 4 pattern repeat.  The finished cowl was 24g.