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.

To make Mystic Beach, you will need to be comfortable with increases, decreases, and working in the round.

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)

Needles

3.75 mm/US 5 40 cm/16 in. circular needle, or size needed for correct gauge

Spare needle 3.75 mm/US 5 or smaller, 40 cm/16 in. 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 needles, worked in the round and blocked

24 sts & 34 rounds = 10 cm/4 in. in stockinette stitch on 3.75 mm/US 5 needles, 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 (2 for beginning & middle of round, 2 for decrease points); removable stitch marker; scrap yarn for holding stitches; yarn needle

About the yarn: Madelinetosh Pashmina is a worsted-spun, sport weight, superwash merino/silk/cashmere blend. This smooth, silky yarn makes an exceptionally soft fabric with great drape

and stitch definition.

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. For a drapey cowl, a blend with silk, alpaca, and/or superwash wool could work well; for a more structured cowl, look for a springy yarn in a non-superwash wool or wool blend. If you’re unsure, a good-sized, blocked swatch will show you what the final fabric will be like. You will need approximately 585 m/640 yds.