Pattern Novum: Cachou Cowl & Infinity Scarf

There's a new pattern up in the shop today, the Cachou Cowl (really, Infinity Scarf).  Cachou was originally included in Tanis Fiber Arts' Year in Colour Club last year -- I had created it for a single lovely skein of TFA Blue Label Fingering Weight in Tanis' Thrills colorway (you can read more about it and my deep connection with the color here). Now that it's 2013, the pattern is up and available to the public, and I've revamped it and added a few extras.

 

 Cachou Cowl - $4 on Ravelry


Cachou (which is a little candy used to decorate sweets) comes in three different sizes with two edging options (rolled or scalloped) and is written so you can make it with either Aran/worsted weight yarn or fingering weight yarn. The smallest size (not pictured) is your standard cowl, the Medium is an infinity scarf that can be worn long or wrapped once around the neck for a nice, squishy neckwarmer. And the Large...

is long enough to wrap not once...

but twice, too, for a completely different look.

This piece is designed to be a good stashbuster -- one skein of sock yarn will get you a Small, Medium, OR Large, and, depending on the yardage, one skein of Aran or worsted weight will get you at least a Medium, possibly a Large, too. Cachou is also designed to play nicely with variegated yarns. The lace pattern doesn't compete with the colors, and breaks them up in a way that (I think) is really lovely.

Here are the specs...
Sizes:
Aran weight version [Fingering weight version] Small (Medium, Large) Circumference: 22.5 (41.5, 54.5)”/ 57 (106, 139) cm [21.25 (42.75, 53.25”)/ 54 (108.5, 135.5) cm] Height: 7 (8, 9.25)”/ 18 (20.5, 23.5) cm Samples shown in Aran weight, Medium (pink) and Fingering weight, Large (purple).

Yarn:
115 (205, 285) yds/ 105 (190, 260) m [165 (325, 420) yds/ 150 (300, 385) m]of Aran or worsted [Fingering] weight yarn

Shown in Tanis Fiber Arts Green Label Aran Weight (100% Merino; 205 yds/187 m per 115g/4oz skein) in Pink Grapefruit and Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label Fingering Weight (80% superwash merino, 20% nylon; 420 yds/385 m yds per 115g/4oz skein) in Thrills

Needles:
US 8 (5 mm) and US 9 (5.5 mm) [US 6 (4 mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm)] circular needles, 16 (32, 32)”/40 (80, 80) cm in length

Gauge:
18 sts & 24 rows [24 sts & 34 rows] = 4”/10 cm in Stockinette stitch on smaller needles
15 sts & 23 rows [18 sts & 25 rows] = 4"/10 cm in Diagonal Madeira Lace on smaller needles

Now that the weather has been warming up and spring has started showing itself here and there, I've found Cachou to be a great accessory -- it's warm when it needs to be, but the lace keeps it from being overwhelming. And I specifically chose to knit my new one in Tanis' gorgeous Pink Grapefruit colorway to add a nice, bright pop of color. Truly, it has barely left my neck since I finished it.

For more information, see Cachou's Ravelry page here.