Menai is now available as an individual pattern.

This cowl, similar to a mini poncho, features a spectacular two-colour brioche stitch leaf pattern. It’s worked top down, with a lower garter stitch border; stitches are picked up to work the brioche collar after the cowl has been blocked and it is finished with a sewn brioche cast-off.

It only uses 2 x 400m/100g of 4ply yarn in contrasting colours so it’s an ideal stash-buster. With brioche increases and decreases on both knit and purl rows and the sewn brioche cast-off, you could also extend your repertoire of brioche stitches!

Whilst the pattern as printed in The Knitter referred to yarn A and yarn B, the individual pattern that you can buy from my store follows my usual brioche pattern conventions. Yarns are referred to as LC (light colour) and DC (dark colour), following the convention in two-colour brioche knitting. Each row has two ‘passes’ which are written out separately and the light colour is always worked first. Rows are named by the Row number and whether that row is to be worked with LC or DC, eg Row 5 LC is Row 5 worked with the light colour and is followed by Row 5 DC.

Yarn
UK Alpaca Hand Knitting Sock Yarn (4ply; 75% Superfine Alpaca, 25% Nylon; 400m/437yds per 100g skein)
Light Colour (LC): Moss Green; 1 x 100g skein
Dark Colour (DC): Cobalt; 1 x 100g skein

Or 2 x 400m/100g of any 4ply yarn in contrasting colours

Needles
3.75mm (UK 10-9/US 4) circular needles, 100cm long
1 pair 4.5mm (UK 7/US 7) knitting needles (to cast on and cast off only)

Notions
Tapestry needle for sewn collar cast off

Tension
18.5 sts and 26 rows to 10cm over two-colour brioche as used in Collar using 3.75mm needles, after blocking and relaxing.

Blocking Measurements (see Schematics)
First Block: 49 cm (19½”) inner length, 162.5 cm (65”) outer length and 32 cm (12¾”) depth
Second Block (collar): 49 cm (19½”) length and 5.5 cm (2¼”) height

Finished Measurements
Length: 37.5 cm (15”)
Circumference at top: 49 cm (19½”)
Circumference at bottom: 158 cm (63¼”)

Note
Do use the Sewn Brioche Cast-Off to finish the collar (see Special Techniques). A knitted cast-off, however loosely worked, will not easily fit over the head.