The Rustic Old Shale Cowl is a timeless lace accessory inspired by traditional Old Shale stitch patterns and the quiet beauty of wool-forward yarns. Designed to highlight texture, movement, and drape, this cowl balances airy lace with enough structure to feel cozy and substantial.

Worked seamlessly in the round from the bottom up, the repeating lace motif creates gentle waves that open beautifully with blocking. The result is a versatile piece that layers effortlessly and feels equally at home with handspun yarns or rustic commercial wools.

This pattern is a thoughtfully revised and expanded edition of an earlier design, now updated with multiple sizes and streamlined instructions for today’s knitter.

Details

Difficulty: Intermediate

Construction: Knit in the round, bottom up

Sizes:

Small: 18” circumference

Medium: 21” circumference

Large: 24” circumference

Finished Height: Approximately 9” (adjustable)

Yarn Weight: Heavy Worsted / Aran

Needles: US 10 (6.0 mm) 16” circular

Gauge: 14½ sts and 16 rows = 4” in pattern stitch, after blocking

Skills Used

Knitting in the round

Yarn overs

Decreases (k2tog)

Working a repeating lace pattern

Yarn Notes

The Rustic Old Shale Cowl is especially well-suited to rustic, woolly yarns that benefit from blocking and allow the lace to bloom. Handspun yarns add depth and character, while smoother commercial yarns highlight the stitch pattern’s structure.

Designer Notes

This is a rhythmic, meditative knit once the pattern is established. Length can be easily adjusted by adding or removing pattern repeats, making it simple to customize while maintaining the integrity of the lace.