Scarves Stories: Torno

The Torno Cowl in Chickadee. Another piece we love from this year’s Scarves, etc 4 collection, and a new-to-Quince technique: Entrelac.

This technique involves turning the work (RS facing to WS, and vice versa) early in the row (a bit like short rows) to build up little leaning rectangles, all joined together as you go. Each new rectangle begins by picking up stitches in the previous row’s rectangle. Sounds tricky, I know, but it’s easy once you get started.

Usually worked in stockinette stitch, Entrelac is often used to showcase dramatic color changes in the yarn used. For Torno, designer Amy Maceyko has chosen a rib stitch to make her cowl reversible, and worked it in a solid color to highlight the texture and movement of the stitches.

To make this cowl truly reversible, the stitches picked up on the edges of the entrelac rectangle should be handled with care. Inserting the needle sometimes from back to front and other times from front to back allows the column of slipped edge stitches to sit nicely on the knitting and mimic the knit/purl look of the ribbing.

Here's how: 

When picking up stitches in a knit-first rectangle (one that begins with a slipped stitch, then a purl), insert the needle into both legs of the slipped stitch, from back to front (fig. 1).

When picking up stitches in a purl-first rectangle (one that begins with a slipped stitch, then a knit), insert the needle into both legs of the slipped stitch, from front to back (fig. 2).

Try the steps above and you'll have a cowl that’s pretty, inside and out.