Sometimes you just have to trust the process.
Such was the case when Kate Larson asked me to knit Sivia Harding’s mobius cowl using strands of fine-gauge handspun scraps held together to create a worsted to bulky yarn. Sivia’s clever new pattern is included in Spin Off Winter 2025, and several spinners were trying different approaches using handspun. Would our scrappy plan work? In the end, I created three different cowls with different and delightful results.
Deborah's third Equinox cowl, knit in a range of blues and purples. She tried several approaches before this final version.
How It Started
Since this was my first mobius knit, I decided to knit a smaller version of the Equinox Cowl first. If you are also new to the Mobius Cast-On, it was developed by the late Cat Bordhi, an innovative knitting teacher, writer, and designer. She developed Moebius knitting, which takes its name and inspiration from the twisted-loop, mathematical object known as a Möbius strip. For the Equinox cowl, the cast-on begins at the center of the cowl. To get started with the pattern, I first used bulky-weight textured yarns as my sample swatch to test how the Mobius Cast-On and the basketweave stitch pattern would play with my handspun. My goal of using multiple strands would be hard to unknit if I were to make a mistake.
My sample was completed in just a couple of hours, and I was surprised by how well the stitch pattern showed against the thick-and-thin autowrapped yarn. This sample also helped me understand that the mobius cast-on is more than a design element—it’s a means of color management whereby your yarn is evenly distributed on both sides of the cast-on’s single twist while simultaneously disbursing from the center of the cowl out, making this an ideal vehicle for the tell-tale look of handspun yarn.
Deborah's sample Equinox cowl used bulky textured yarns instead of handspun.
Using Sivia’s instructions for working with different gauges and cowl circumference, I moved on to my next sample, this time holding two to three strands of leftover red and purple scraps together at roughly 10 wraps per inch (wpi), pairing it with a lofty two-ply yarn of similar weight and colors for a snugger cuff-like version. (More on using wpi to help with yarn selection below.) For this cowl version, I cast on 60 stitches using a US 9 (5.5 mm) circular needle. While I ended up with twisted stitches in the middle of the cowl from failing to re-read Sivia’s instructions on how to avoid them, the cowl is still quite striking.
Deborah's second cowl, knit in red and purple scraps.
Final Results
Finally, I moved on to the main event, my blue-purple sample. Here I cast on 88 stitches with US 10 (6 mm) needles and mostly laceweight scraps held two to three at once for a similar wpi as above and a bulky gauge of 4 stitches per inch. I was completely floored by the results. (The end result is 22 inches in circumference—very similar to Sivia’s original design.
A close-up shows the luscious and subtle color play created by combining handspun yarns.
This pattern is perfect for use with most any scraps of handspun you may have on hand, and it’s easily adaptable in size and gauge. Moreover, it’s completely addictive and a super-quick gift knit. (If we’re friends, don’t be surprised to receive one of your own!)
Deborah’s Tips:
- If you’ve never knit a mobius, knit a smaller-circumference sample using a commercial yarn as practice.
- Trust the process and Sivia’s notes. (Cat Bordhi’s YouTube video, which I watched three times, was also helpful.)
- Consider winding your fine yarns onto weaving or other bobbins when working with three held at once for easier tensioning while knitting.
- When choosing yarns, a wpi gauge can be a way to check that the changing yarn combinations stay a similar weight. Simply hold the different strands you would like to knit with together, give them a gentle twist, and wrap around the wpi gauge. If you change the combo of strands and have concerns about consistency, simply measure again to check. Some variability will not take away from the beautiful handspun texture!
Deborah Held is a freelance writer, contented real-life spinster, and an international fiber arts educator. She writes recurring spinning-related content for Spin Off and its blog, PLY, SweetGeorgia Yarns, and more. Debbie and her Persian cat, Stanley, live on an urban farm in Atlanta, Georgia, where both enjoy watching the Shetland sheep that roam beneath their windows. Deborah’s book, The Spinner’s Blending Board Bible, is due to be released in the spring of 2025 by Stackpole Books and is available for pre-order now wherever books are sold!