F3 Cowry Shell
Cowry (or Cowrie) Shells come in lots of different sizes and colours, but very few
collectors have a knitted version. Delight the shell lover in your life with this knitted
addition.
You will need:
white yarn (aran weight) • brown and white yarns (4ply)
3.75mm knitting needles • tapestry needle • scissors
Pattern (Outer Shell):
This pattern uses a lot of wrap and turns (/w&t), see notes on ODDknit.com for more details. This is
a short row technique where you wrap the yarn around the next stitch and turn the knitting around.
In this pattern the wrapped stitches are picked up on the following row for right-side stocking stitch
(a.k.a. the sections knitted in white aran) but left alone in wrong-side stocking stitch (a.k.a. the
brown & white 4ply bits).
Cast on 16 sts in white aran yarn.
Row 1: sl1k, p–
Row 2: sl1k, k12, w&t/ p10, w&t/ k13 (16)
Row 3: sl1k, p–
Row 4: sl1k, k1, [yfwd, k2tog] x 7 (16)
Row 5: sl1k, p–
Row 6: sl1k, k12, w&t/ p10, w&t/ k13 (16)
Row 7: sl1k, [pfb, p2] x 5 (21)
Cut the white aran yarn and attach the white and brown 4ply yarns together. These yarns are going
to be knitted simultaneously as though they were a single thread. The section could also be knitted
in a single aran weight colour.
Row 8: kfb, k18, kfb, k1 (23)
Row 9: sl1k, k –
Row 10: sl1k, p19, w&t/ k16, w&t/ p15, w&t/ k12, w&t/ p10, w&t/ k6, w&t/ p12 (23)
Repeat rows 9 and 10 once more.
Row 13: sl1k, k –
Row 14: sl1k, p –
Repeat rows 13 and 14 once more.
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Row 17: sl1k, k11, w&t/ p6, w&t/ k10, w&t/ p12, w&t/ k15, w&t/ p16, w&t/ k20 (23)
Row 18: sl1k, p –
Repeat rows 17 and 18 once more.
Row 21: sl1k, k2tog, k18, k2tog (21)
Change back to the white aran yarn.
Row 22: [k2, k2tog] x 5, k1 (16)
Row 23: sl1k, p12, w&t/ k10, w&t/ p7, w&t/ k4, w&t/ p10 (16)
Row 24: sl1k, k –
Row 25: sl1k, p –
Row 26: sl1k, k1, [yfwd, k2tog] x 7 (16)
Row 27: sl1k, p –
Row 28: sl1k, k –
Row 29: sl1k, p12, w&t/ k10, w&t/ p7, w&t/ k4, w&t/ p10 (16)
Cast off.
Pattern (Inner Shell):
Cast on 21 sts in white aran yarn.
Row 1: p19, w&t/ k16, w&t/ p15, w&t/ k12, w&t/ p10, w&t/ k6, w&t/ p11
Row 2: k –
Repeat rows 1 and 2 once more.
Row 5: p –
Row 6: k11, w&t/ p6, w&t/ k10, w&t/ p12, w&t/ k15, w&t/ p16, w&t/ k19
Repeat rows 5 and 6 once more, then cast off.
Making Up:
Fold the white ends of the outer shell in half and inwards. Sew the cast on/off
edge into place at the colour change.
Both the outer and inner shells are wider at one end so make sure you orient
them both the same at this point. Tuck the inner shell inside the outer. Sew
all the way around the edge of the inner shell fixing the cast on/off edges to
the same stitches as in the last step.
Sew in any remaining lose ends, then tug your new double thickness shell
into shape by making sure the outer and inner shells lay flat together.
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Notes:
Abbreviations
[ ] x number Repeat the section in square brackets the required number of times.
{ } x number Repeat the section in curly brackets the required number of times.
(number) Gives the total number of stitches you should have on needle by the end of the row.
drop no. Allow the next no. stiches to drop off the needle without working them (- no. stitches).
inc Pick up a loop from the previous row and knit into it to make a stitch (+1 stitch).
LH-needle Left hand needle.
k– Knit every stitch to the end of the row.
k number Knit this number of stitches
kb number Knit into the back of the loop for this number of stitches.
kfb Knit into the front and then the back of a single stitch (+1 stitch).
kfbf Knit into the front and the back and the front again of a single stitch (+2 stitches).
k2tog Knit the next two stitches together (-1 stitch).
k2togtbl Knit the next two stitches together through the back of the loops (-1 stitch).
p– Purl every stitch to the end of the row.
p number Purl this number of stitches.
p2tog Purl the next two stitches together (-1 stitch).
pfb Purl into the front and then the back of a single stitch (+1 stitch).
psso Pass the slipped stitch over any intervening stitches and off the needle.
RH-needle Right hand needle.
sl1 Slip the next stitch purl wise.
sl number Slip this number of stitches purl wise.
sl1k Slip the next stitch knit wise.
ssk Slip the next two stitches knit wise (to twist) and then knit them together.
st Stitch.
sts Stitches.
turn/ Rotate the knitting by half a turn and work in the opposite direction.
yfwd Bring the yarn to the front of the knitting (+1 stitch if followed by a knit stitch).
yrn Wrap the yarn around the needle once (+1 stitch).
ybck Take the yarn to the back of the knitting.
w&t/ Wrap the yarn around the next stitch and turn the knitting. See “Short Rows”.
Needle/Yarn Size
As with most ODDknit patterns the yarn and needle sizes in the "you will need" section are just a guide. Feel free to
improvise with whatever needles and yarn you have lying around - that's half the fun!
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