2.07.2012

Choose your Own Cowl - A quick knitting project

Every holiday season I make a goal of making as many homemade gifts as possible, this year I knit several cowls for my crafty sisters-in-law.  When my mom heard about their knitted gifts she wanted one too. Since her birthday was yesterday, I also knitted her a ribbed cowl scarf using some pretty purple wool I bought in New Orleans to match her lightweight winter coat.


I followed this Lion Brand pattern but used smaller needles and less yarn to make the cowl smaller and closer fitting i.e. warmer.  Assuming you know how to knit in the round, this is really easy and fast. This project makes for great TV watching because the pattern is easy-peasy.


For this project you will need:
- one skein (3oz.) of  acrylic yarn or any bulky yarn (The Jiffy in the picture)
- one skein (1oz.) of thin wool (loose ball in the picture)
- 16" Size 8 circular needles
- Stitch marker
- Large eye needle/crochet hook

Gauge - 14 stitches = 4 inches

1.  Cast 88 stitches using the long tail method onto your size 8 needles.  Place your stitch marker at the beginning of the round.  Make sure you do not twist the stitches, keep them all facing the inside of your circle.  Join in the round.

2.  For the first row, Knit 2, Purl 2 till the end of the round.

3. For the second row, Knit 1, Purl 2, Knit 2 till the last three stitches where you purl 2, knit 1.

4.  Repeat the first and second rows until the desired width is achieved.  The original pattern says 16 inches but that sounded enormous to me.  My cowls have been between 6-8 inches wide.

Mom's Birthday Cowl
My cowl with some leftover yarn.
The type of yarn you use will drive the size and shape of the cowl as you can see above.  Wool (top picture) will make for a more ribbed, slimmer cowl.  Acrylic yarns (bottom picture) will carry the pattern less sharply and will be looser.  I like them either way, its entirely up to what yarn/style suits your fancy.  It's a choose your own cowl adventure!

Are you a knitter or crocheter?  I would love to learn to crochet, perhaps I will tackle that later this year.  Till then, there are lots of summer babies to get knitting for!  

7 comments:

Bravoe Runway said...

WOW Cara! This is beautiful, I love both the purple and the green/yellow cowls! You also knitted a pattern, it looks very stunning!

A Very Sweet Blog said...

I love both! You are so talented. I don't sew, knit or crochet. Love that you got the yarn from new orleans. That's where I'm from! :D

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Annie said...

These are SO cute! Makes me wish I could knit or crochet :)

Annie
The Other Side of Gray

welldressedmaker said...

I just made a cowl, but I crocheted it. and it didn't turn out as lovely as this, fo sho!

♥ laura
the blog of worldly delights

Annika said...

wow, great job, I wish I made such things myself! You are talented. ;)
xxx

Viktoria said...

Love these! My mom can crochet an entire poncho in an afternoon! She made me a few cowl scarves for Christmas... if it would just get cold enough to wear them.

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