I know that shawls get a lot of attention and I am a complete sucker for a cute asymmetric shawl at the best times but bear with me here.
Often overlooked but super practical, the humble cowl has a few significant advantages over it’s larger, flouncier cousins.
It is easier to style (at least in my opinion): There is no need for advanced scarf drapery or tutorials on how to wear it. Also no loose dangly ends to dip in your coffee or catch on passing doorhandles. In my imagination I am serene, elegant and free of such obstacles, in real life - not so much.
Knit either way: One of the main advantages for me is that for most designs they can either be knit sideways (flat and then seamed, or with a provisional cast on) or they can be knit in the round. Both have their pros and cons but I enjoy their adaptability in this regard. Knitting flat and then seaming gives you the advantage that you can knit until you are happy with the length - perfect if you only have 1 skein of an aran weight yarn for example.
It is far easier to wear a single loop (slightly snug) cowl than it is to knit it in the round, miscalculate the number of stitches needed and end up with a thin, narrow tube around your neck 😂
Easily adjustable: shawls require a certain commitment in terms of the amount of yarn needed if you are to avoid trying to style an impossibly small triangle. Cowls offer a lot more flexibility and it is easier to calculate your yarn requirements in advance as your stitch count will remain the same throughout the project.
Working on a smaller scale: I love that cowls provide a smaller canvas for a pattern. It can be a really useful opportunity to assess how a given design drapes or works. The same is true of hats too but it is easier to wear a ‘slightly too drapey’ cowl. No one really wants to wear a baggy hat.
Less bulk: As someone who often wears a winter coat but strongly dislikes the feeling of too much bulk I really appreciate a snug, single-loop cowl on cold days. Whereas shawls can end up bunched under my chin, a cosy cowl knit in butter soft yarn is nothing but comforting (and warm).
How about you - do you prefer a cowl or a shawl?
I’ve added my favourite patterns below, but if you want to try out any of them for yourself all my cowl patterns currently have a 20% discount on my website - or use code COWL25 on Ravelry.
This is a textured cowl designed to be knit flat, from a provisional cast on and then closed using Kitchener stitch.
1 skein of worsted weight yarn will be ample to produce a cowl which fits not-too-snugly around the neck.
If you have 2 skeins, simply carry on going and you will have a wonderfully squishy cowl that can be looped once around the neck to keep you super toasty.
If Kitchener stitch is enough to scare you rigid you could work a three needle bind off instead and no one would be any the wiser.
Yarn: The Fibre Co. Cumbria Worsted
Yardage: 200-400m (220-440 yds)
Needles: 4.5mm
You will get a PDF (432KB) file
This lightweight cowl is knit in the round using a sock yarn gradient kit for the main colour and a small amount of contrast colour for the blocks.
It is straightforward to knit and provides an ideal opportunity to practice stranded colourwork.
Materials:
Needles: 3.0mm circular needle (as there is no US equiv for 3mm, select either size 2 or 3 depending on the fabric you prefer).
Yarn (MC): 5 x 20g mini skeins - As Yet Yarns superwash merino ombre gradient set. Colourway Volcanic Mist.
(CC): Approx 50g Madelaine Tosh, Tosh Sock (100g/361m/395yds). Colourway Saffron.
Notions: Tapestry needle for weaving in ends, stitch marker, scissors.
Gauge: 22 stitches and 33 rows in 4" (10cm) in stocking stitch.
Size: Depth 16.5" (42cm), circumference 26" (66cm).
You will get a PDF (3MB) file
Sometimes you find a yarn that you just want to knit - allowing it to be the star of the show.
When I found this long-change gradient Ombre DK from Madrigal Yarns I immediately had a design in mind for it.
It knits up super quickly - in fact the cowl is so named because I knit it in about 12 hrs in the course of the Spring Equinox. Partly because the short, 7st lace repeat pattern is straightforward to memorise and partly because watching the colour changes happen is so much fun.
This pattern would work well with solid or semi-solid colourways as well as other long-change gradients such as those from Noro.
The cowl is knit in the round - so no seaming required at the end.
MATERIALS:
4 mm circular needle (60cm cable length).
1 x 100g Madrigal Yarns Ombre DK 100% superwash BFL, 200m/219yds. Colour Ombrolivia.
GAUGE: 22 stitches x 28 rows = 10cm/4" in stocking stitch, blocked.
SIZE: 22.9" circumference x 9.1" depth (58 x 23cm).
