5 reasons to knit a cowl

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.

Sale

Coffee Break Cowl

Sale Price: £5.20 Original Price: £6.50

Sale

Colour Block Cowl

Sale Price: £5.20 Original Price: £6.50

Sale

Equinox Cowl

Sale Price: £5.20 Original Price: £6.50

Take the easy option

Don’t get me wrong, we all love a challenge from time to time. But there’s nothing wrong with going for the easier option every now and again.

If you have always admired the look of colourwork but felt slightly intimidated by it I know exactly how you feel. The thought of having to hold two strands of yarn at the same time, not to mention following a complex chart can be enough to make the bravest of souls think twice.

But this cunning, slip stitch pattern avoids the need for all that and creates a lovely intricate texture whilst only holding 1 strand of yarn per round.

Ideal for stashbusting too

The yarn I used for this sample is the beautiful West Yorkshire Spinners Fable Brushed Aran - a beautiful, slightly fuzzy blend of wool, alpaca and mohair.

But the entire, single-loop cowl only takes 80g aran weight yarn - making it perfect for using up those leftovers in your stash

Sale

Cappuccino Cowl

Sale Price: £5.20 Original Price: £6.50

How much do I love a cowl?

Tap to buy patterns

The answer is lots...apparently

I've written about my love of cowls versus shawls a few times before - at length - but it's really at this time of year that they come into their own.

Something you can just throw on in a morning as you dash out of the door. Those first few frosty mornings that catch you slightly unawares and can leave the knitter feeling exposed and slightly draughty at the bus stop.

Until I had knit a few I was unpersuaded by the joys of cowls, I thought they would feel bulky or constraining (I have an irrational fear of polo neck sweaters and anything too tight under my chin) but they have turned out to be a surprisingly versatile and well-worn addition to my wardrobe.

They are also pretty quick to knit - compared to a full on shawl - and 1 skein of DK can go a long way when you pair it with a stretchy, squishy stitch pattern.

As a winter treat I have put together a bundle of cowl patterns with the discount code COWL15 on my website. You can buy as many as you like - just add the code at the checkout.

Happy knitting

Presenting the Colour Block Cowl

Colour Block Cowl - on sale here

More autumn excitement from me today as I am thrilled to present my latest pattern release with you. Things feel especially autumnal today - as I write this midmorning it’s still incredibly dark outside (I even have the big light on) and the rain is lashing down against the windows. Just right for thinking about cosy autumn knits.

The Colour Block Cowl was knit using 50g of contrast yarn for the 'colour blocks' and a 5 x 20g set of ombre mini skeins for the main colour.

I chose to use a mini skein set from As Yet Yarns, colourway Volcanic Mist, a gorgeously subtle gradient from lightest cream to mid grey. 

For ease of knitting and so that nothing interrupted my 'flow' I wound the mini skeins into a cake before I started. I used the Magic Knit technique for this. If you'd like to try it there's a short tutorial up on my blog to show how I did it.

The cowl is a really straightforward knit with lots of stocking stitch - and it's ideal as a base to practice your colourwork on. You could knit the body of the cowl a little shorter if you prefer. As it is I had about 15g left over and I love that it is deep enough to wear folded over for extra warmth.

PIN FOR LATER

The joys of seaming (and a sale)

Cowl design: Women hold up half the sky

Well, not quite. But at least I got your attention, if only because you thought I might be being held hostage and signalling my plight to you. I know I have certainly waxed lyrical before about the joys of seamless knits, and how, if I had wanted to spend time with a needle I would have taken up sewing.

But, every so often there is a good case for seaming a knit and I hope you’ll bear with me while I elaborate.

It’s quite common for cowls to be knit in the round for many reasons not least because you are creating a tube or loop which will be worn as a tube or loop. It makes sense therefore to avoid the need for a seam and cast on in the round.

Now, this is partly personal preference but I sometimes feel that cowls in the round can feel a little bit like I’m wearing a surgical collar, particularly if the fabric isn’t as drapey as I would like.

I almost always prefer a cowl knit flat and then seamed. Partly because I feel that it tends to give better drape and partly because it makes it really easy to judge how long the cowl is and whether you can get one loop or two loops from your yarn. I’m all about reducing leftovers at the minute and anything that I can stretch to get the most out of a skein of yarn is all to the good.

SELF CARE SALE

As I regard shawl and cowl knitting as a valuable form of self care, and I’m in the mood to spread a little love this week I thought I would have a week-long sale on my shawls and cowl patterns. Just tap the button below and use the code SELFCARE to get 25% off any of my shawl and cowl designs - you may choose as many as you like.

And if you know a friend who is looking for a new project please do feel free to forward the link to them as well, and spread the love a little further.

Women hold up half the sky

Women hold up half the sky -Cowl pattern available on Payhip

“Women hold up half the sky” is a quote famously attributed to Mao Zedong. I came across it recently online and it has really resonated with me in the aftermath of my dad’s sudden death.

This pattern is dedicated to all of the strong women in my family.

It's been a difficult time, to say the least but together with the women around me we've got through it with tears, with laughter and with a gentle but indomitable strength.

We’ve looked back through old photos, we’ve remembered happy times together and we have supported each other, unfailingly in our darker moments.

Women everywhere, do indeed hold us up.

This cowl is knit in some glorious yarn from Black Stag Yarn & Fibre in a colourway called ‘Hat full of sky’ - a wonderful Terry Pratchett reference.

As soon as I saw it I knew it had to be something sky/star related and I hit upon this star stitch pattern, which I think looks fantastic spaced out across the stocking stitch background - like stars in the night sky.

The cowl is knit flat from a provisional cast on and grafted closed at the end. As I like my cowls quite snug there was a generous 40g yarn leftover from this one - probably enough for a short pair of fingerless mitts - but if you prefer something with more drape simply keep knitting until you’ve achieved the circumference you are looking for.

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