I have seen so many cute cowls coming through in catalogs that have been pouring into my mailbox this holiday season. Of course not any as cute as what all of us could make. 🙂 It’s nice to see that cowls are “in”. I’ve always thought they were really practical. And if you’re still needing some gifts (and I hope you do, because if you’re already done with your holiday knitting, I don’t even want to know about it), then cowls are just the ticket. Here are a few of my favorites, in case you need some quick ideas.
Short Cowls – these are made to just go around the neck. Some are knit snug-up and some are a little loose, but all of them are made to keep your neck cozy.
My Kind of Saturday Cowl (uses 350 yards of sport weight yarn)
Arctic Circle Cowl (uses 240 yards of bulky weight yarn)
Howling Winds Cowl (uses 90 yards of super bulky weight yarn)
Lava Flow Cowl (uses 230 yards of DK weight yarn)
Irish Cabled Neckwarmer (uses 200 yards of worsted weight yarn)
Quick Cowl (120 yards of bulky weight yarn)
Long Cowls – these are also called Infinity Cowls, because they’re long enough to loop around your neck two or three times. The nice thing about these is that if you’re shopping and you head into a store, you can unloop them and wear them long in the shop so you don’t get overly warm inside.
Lila Blue Cowl (uses 400 yards of fingering weight yarn)
Olivia Cowl (uses 250 yards of worsted weight yarn)
Honey Cowl (uses 450 yards of worsted weight yarn)
Summer Wind (uses 420 yards of fingering weight yarn)
Loopy Cakes Cowl (uses one set of Loopy Cakes)
So are you a cowl maker? Have you given some as gifts? Do you have a favorite go-to pattern? Let us know in the comments!
Sheri workingonaprettycowlforaChristmasgiftthisweekend
They’re all gorgeous but I especially love the texture on the Loopy Cakes cowl – it looks woven.
I’ve made the Irish Cabled Neck warmer a couple of times. I have one I wear all winter, and I made one for a friend last winter. It’s an easy knit and looks really good when finished.
I’m cowl obsessed, I’ve made like 20 in the last year, some gifts, but a lot of them are for me! The gap-tastic cowl I’ve done twice now because it’s so fast, and always looks good. Mostly though I just like to make lots of different ones.
Was just wondering…are there cowls for men? Or are cowls just for ladies?
Am not quite sure, don’t ever see men modeling them, and I have far more men on my list than is good for a knitter.
I like the Gap-tastic Cowl. It looks great, is easy and relatively quick to knit, and is very warm in our cold, snowy winters. It’s a free Ravelry pattern.
I think that the Loopy Cakes Cowl in the colorway Manly would look good on a man, Leslie F.
I made 16 cowls for Christmas a few years ago! I used worsted weight. I could get one done in two nights of knitting. I used Seamus Cowl & Infinity Scarf by IrishGirlyKnits. I did just the cowl, it was fast, it was easy, it had cables galore which I loved. I made so many that years later I do not have to look at the pattern to make another one. I am sure I have some yarn left over to make a few more! I made one for each girl in the family and a few friends and the son of a friend and still a few more were added. The end total was a bit more than 16.
My order of red and white Cascade 220 just came today to make a candy cane honey cowl!
I ‘ve made honey cowls for men, and a brick road cowl for my husband last year. A lot of it is the colors you choose.
Last year was my year for making cowls as gifts. I think my absolute favorite is the Yarn Harlot’s Pretty Little Thing. I think it’s time to make one for me.
I’m not a huge cowl maker, but I do have a pattern for a Brooklyn Tweed one called “Pei”. I’m going to make that when my other projects are done. I don’t like to have more than 1or 2 going at a time! 🙂
I love cowls! I’ve made quite a few this past year and some will be showing up under a Christmas tree or two…
I love the Forest Canopy Cowl pattern. I’ve probably made a dozen of them. They are great knit with Malabrigo Silky Merino.
I made the Twisted Rib Neckwarmer (Michelle Johnston) with Shalimar Breathless DK last year and daughter #3 stole it, so I’m working on another one for me. Nice relaxing tv-knitting, and it goes fast.
I love My Kind of Saturday! I made it in Kollage Riveting and it’s ever so versatile, goes with so much (just like a favorite pair of jeans).
Great post about cowls! I love to knit them, along with hats too! Often times the best way to knit up something quick and useful.
I love cowls that use two colors, like my Dissipative cowl: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dissipative
or like the Foolproof cowl I found through your blog:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/foolproof
I just finished making Delugan by LondonLeo and A Cowl for Jeanne by Romi. Both are being given to my daughters for Christmas. I have made one other cowl, and this was the ever-popular Honey Cowl by Madelinetosh. I’m starting to really like making these projects since I can use up left-over yarn from sweater projects. They are also projects that can easily be knitted while watching t.v. or reading a book. Thanks for giving me more cowls to choose from!
Wow! These are so nice, Sheri! I made my first cowl last spring with super bulky yarn. It was so easy. I then bought some more yarn and found it a couple of weeks ago in my stash. I decided I may need a quick project when we went to my parents for the weekend. I packed the yarn and needles and ended up making it while we were there. I’m on the second one at the present time. They are so fun to make. 🙂 Thanks for sharing these patterns with us.
I’ve only made one and it was the “Ambigram” on Ravelry. Loved it, simple and easy!
I’ve made “My Kind of Saturday” twice. Just finished a cowl from one of our local designers. A couple of years back I did one from the Dream in Color club. I like that they are quick knits and look great on!!
I’ve decided to do the Howling Winds cowl for a couple coworkers! I have to selfishly admit that I want to do quick projects for gifts so I have more time to knit for myself!
My favorite is Cabernet Infinity Cowl — A little more time consuming than some but I love the fact that the pattern includes directions for all weights of yarn. There’s a matching hat pattern. Thanks for reminding me about this one it will make a perfect gift for someone on my Christmas list.
thanks for the inspiration. I don’t think I’ve made a single cowl this year. I like Purl Ridge by Stephen West for a quick cowl that is mindless knitting. The one I made last year and loved was Winter Wonder (I think that was the name) by IrishGirlieKnits. I’m not a hat knitter but I think I am going to try and crank one out for a gift since I just finished my 4th quarter challenge last week. Wonder what is on tap for the 1st quarter of 2014. WOW can it be 2014??????? Enjoy your week Melody
My favorites are Anne Hanson’s Spiraluscious and Cite, but I just finished my first long cowl with Song of the Sea, so we shall see how I like the longer ones.
I just did Big Herringbone Cowl for the Fourth Quarter Challenge, and it was fun. Now I’m doing Over the Helix, and was liking it OK…then I noticed that the “wrong” side is really, really cool…it’s reversible, so it’s all good! Next on the docket, in the way of cowls, is Color Rhapsody.
I’ve also done Honey Cowl, a Tunisian crochet cowl (my first Tunisian crochet project…turned out great!) and a few others…Obviously, I love a good cowl!!