A Simple Cowl for When You Need to Think

The beginning of a new year (or the end of the first month, since we’re almost there already!) is a great time to reflect on the past year and to think about things you might want for yourself in the year ahead. It’s great to have an easy knitting project on the needles for these times of deep thinking, and that’s just want the Brood Cowl was designed for.

>> While you are here, check out our post on 13 Valentine Mug Rugs to Sew For Gifts <<

Rebecca McKenzie designed this top down, circular knit cowl for those times when things are weighing on you and you just need a bit of comfort knitting and a place to rest.

It uses DK weight yarn and has a little bit of shaping to give it a sloped look. It uses three colors of yarn with regular striping so you can carry the unused yarn up the inside of the cowl as you go rather than cutting and weaving in ends.

By now you probably expect me to say that you can use more colors if you want, and you could also make this with worsted weight or another weight of yarn if you like, bearing in mind it will come out a different size (or you can easily adjust the size). You could also try making it holding two strands of yarn together if you have lots of sock yarn or lace weight to work through.

Speaking of sizes, there are two options available in the pattern. The first is 20 inches around and 26 inches long (that’s 50 centimeters around and 66 long for our metric system friends), while the larger is 24 inches/61 cm around and 30 inches/76 cm long.

The stitch pattern is simple knits and purls so it would be pretty easy to alter the size if you want.

Learn more about the pattern and grab your copy on Ravelry.

[Photo: Rebecca McKenzie]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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