Add Some Doodles to Your Cowl with this Fun Arctic Pattern

It feels like winter gets sucked up in Christmas trees and elves and doesn’t leave enough time for adorable winter animals, snowflakes and the like. But today we’re going to focus on a pattern that’s decidedly winter but not necessarily a holiday pattern, and you can make it any way you like.

Arctic Doodles by Jamie Lomax is one of her doodle series of patterns, which we’ll talk about more in a minute. The doodle patterns allow you to mix and match different little colorwork designs so you can make a totally unique project. In this set of designs you’ll find polar bears, snowflakes, trees, moose, walruses and more. The cowl pattern itself comes in three different sizes and you can mix and match any of the designs you like, in whatever colors you like, to make a project the size you want.

It uses DK weight yarn and you can grab the pattern on Ravelry.

In addition to the Arctic doodles, though, Jamie has a whole series of interchangeable pattern motifs that you can use to make a project on a particular theme or just mix and match the ones you like.

For example there are monsters and other Halloween motifs; fall-themed designs like a fox, fall leaves and pumpkins; a floral set with flower motifs and butterflies; even a Rhinebeck set of patterns that include sweaters, socks, hats, rabbits, sheep and more in honor of the famous wool festival.

Once you’ve bought a pattern that includes the general instructions for making the cowls, you can by any of the motif sets as an expansion pack, which is less expensive than buying the full pattern again.

This idea is so much fun (and a great way to use your yarny leftovers, of course) and I’m sure she’s going to keep making them with different designs in the future so you’ll want to check back and see what other fun she has in store.

[Photo: Jamie Lomax]

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Some knitters have trouble coming up with projects they can both knit and wear when it’s warm outside. Especially if you’re not ready for garments (thought tank tops and summer tops are great first garment projects!) it might seem like there’s nothing to do when it’s hot outside.

One way to remedy this situation is by knitting headbands. Headbands are great any time of year to keep hair out of your face and make you look a little more pulled together without any effort. Wider headbands double as ear warmers when it gets colder, but skinnier ones are great throughout the year.

A couple of great examples are from designer Elly Donner, who has a set of headband knitting patterns on Ravelry you can buy individually or as an ebook. Homebody, shown here, is worked in garter stitch (the ties are crocheted but you could also use I-cord), while Slipstream uses slipped stitches and garter ridges, and Sounds of Spring has little cables. The patterns use DK weight yarn and are a great way to use a little leftover yarn from another project.

I also recently came across the lovely Plush Braided Headband by Yevgeniya Li. A free pattern on Ravelry, this wider design is covered in lush cables for a sleek and fancy look. It uses worsted weight yarn and you can customize the length for a perfect fit.

Celeste Knitwear’s Spikelet is a simple twisted headband with columns of eyelet lace to keep it from being too heavy. It’s worked flat and sewn together to make the twist, and uses DK weight yarn. It has three sizes available.

This skinny lace headband from Lusi Knits is another cute choice. It calls for fine weight cotton yarn, but you could use heavier yarn if you have it on hand to make a wider headband (or use any fine yarn you have available). It uses ties to customize the fit.

And if you want to go super basic but still really cute, try the easy ring headband from Lulu Pattern. The sample is knit pretty wide, but you could make a narrower version if you want, and the little ring turns it from a plain loop into a bow with very little extra work. It calls for worsted weight yarn but you could also use whatever weight you like for this one to change up the look and size.

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