An Easy Way to Knit a Bandana Cowl

I love the look of a bandana cowl and the fact that it’s a perfect compromise between a shawl and a cowl. It looks like a shawl but it is a lot easier to wear because the cowl part keeps it snug around your neck and keeps it from falling off.

It also uses less yarn and doesn’t take as long to knit as a shawl, but still gives you a similar look and feel. It’s especially great under a coat because it’s not as bulky as a standard shawl would be.

The typical construction method for a shawl cowl is usually from the top down, so you would knit the cowl part in the round and the shawl part flat on just some of the stitches. (It could also be worked the other way, where you start with just a few stitches, shape the shawl part, then cast on to work the cowl in the round.

The Ansh Cowl from Kavitha Raman is entirely worked flat, then folded and seamed to make the cowl portion. This is a great construction method for people who aren’t comfortable with or don’t want to work in the round, or who just want to try a project that’s constructed in a different way.

This pattern is worked in DK weight yarn and uses eyelets to keep it light. It looks like a great project for those transitional seasons when you might want just a little bit more warmth but not too much.

You can get the pattern for this project on Ravelry.

Looking for more bandana cowl knitting patterns? Check out the Brignadine Cowl, the Cosette, the Out to Lunch Cowl and the Curiosity Colorwork Cowl. These are all great variations on the theme!

[Photo: Kavitha Raman.]

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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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