Big Scarves and Cowls to Keep You Warm

I may have mentioned that my husband has tasked me with knitting gifts for his team of six at work, and I’m trying to do cowls for everyone (well, and a scarf for the man). And while I really want to design them all myself (simple patterns, nothing at all crazy) I keep seeing great patterns for scarves and cowls that look super warm and that I just want to knit (if we’re being honest, I want to knit them for myself, but that’s another issue).

So if you’re in the market for a cozy scarf or cowl to keep yourself warm or to gift to someone this year, check out these great patterns.

The Tiverton Tweed Mesh Scarf from Classic Elite Yarns is just about big enough to be called a shawl, but the eyelet stitch makes it comfortable and the tweed yarn makes it perfect for fall.

I don’t know why this one is only showing as a PDF, but the Baby Alpaca Brush Ribbon Scarf from Plymouth Yarn is super warm and easy to knit and one you’ll want for a special gift for someone who loves softness.

The fun and chunky Learn to Cable Scarf from Lion Brand will surely teach you to do just that, and the color blocking is pretty fun, though of course you could knit it in one color, too.

Also from Lion Brand is the Mountain View Scarf, a really quick, easy and big knit sure to keep you cozy in the mountains or anywhere else.

The Carmela Cowl from Filatura di Crosa is a giant stockinette stitch loop but the yarn used has so much texture it looks almost like the project has bobbles. Super cool.

The Big Rib Cowl from Yarnspirations is a really quick and easy knit, and worked in a neutral color it would be great for a guy, too.

The Cleo Cowl is another great one for beginners, and the yarn used looks like something you’d just want to curl up in all winter long.

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Once you get past the rush of the holidays, it’s time to focus on yourself and your home and what’s going to make you feel good for the rest of winter. For me, that’s having a homemade blanket in every room. I’m currently working on a granny stitch crochet blanket, but I wanted to share some cozy knit blanket patterns with you in case you’re on the lookout for something great to knit yourself or someone you love.

I have really been enjoying log cabin projects lately because they’re a great way to use stash and I love the connections between knitting and quilting. This log cabin scrap blanket pattern is free from Very Pink, and it includes a video tutorial if you haven’t done log cabin knitting before. It’s worked in garter stitch and has blocks that are connected by borders in a single color.

Speaking of scrap busting (since that’s on my mind all the time, but particularly when New Year’s resolution time rolls around), the Hue Shift Afghan by Kerin Dimeler-Laurence is worked in a huge array of colors in garter stitch mitered squares. The pattern has options for working with sport weight or worsted weight yarn, and the blanket is worked in quarters and then sewn together, but the individual squares in each section are worked off each other for minimal finishing. Get the pattern from Knit Picks.

If you’re looking for an easy pattern that has a lot of texture, this quilted knit throw from Mama in a Stitch is a great choice. It uses chunky yarn in a single color to make a simple knit and purl pattern that looks like diamonds. The designer notes that a lighter colored yarn is helpful for making the stitch pattern stand out, but you can try whatever color you like.

Or go even simpler with the Bella Vita blanket from Christaco Design. This one uses super bulky yarn (or make it a stash buster by holding two strands of worsted weight yarn together). The pattern has a seed stitch border and allover knit and purl pattern, and includes sizes from baby blanket to California king.

If instead you want a project that will challenge you and occupy your mind as well as your needles, try the Aran texture cable afghan knitting pattern from Pattern Professionals. This gorgeous design features panels of cables and other textured stitches, and the pattern is originally form the 1970s. It uses worsted weight yarn and each pattern strip is worked individually and sewn together (though you could combine them into one big panel if you’d rather).

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