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.

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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