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.

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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