Chunky Pinstripe Cowl Knitting Pattern

I’ll be getting much deeper into quick and easy knitting patterns with high gift-giving potential really soon, but in the meantime, this cowl would be a great one to knit for yourself when the first cold snap of the season comes on, or to start making a bunch of now for all those gift-giving opportunities that are coming up quicker than we would like to admit.

This pinstripe chunky cowl knitting pattern is an easy project for beginners. The cowl is worked in the round on circular needles and can be completed in an evening while catching up on your favorite show. These cowls, designed by Fox and Pine Stitches, pair nicely with their coordinating hat knitting patterns, so you can make a whole set for yourself or someone else if you like.

The pattern comes in three sizes, to fit toddlers, children and women, and because the body of the cowl is worked in stockinette in one-round stripes, it will work up super fast. (Stripes make the knitting go faster. That’s just science.)

It’s also super fast because it uses super bulky yarn in two colors. Or try holding two strands of worsted weight yarn together for a different look. They’re so quick and easy to make and infinitely giftable, you’re sure to be making a bunch of different versions once you’ve made you first.

The free pattern for the chunky pinstripe cowl is available from Fox and Pine Stitches.

Looking for more projects using super bulky yarn? I’ve got a nice collection of projects that use super bulky yarn leftovers (or small quantities) that you should definitely check out. That roundup has 30 different patterns you can make, including hats, mitts, slippers and more, many of which use less than 100 yards (or about 91 meters) of yarn.

[Photo: Fox and Pine Stitches]

When I discovered Kate Atherley’s book Circular Knitting for Beginners and Beyond, I wasn’t sure there was enough to say about circular knitting to fill a book. It’s a pretty short book (144 pages) and includes 10 patterns to practice working in the round on small projects, and it provides a decent introduction to the various ways of working in the round.

The book covers using double pointed knitting needles, flexible double points and circular knitting needles with cables. It talks about working using the full circumference of a circular needle and various ways to work smaller circumference projects, such as using DPNs, magic loop and knitting with two circular knitting needles.

In addition there’s a discussion of preventing problems like twists and ladders, swatching in the round without actually swatching in the round, grafting, blocking and weaving in ends.

More specialized techniques likes knitting from the center out, stranded colorwork, helical knitting and jogless stripes are also explored, as well as working pieces like socks or mitts two at a time.

There’s also some information about seamless sweaters, including the different sweater designs that can be worked seamlessly (and why you might want seams in your sweaters) and how they are worked from the top down or the bottom up.

There are 10 patterns in the book, including a basic stockinette stitch cowl and one with a deliberate twist, wrist warmers, mitts and a pair of colorwork mittens, a hat worked in a solid color or in helical stripes, toe up and top down socks and a beret. It would have been nice to have a basic sweater pattern, too, since the book does talk about working larger garments with circular needles, but it’s still a nice collection of basic patterns worked in the round.

If you’re already comfortable working in the round in different ways, I’m not sure there’s much for you to learn in this book, but it is a good reference for people learning circular knitting or who maybe haven’t tried all the techniques yet or need skill building projects to try.

About the book: 144 pages, paperback, 10 patterns. Published 2026 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $24.99.

Have you read?