English Rib Cowl Knitting Pattern

English rib is a stitch pattern that’s similar to brioche knitting in that it’s worked with yarn overs and knit two togethers to make a super squishy ribbed pattern.

For this cowl project from Mirella Moments, you’ll use DK weight yarn and work the project flat to make a close-fitting cowl that’s great for cold weather.

Of course a project like this is super easy to modify, too, if you want to. Since it is worked flat, if you want to make it wider, you can cast on more stitches (you need to have an odd number to make the pattern work out, but any number is fine). You could also try knitting with worsted weight yarn instead of DK (and increase the size of the needles used accordingly) to make the project bigger.

And if you want a deeper cowl, just knit more rows before you bind off.

You can work it in a solid color as shown, or try adding stripes. Because the pattern is ribbed it won’t be a super smooth color change, but you can try it on a swatch and see if you like the look before you commit to it.

This would be a great project for gift knitting (which is kind of our theme this month) because the single-row repeat is easy to learn and memorize, the knitting goes pretty quickly, and you only need about 200 yards of yarn. And most people could use a cowl to help them keep cozy in cold weather.

You can grab the free knitting pattern from Mirella Moments. They use the same stitch pattern on the Folgate headband, if you want to make a coordinating set (it uses worsted weight yarn).

And if you’re ready to learn brioche, the Northwind Headband is a great first brioche project!

[Photo: Mirella Moments]

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Knitters are always looking for ways to continue to knit and to wear their knits even when it’s hot outside, so there are tots of great T0shirt knitting patterns to choose from. I love knitting short-sleeved shirts because they feel so much faster than sweaters, and you can wear them on top of dresses or even longer-sleeved items when it gets cooler.

There are lots of different styles of knit tops, from the basic to the more detailed. On the more basic side are things like the Perfect T-Shirt from Originally Lovely, a basic raglan tee with nine sizes and worked in worsted weight yarn; Paper Bloom by Yvonne Hugo (free on Ravelry), available in six sizes and worked with cotton and silk yarn for extra coolness; or Iris H’s Amelia Top, also on Ravelry, a slim fit, DK weight top with nine size.

Jazz it up with a bit of lace like on the Athens Lace Hem top by Sarah Hatton (Ravelry). This otherwise simple project has a bit of lace at the bottom, which is an easy way to make a project more interesting without a ton of work. This one uses fingering weight yarn and comes in nine sizes.

Another simple embellishment is to emphasize the lines of your top with different stitches. The Spring Lines top uses twisted ribbing at the center front and V-neck and along the raglan lines to give it a slimmer fit and more interest. This design from Turquoise Toque Designs has 11 size options and is available on Ravelry.

Silfurberg by Joji Locatelli uses both of these elements, with lace panels at the center front and back and purl ridges throughout to make it a little more fun to knit and to wear. The pattern uses fingering weight yarn and comes in 10 sizes. Learn more on Ravelry.

Keep it simple or add puffed sleeves (and/or long sleeves) to the slim fit Knitty Committee top by Lily Kate France. This one has two length options, waist shaping and optional bust darts to fulfill all your curvy top dreams, and it comes in nine sizes. You’ll find it on Ravelry.

Take it even more romantic with the Daphne Top from Friday Knits, which has puffed sleeves and applied I-cord to emphasize the bust and sweetheart neckline. It comes in eight sizes and uses DK weight yarn.

Or add some sweet flowers with the Gigio pattern from Emilie Luis. This pretty pattern found on Ravelry has cable panels running up the front with the option for adding sweet embroidered flowers. You can also add decorative buttons if you like. It comes in 11 sizes and calls for sport weight yarn.

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