Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Get Double the Warmth with This Cowl Knitting Pattern

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One of the potential problems with colorwork knitting, at least when it comes to stranded or Fair Isle styles of knitting, is that you don’t always want to have the back of the work on display. Other knitters will appreciate the beauty of perfectly aligned floats (and I actually once had a storebought sweater that included floats as a design element) but most people won’t, and they also have the potential to snag on things, say, if you’ve knit a stranded scarf with the back side exposed.

The Kenora Cowl pattern from Laura Chau eliminates that problem by having you knit a lining in a contrasting color that covers up your floats.

In all you need three colors of yarn for this project — two for the front side colorwork and one for the inside lining. The inside can be worked with a thinner yarn, and I love the idea of throwing in a mohair or cashmere yarn on the inside for extra warm fuzzies.

The pattern can be worked in either fingering or worsted weight yarn, and it begins with a provisional cast on to work the geometric checkerboard pattern on the outside of the cowl, then you release those stitches to work the lining. The pieces are joined with a modified three-needle bind off, so there’s no seaming involved.

The colorwork portion is only charted, but it’s very repetitive and easy to follow, so even if this is your first time reading a chart (or your first time doing stranded colorwork) this is a great project to try.

You can get a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

Looking for more fun colorwork cowls? I recently shared the Hawi Honey Cowl, which is another great one for learning colorwork knitting. Or use up all the random bits leftover from other projects on the Ellensburg Cowl.

[Photo: Laura Chau]

Have you read?

Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.