Sanders Cowl Knitting Pattern

We have been having so much fun with all the Bernie Sanders inspired knitting patterns lately, and I could not resist adding one of my own to the mix.

The Sanders Cowl uses four colors of yarn and is worked in the round from the bottom up. I studied the infamous mittens to design the color charts, and inverted the chart at the bottom for the top so that it would be symmetrical, though the original mittens have a slightly different pattern at the top.

I made my version with random yarns I had at home that were close to the right colors, which I think Bernie would approve of. They are worsted and aran weight yarns, but you can change the yarn to change the size if you like!

In the spirit of Bernie’s passion for healthcare, I also decided to make this pattern a fundraiser for two amazing charities aimed at helping the physical and mental health of often-underserved communities: the Native Wellness Initiative and the Loveland Foundation.

If you want to stitch up something to remember the time a pair of mittens stole all our hearts, but maybe you don’t want a pair of mittens, this pattern is a great option. It’s actually really easy and a pretty quick knit, too! You’re never working with more than two colors in a round so it’s a great way to dip your toes into colorwork.

You can learn more and grab the pattern on Ravelry.

Check out these books dedicated to Knitted Cowl Patterns still looking for more cowl patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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