Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Some Fun Scarves, Shawls and Cowls

by

I’m back with another lightning round of patterns from yarn companies that would make perfect projects for fall. This time it’s a bunch of accessories that go around the neck. Enjoy!

carves

The Zig Zag Scarf from Lion Bran Yarn is an easy but fun little project where you’re increasing and decreasing regularly to make the undulating shape. Worked in a tweed yarn, it’s a lot of fun, but it would surely be great in a solid as well.

Berroco calls the triangular Fleming a scarf, but it could also be labeled a shawlette. Either way, it has a really interesting cable and lace motif and is worked in cozy alpaca and wool yarn. Berroco’s Bal Bullier is another genre-spanning warmer, this time a wide geometric scarf worked in garter stitch with a bit of intarsia at the color changes.

Meg Meyer’s Avalanche Scarf for Classic Elite Yarns is a cozy take on a drop-stitch scarf, spacing drops between large, wide swaths of garter stitch. shawl knitting patterns

Shawls

In the “definitely a shawl” category are a couple of great season-spanning projects. Berroco’s Malemute uses three different kinds of yarn for an ethereal shawl that’s also still plenty warm.

And Josephina is a lovely three-color shawl with eyelets, stripes and a lace edging, designed by Amanda Rios in a merino and silk yarn for a little bit of shine all year long. cowl knitting patterns

Cowls

A cowl is like an easier to deal with version of a scarf, and I find myself knitting a lot more cowls than scarves lately. If you feel the same way, check out the Big Hug Cowl from Rock and Purl, which is worked in the round with a pretty easy eyelet pattern and contrasting edging.

Or try the Kendal Cowl from Tahki Stacy Charles, another quick and easy project that uses drop stitches for big effect.

See a pattern you like? I’d love to hear what you’re queuing.

For more Valentine’s Day knitting pattern roundups, check out my collection of knit hearts and heart-themed scarves.

Looking to buy your Yarn online? Check out these online yarn specials.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

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

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Make Your Knitting Machine Scarves Better

I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve shared any patterns for our circular knitting machine users. I know these devices aren’t for everyone but even though I much prefer knitting by hand, it is kind of fun to crank things out on these machines.

One of the most common early projects for a circular knitting machine is a scarf. Which makes sense, because it’s just one long tube and you can make it as long as you like.

One problem that comes from knitting scarves on the circular knitting machine, though, is that it can be hard to know how to finish the ends of the tube so that it looks like a finished scarf and not a tube of knitting.

If you’re not a knitter or crocheter, the most basic way to finish a circular knitting machine scarf is just by cinching up the ends and maybe adding a pompom to each end to cover up any hole that might still be visible at the end.

But if you have a little knitting or crochet skill or are willing to learn, there are a lot of different options for closing up the ends of a scarf. And this would also be true if you hand knit a tube scarf!

I recently wrote a post over at Our Daily Craft that includes five different ways to close up the ends of a tube scarf:

  • the simple cinching method mentioned above
  • sewing the stitches together
  • three needle bind off
  • grafting
  • crochet bind off

Grafting is my favorite because I feel like it gives the cleanest, closest to a seamless look. If you’re a knitter you may already know how to do it but even if you don’t it’s not that hard to learn.

Do you knit tube scarves by hand or machine? I’d love to know how you like to finish them!