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Stash-Busting Cowl Patterns

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I included a couple of cowls in my scarf roundup the other day, but they really do deserve their own day of focus because there are so many great ones out there. Plus, I’ve been wearing the heck out of my Striped Garter Stitch Cowl, which would be perfect as a stash-buster, that I felt I just had to share.

I think it’s funny that the first thing that pops up when you search stash cowls on Ravelry is the famous Honey Cowl from Madelinetosh, because it’s not typically worked in stripes. But of course stash busting means using anything you’ve been holding onto and doesn’t have to mean working in stripes or multiple colors. And it is a beauty regardless. Kristin Kapur uses slipped stitches on a smaller scale in her Chickadee Cowl, which I really like, too.

There’s also Jen Geigley’s GAP-tastic Cowl, again worked in a solid color in the original but it would use up a good bit of chunky yarn if you have a couple of skeins of the same color.

The Mockingjay Cowl by Stash Studio is a lot more what I think of when I think of stash busting; it’s worked in lots of different colors but is still really pretty with a multicolored slip stitch pattern. Laura Aylor’s Carrousel Cowl is another one that uses a slip stitch pattern to great effect.

Ami Madison’s Stacked Eyelet Cowl would be pretty in one color or stripes (the Favorite Cowl by Tajie Maxedon is similar), and the Sock Yarn Scrap Bag Cowl is perfection for people who knit a lot of socks (this one is by dorisann allenson).

The This Way Up Cowl form purl3agony is worked flat with a provisional cast on our of all sorts of leftovers, so it’s great when you need to get rid of odds and ends. (And it’s cute, too.)

If you have a skein of sock yarn you’ve been holding on to that you don’t really want to use for socks, try the Willow Cowl from Amelia Lyon.

There’s a fun roundup of stash-busting cowls, scarves and the like at the FitzBirch Crafts blog, which is sure to give you more ideas.

See anything you like? I’d love to hear how you’re enjoying the series or if anything has caught your needles yet!

Looking for more cowl patterns? Check these Pattern books out.

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.

Comments

  1. I’m really enjoying the series – the only time I’ve commented to something on CraftGossip. I currently have socks on the needles but an eyeing my stash for the future.

    Darla

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Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.