Take a Chance on Knitting the Dice Cowl

What happens when you mix a bunch of different colors with a few different stitch textures on the same knit cowl? Something like the Dice Cowl from Audrey Borrego.

This sock yarn stash buster is perfect for using up the leftover bits from other projects, or finally using that advent calendar yarn or set of mini skeins you’ve had in your stash forever.

The pattern includes two sizes for a cowl that’s worked in the round, and it includes five stitch patterns: stockinette, garter stitch, bobbles, feather and fan and eyelet stripes. There’s no real pattern to it other than explaining the set up and how to do the stitch patterns (which are given in words as well as charts).

It’s suggested you could make this a year long (or six month long, for the smaller version) daily practice by working a round a day, or you can knit it more quickly, which I’m sure you’ll want to once you start playing with colors.

There are no rules for how often you switch among the patterns, or indeed if you even do, but I like the idea of making it into a game, which you could do lots of different ways.

You could, for example, decide you want to change patterns every time you change colors, or every inch, or based on the Fibonacci sequence or the numbers in a special date or the code for a person’s name.

You can go through the patterns in order or literally roll the dice to figure out which pattern to use next. (Yes, dice have six sides and there are only five options. Pick another stitch pattern to add or make 6 mean continue in the pattern you’ve been working. Reverse stockinette stitch might be fun.)

This project is available as a free pattern on Ravelry. While you’re there, check out the pattern gallery to see the different ways others have interpreted this design.

[Photo: Audrey Borrego]

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I’ve been writing about knitting online for a long time, and a lot of things have changed. But one good thing I think has changed over the years is that fewer people see knitting as a seasonal activity. Most people don’t seem to think anymore that there’s a time when it’s too hot to knit or too hot to wear knits.

I don’t know if the proliferation of knit tank top patterns caused that shift or is the result of it, but either way, summer knitters and knitwear-wearers are the beneficiaries, and every year there seem to be more great tank top knitting patterns to share.

How about the super cute Fleur Cami from Woolbirdx on Etsy? This sweet V-neck with thin straps features vertical panels of eyelets and ribbing. It’s worked from the bottom up in the round and is available in nine sizes. It calls for super fine yarn.

Or there’s the knitted lace V-neck top from Exotic Works Hub. This one has lace panels on the front at the center and is otherwise worked mostly in stockinette stitch. It’s worked from the bottom up in fingering weight yarn and comes in six sizes.

The Mixed Rib Cami from Florence Miller is another on that caught my eye. Worked in light fingering weight yarn, it is worked from the top down using twisted rib stitches and optional waist shaping. It’s finished with I-cord edges for a super clean look. The pattern has nine sizes available and you can find it on Ravelry.

Stine HoelgaardJohansen’s Golden Girl top is a cute sport weight top with a round neckline that’s deeper in the back, and worked from the bottom up in broken rib. There are nine size options (and six languages) and you can grab it for free on Ravelry.

Prefer a sporty look? Andrea Gaughan’s Sumac tank is worked in fingering weight yarn from the top down with contrasting edges. The pattern has 10 sizes and two fit profiles, graded to a traditionally masculine or feminine frame respectively. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

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