jo: cowls are suuuuch a cute/cozy/easypeasy gift (for someone else... or to keep!). i adore cowls... they're cozy, thus very useful in these cold winter months, and they're also very pretty or cool. they add a nice bit of color and different-ness to that same sweater you've been wearing all week. they go with everything! these are a few of my favorites. we've knitted, sewn, and crocheted cowls, and here's how we did them!
i made this knit cowl on a road trip through the mountains... so perhaps a thanksgiving road trip project? :) i had not knit in a long time. this was the perfect project to get knitting again, since it's so simple.
all you need is a pretty ball of yarn and the appropriate size of circular knitting needles. i chose a bulky wool. simply cast on enough to go around your neck (measure an existing cowl you like or measure loosely around your neck- look at the gauge of your yarn and figure out how many stitches you need to achieve the length you want) and knit and knit and knit... since you're using circular needles, you never need to do do anything other than knit your one stitch- you will be working it while it's already in a cowl shape. i did a garter stitch which is a very basic stitch that when repeated turns out pretty nice. when you feel like your cowl has enough length, simply bind off, weave in the loose ends and you're good to go!
i made this knit cowl on a road trip through the mountains... so perhaps a thanksgiving road trip project? :) i had not knit in a long time. this was the perfect project to get knitting again, since it's so simple.
all you need is a pretty ball of yarn and the appropriate size of circular knitting needles. i chose a bulky wool. simply cast on enough to go around your neck (measure an existing cowl you like or measure loosely around your neck- look at the gauge of your yarn and figure out how many stitches you need to achieve the length you want) and knit and knit and knit... since you're using circular needles, you never need to do do anything other than knit your one stitch- you will be working it while it's already in a cowl shape. i did a garter stitch which is a very basic stitch that when repeated turns out pretty nice. when you feel like your cowl has enough length, simply bind off, weave in the loose ends and you're good to go!
jane: this fabric cowl was made using some amazing wool/cotton liberty fabric. i think i had 1/2 meter of it. you do want a fabric that is 55-60" wide. this is a super easy project, but one's logic gets tied into a knot figuring out how to sew things together. :) here's a tutorial that helps with the stitching order. our cowl is simpler, because it only uses one fabric folded in half. the wool in this fabric is not at all itchy- just soft and warm. :) this is the quickest cowl.
jo again: (excuse my silly fan-girly dorkiness. we noticed the band peeking over my shoulder approving my cowl... heh heh. (: ) right now, this is probably my favorite cowl. it's super simple to create and turns out chunky and cute.
this one is crocheted with a chunky yarn and the hook that goes with. chain a row as wide as you would prefer your cowl to be (i think mine was 17 stitches???). i crocheted mine with single crochet stitches through the front loop only. not only does front looping look and feel nice, but also it uses less yarn. crochet every row like this, and when you feel like it's long enough, feed your long end of yarn through the loop on your hook and pull it tight. don't cut it yet... since your cowl is a long flat rectangle, bring the two ends of your cowl together. you can either sew it up with a yarn needle and your loose thread, or you can crochet them together, using both layers of loops instead of just one (end the row by feeding the long piece of yarn through the loop and pulling it tight). weave in your ends and you're finished! in this cowl, i added a little bit of interest by twisting the cowl once before sewing it together. it lays a little differently in a way that i like.
these cowls would make great gifts for anyone on your list. i hope this keeps you and the lucky recipients warm this winter! drop any questions for us!
xxx,
jo + jane
this one is crocheted with a chunky yarn and the hook that goes with. chain a row as wide as you would prefer your cowl to be (i think mine was 17 stitches???). i crocheted mine with single crochet stitches through the front loop only. not only does front looping look and feel nice, but also it uses less yarn. crochet every row like this, and when you feel like it's long enough, feed your long end of yarn through the loop on your hook and pull it tight. don't cut it yet... since your cowl is a long flat rectangle, bring the two ends of your cowl together. you can either sew it up with a yarn needle and your loose thread, or you can crochet them together, using both layers of loops instead of just one (end the row by feeding the long piece of yarn through the loop and pulling it tight). weave in your ends and you're finished! in this cowl, i added a little bit of interest by twisting the cowl once before sewing it together. it lays a little differently in a way that i like.
these cowls would make great gifts for anyone on your list. i hope this keeps you and the lucky recipients warm this winter! drop any questions for us!
xxx,
jo + jane
