Photo from Red Eye/Chicago Tribune
Update: If you're new here, welcome! I have a great pattern giveaway at this post! Oh, and good luck with your cowl. I'd love a comment or photo of yours!
The average temperature last month in Chicago was a whopping 15 degrees. So, in homage to all who trudge in the wind, snow and ice this winter I am creating a Chicago Winter series of warm knitted accessories. The first in this series is......
My Kind of Cowl
Materials:
1 skein Cascade Magnum (9341)
Thin waste yarn in contrasting color, preferably cotton
US 17 Needle
1: Provisionally cast on 26 stitches. See this tutorial from Knit and Tonic.
2: Knit in garter stitch until you have 44 ridges
3: Graft the two edges together. This is tricky. Magnum is soft and wonderful but it sticks to itself like nobody's business when you try to graft. I got the best tip from Karen at Knit 1: first graft the piece with contrasting thin cotton waste yarn. That way, when you do your "official" graft all you have to do is sew it together following the path of the contrasting-colored stitches.
The result will be a giant tube that looks like this:
Wear your My Kind of Town Cowl under your jacket like this:
You can squish it up to your face while walking and then let it down in a pretty cowl when you get on the hot train or bus. Wear it like this over your coat for unexpected warmth.
Wear it at home when watching TV.
Or in bed while reading a book.
Wear it at home when watching TV.
Or in bed while reading a book.
Even wear it as an accessory over a gray cashmere sweater. Accompany outfit with jeans or skirt and you will be warm and cozy.
There will be more patterns coming in the Chicago Winter series. Stay tuned!
43 comments:
Love this! Thank you!
I was just looking at something similar on Etsy. I love it! I wish I knew how to knit more than a square!
I have some Muench Big Baby in my stash. It was to be a sweater for my daughter...but I just don't see the point when she'll only wear it once before she outgrows it. This looks so fun. And I can see making something for me...I'm done growing. Now...just for a few cold days. Or maybe I'll get to travel?! I'm on Ravelry as aDayInTheLife
Brrr! That shot of the lake shore brings back such cold memories! I went to U of C many moons ago and enjoyed Chi town a lot, but I also remember the bitter winter weather, too!
Love the cowl pattern, will try it soon...
This is a fantastic cowl! My brother, SIL, and nieces live in Chicago. I think I will be knitting a few of these up!
Great pattern!
The last method looks sorta like a female body part! I wonder how many guys would approach you in a bar with the cowl worn this way??? HA! Talk about subliminal attraction.
thank you for such an easy pattern! (ie thanks for not knitting in the round!) my friend works nights outside in dupage county, and was asking for something just like this!
I'm a beginner knitter, so my question might seem peculiar, but if the only thing you are doing is creating a giant tube, would it not be easier to knit in the round? Is it not preferable to knit in the round, rather than graft the two edges together?
If I wanted to knit this in the round, would I simply follow your pattern until I created the required number of rows, and then just bind off?
Thanks.
Dear Anonymous,
Yes, you are knitting a big garter stitch tube. However, if you knit it in the round, the ridges will be horizontal and the effect will not be the same. The reason for the grafting is so the garter ridges will be vertical. Check out this post for some tips on making this a LOT easier: http://ttwcreative.blogspot.com/2009/02/tips-for-garter-stitch-grafting.html.
Thanks, Trish! That was super helpful!
I'm moving off to Chicago before the end of the weekend... and have now added a new project to my head that I'd love to get done before I get there. I think I'll have better luck getting it done for next winter though. I love the color too...
Keeti from New Zealand says thanks , this is a super great pattern and cant wait to knit it.
love the many ways of wearing this cowl. Chiao for now.
What are the finished dimensions?
thanks for this pattern. A friend saw it and loved it, and I have just finished it up five minutes ago. It was a fast and easy knit, and I now know how to graft :P
This is exactly the kind of cowl I was looking for! Thank you so much!
I'm working on this right now in butterscotch yellow - love it! However, I'm using a different yarn and needle size, so I increased the number of stitches cast on, but I was wondering what the length of the finished cowl should be (or circumference once it's stitched). Not sure I can go by the guideline of 44 ridges. Thank you!
This is just what I have been looking for! Thank you for sharing your pattern. I too am wondering if you can give dimensions for the occasion that different sized needles and yarn are used.
I'm trying to find a local(Danvers, ma area) store who sells the yarn you used, but no one does. Did you order the yarn online?
haha im a guy nad i just knitted mine in navy blue! Awesome pattern Trish you are less than three'd!!!
Your cowl pattern is fantastic! I'm an Editor for FaveCrafts.com, and I took the liberty of linking to your blog from my roundup blog post about free scarf patterns. Check it out here.
Thank you so much for sharing this patern. I already made one and plan to do a few more. So classy! Thank you!!
Elegant and lovely, Trish. Thanks for sharing the pattern. I'm going for my needles now....
Could I ask an opinion from you guys? I have some Caron Bliss in my stash because I can't resist that soft, plushy yarn. It would hide the beauty of the ridges on this cowl, but I wonder if the snuggly factor would make it worth knitting one cowl in Bliss anyway? Opinions?
This is absolutely beautiful!! I can only knit on a loom but I do crochet. I would like to crochet one, could you please give me the finished measurements?
Thanks!
So very excited about finding this pattern! I've been looking for something exactly like this for months! Finally! It's still not very cold where I live in the good 'ol south, so I still have time to make it! Hurray for Trish!
This pattern looks wonderful, unfortunately I was unable to buy this yarn, but found Bernat Polar Bulky instead. Could someone tell me the dimensions of this cowl so that I can try and match this different yarn to it? Thanks!!!
I would also like to have the dimensions. I can't knit but I can crochet and the size of this cowl is perfect!
Karen
This is a great pattern! I can't wait to get started on making it. thank you for the pattern!
hey i really want to make this cowl its soo cute .. but i am wondering how many skeins you need of yarn as i will probally be using a different yarn ... or how many grams of yarn do you need... thanks soo much for the free pattern by the way
wow this is so hype!!!
This is the pattern I have been looking for forever... truly a Chi Town pattern. I grew up in Chicago and remember the 1967 Blizzard well. I have named this piece after that Blizzard and the tall handsome man who won my heart!
It is a lovely day, draped in ice. The beginning of the big bad 2011 Blizzard. I’m casting on in memory of my one true love who walked through the 1997 Chicago Blizzard to see me. As cold as it was, we were very warm indeed!
Thank you, Thank you, been looking for 2 hrs for a project I think I can tackle.. & you have supplied itx
I'm gonna knit this one for my boyfriend's fuzzy mom. I think she'll like it! But, won't it curl without the boarder?
I've made two of these so far and I've ordered yarn for three more. So far the two are gifts, one cream, the other dark purple with a glittery black yarn. Both are gorgeous! Thanks again for the great pattern.
I've got some thick and thin yarn I'd like to try this pattern on. Anyone know the stitches per inch so I can modify for my yarn which uses US11 needles?
thanks!
Deb
Found dimensions on ravelry!
14 inches wide x 40 - 44 inches long
2 stitches per inch
Just made this, but with a 13 needle, so it came out narrower, but that's what i wanted. This was my first knitting project, and it was easy, rewarding and very warm ^__^
Is it really 40 inches? Seems a bit wide. Can someone confirm?
Love it. Mine turned out as a lovely shrug. How do I post a pic?
Former Chi-town girl
HI
A New, Free Cowl Pattern
nice and useful! i would like to say thank you about this cool post & your Decent a site….
thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing this stylish pattern! It's inspired me to try and create something similar. I only hope it turns out half as lovely as yours.
Hi! I loved this cowl. I was looking for a fist project, simple one :) I posted the picture in my blog. If you don't agree please let me know and i'll remove it.
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http://needlesandcats.blogspot.pt/2012/11/inspiration.html
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