My website has now moved to kellymenzies.com and so has this pattern.
Please click this link to take you to the new pattern page. I look forward to seeing you over there!
Finally…it’s Cariad
My website has now moved to kellymenzies.com and so has this pattern.
Please click this link to take you to the new pattern page. I look forward to seeing you over there!
Kelly menzies designs 
This looks great for this winter! Thanks for posting this pattern!
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You are very welcome and I’m glad you like it 🙂
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I very much love this!!! Thank you for the pattern Kydel, I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time!!!
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I’m really glad you like it and that you have found what you are looking for. I’d love to see your finished cowl when you do it. Good luck with the pattern!
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I love this pattern! Making a few for Christmas gifts. Do you have an guess-timate how many cast on stitches if I wanted to make this for a child?
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Hi Debbie,
I’m so glad you like it and it is the perfect Christmas gift so I’m sure you’ll have some happy family and friends!
The cowl is 9sts per 4 inches in depth so depending on the child, you could work it out by measuring how thick you want it (say 10 inches) and calculating how many stitches. So 10 inches would be 22.5 sts (round up to 23 sts).
That’s 2x 4inches at 9 sts = 18 sts
Plus 2 inches at 4.5 sts = 22.5 sts.
Does that make any sense? Haha!
Dependant on the size of the child, I would cast on between 30sts for a small child to 40 sts for an older one. I’d do full size for anyone in their mid – late teens.
Hope I’ve helped and not just completely confused you. If you need anymore help or explanation just give me a shout.
Kelly x
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I am a newish knitter. So, the entire thing is knitted with no purl stitches? Sounds very easy but what type of stitch/method are you using to seam this all together at the end? I would usually knit something like this in the round but I think the reason you are not is because of using two different sized needles. Can you explain how you are seaming them together to a new knitter? Thanks! I love the pattern!
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Hi Kim,
I’m really glad you like the pattern! If you make one you will have to link the pictures for me so I can see 😀
Yes, the entire thing is knitted with no purl stitches. When I wrote the pattern I wanted absolutely anyone to be able to make it. That’s the main reason it is knit flat and sewn up since a lot of beginner knitters I know can’t knit in the round yet. Also, you can make this as long as you want when it is knit flat, whereas if it was in the round it would be a set length around your neck. If that makes sense 🙂
You can use various methods to stitch this up. I would recommend mattress stitch as it will be virtually seamless when done. If you are not confident with mattress stitch you could use Kitchener stitch but you would need to have a provisional cast on to do that. It would all be the same numbers from the pattern though. Finally, if you really just wanted to get the thing together you can turn it to the wrong side, use a running stitch and then turn back the right way.
I hope this helps even slightly.
Kelly
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I am a new knitter and am going to try to make this. It sounds easy enough and my daughter loves it. I’m still not sure how to seam it together, even with your description from above. I would like it to look as seamless as possible so could you tell me what the mattress stitch is? Or the Kitchener stitch you mention, and what is a provisional cast on? Thanks so much for your help!
Elise
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Hi Elise,
This is a very easy cowl to do. It is a straight knitted item which is stitched up at the end.
The most seamless option is the provisional cast on and Kitchener stitch. I have linked some videos for you here to help as they are very hard to describe in text.
Provisional cast on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYvQzBpReH4
Kitchener stitch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmgE7YQkrFw
Although that makes it practically seamless, it is not the easiest way to go.
If it looks too difficult you could use mattress stitch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cFfNVDY7oM
The video linked (and most videos I can find) show the seaming of two sides together rather than two ends but it is the same principal of selecting the hidden section of each stitch and joining it to the opposite one.
I hope I’ve helped.
If you would like help from some beginner knitters who have just knitted this in a KAL, you could join my ravelry group here: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/kydel
There will be some people there who are more than willing to explain what they did and have not been knitting long. 😀
Good luck! I hope to see you in the group!
Kelly x
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Thanks so much, that is very helpful. I was thinking a youtube video might be useful and now I have one! Looking forward to getting started!
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You are very welcome!
Good luck!
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What effect does knitting with 2 different needle sizes create? I love this design. Very simple and elegant. Thank you.
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I am so sorry Mandy, I have only just seen your comment. I haven’t been on my blog for a while as I’ve been too busy to think! 😀
Using 2 different needle sizes makes every other row slightly bigger than the one before which elongates the little V’s you can see between the bumps in the pattern. I didn’t want the cowl to be too tightly knit so that’s why I used the different needles. One size up only gives it a very slight effect. If one of the needles was 3 or 5 sizes apart from the other you would see it more clearly.
I hope I explained that ok!
I’m glad you like the pattern. Thank you for you comment 🙂
Kelly x
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I love this pattern, but is there any way for you to tell me how to do this round instead of flat? i’m a little confused with the seaming and I knit better when in round, thank you!
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Hi Britt
Sorry for such a slow reply to this. My life has been far too hectic lately.
Unfortunately, for this pattern, you can’t knit it in the round as it would completely alter the way it looks and behaves. The garter stitch would go up and down instead of left and right – if that makes sense?
Sewing it up is really simple though. You don’t have to do anything fancy, just catch one side to the other and then turn the right way around. The pattern is really forgiving.
Hope you give it a try!
Kelly x
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I love this pattern as a VERY beginning knitter I am excited to try it. Thank you so much for publishing this. My only question now is how do I make the gloves to go with it that you have on in the picture? They are probably beyond my expertise at this point but they look great with the cowl.
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Darby I’m so sorry! I didn’t know about this comment until now!
I am so glad you like the pattern and you are going to give it a go!
The gloves are also a free pattern of mine called Harbour. You see them and download the pattern here: http://wp.me/p1PXE8-aG
The gloves are knitted in the round, so a little more advanced than the cowl, but they are super simple as a first project for dpn’s. IF you feel like you are ready to branch out with your new hobby I would recommend!
Thank you for your comment and good luck!
Kelly x
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does this pattern really only use 200 grams of yarn? or am I not reading the materials list correctly?
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Hi Marilyn
Yes you are reading it right. It uses two balls of Stylecraft Life Chunky. Because it is knitted on fat needles and uses a chunky yarn it grows a lot quicker than you would imagine.
Kelly x
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