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Faux Woven Cowl – The Warmest in the World!

January 20, 2014 33 Comments

Knitted Faux Woven Cowl - Free Knitting Pattern at Hands Occupied

I knitted up a version of this cowl in dijon mustard yellow for my husband for Christmas this year, and he loves it so much! A Chicago train commuter, he’s been walking face first through the polar vortex and claims his cowl is nearly impenetrable by wind. This is one of my favorite knitting designs, and I’m super excited to share the pattern & technique used with you. :)

*Pattern edited 1/23/14 to conform to traditional knitting pattern standards. When I first drafted this pattern, I was new to design. Cheers to growing and learning!*

FAUX WOVEN COWL – KNITTING PATTERN

Skill level: easy

Supplies
3 skeins Blue Sky Fibers Bulky in Frost
knitting needles in the right size
yarn needle
scissors

Abbreviations & Terms
CO – cast on
provisional cast on – Here’s a tutorial.
sts – stitches
k – knit
sl1wyif – slip 1 st with yarn in front
rep – repeat
sl1wyib – slip 1 st with yarn in back
p – purl
BO – bind off
kitchener stitch – See tutorial below.

Gauge & Dimensions: Approx. 2.5 sts/inch. Finished cowl measures approx. 9.5″ wide.

How to do a provisional or invisible kitting cast on

The Pattern

CO 23 sts (or any odd number of sts) using a provisional cast on.
1. *k1, sl1wyif; rep from * until last st, k1.
2. *sl1wyib, p1; rep from * until last st, k1.

Rep rows 1-2, leaving a 24” tail.

Join CO and BO ends using the kitchener stitch (tutorial is below). Weave in all ends and block to finish.

The faux weave effect is super unique, which is partly why I think it’s so beautiful. That also means it can be a little tough to learn from a knitting pattern, so I made a video demoing how to do this. Here ya go!

Grafting / Kitchener Stitch

1. Keep both ends of your knitting on your knitting needles. Thread the long tail of your yarn onto a yarn needle.

2. To set up your grafting, hold your knitting needles parallel to each other. Poke your (yarn) needle through the first loop on the needle closest to you purlwise, as shown. Keeping the loop on the needle, pull the yarn tail through.

How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch

3. The other part of the setup is to poke your needle through the first loop on the far knitting needle knitwise, also leaving the loop on the needle. Pull the tail through.

How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch

Now the setup is done. For all the loops from now until the final two loops, you’ll do the following. 

4. Insert the yarn needle again through the first loop on the closer knitting needle knitwise, slipping it off the end. Sew through the next loop purlwise, pulling the tail through.

How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch

5. Insert the needle through the first loop on the far knitting needle purlwise, slipping it off the end. Sew through the next loop knitwise, pulling the tail through.

How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch

How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch

The pattern to remember from now until the last two loops is: knit, purl, purl, knit. KPPK. 

6. After a few stitches you’ll want to pull on your working yarn to tighten your work. This helps keep the invisible cast on invisible.

How to Graft Knitting Ends / Kitchener Stitch

7. When you find yourself with just one loop on each knitting needle, you’ll finish by repeating steps 2 and 3. Weave in all ends, and trim all tails to finish your cowl.

Knitted Faux Woven Cowl - Free Knitting Pattern at Hands Occupied

I first learned this knitted faux weaving technique when I knitted my way through Knit Scarves! by Candi Jensen in high school.

Filed Under: Free Patterns, Knitting, Video Tutorials Tagged With: cowl, diy, faux woven, infinity scarf, knit, Knitting, provisional cast on, scarf, woven effect knitting

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Rachel | 52 Weeks Project

    January 20, 2014 at 11:25 am

    Super cute Heidi! Actually makes me want to give knitting another try :)

    Reply
  2. KM

    January 23, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    This is super cute! Thanks for sharing the pattern.

    Reply
  3. Janet Callaghan

    January 27, 2014 at 7:11 am

    Great stitch, thanks for showing

    Reply
  4. Alisha

    January 27, 2014 at 7:21 am

    I love this cowl. I am going to give this a try after I finish my husbands sweater. TFS the pattern and video!!

    Reply
  5. Viviana

    January 27, 2014 at 9:37 am

    Hi, thanks for the pattern, super cute! I have a question, I knit in the round. How many stitches do u think I should cast on? Thanks

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 27, 2014 at 1:06 pm

      Hi Viviana! Do an odd number of stitches (the exact amount will vary depend in the gauge of your yarn), and mark the beginning of each round with a stitch marker. Since you won’t be flipping your work, you’ll just alternate knitting and slipping, but you alternate starting each round with a knit or a slip. Let me know if that doesn’t make sense :) -Heidi

      Reply
      • Cristina

        April 21, 2014 at 11:46 am

        I marked the needle used for the row to slip purlwise.
        Heidi, did you block the cowl? I’ve never done it & besides, I don’t know if I want to stretch it & not leave it tight for warmth
        Thanks again,
        Cristina

        Reply
        • Heidi

          April 21, 2014 at 3:26 pm

          I didn’t block mine for similar reasons. If you really want to block yours, just make sure to look up the best method for the yarn you used.

          Reply
  6. Ruth

    January 27, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    Years ago when my daughter was a little girl I made her a hat, scarf and mittens using the same stitch. It is easy and very warm.

    Reply
  7. Elaine

    January 27, 2014 at 11:38 pm

    I love that cowl, awesome. I also love your gloves. . . What pattern did you use or is it your own?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 28, 2014 at 12:20 am

      You caught me, Elaine :). I got those as a gift for the holidays, I threw them on since they matched my glasses so well! Forgive me?

      Reply
  8. Monika

    January 28, 2014 at 1:31 am

    Your cowl looks stunning!
    Thanks for sharing this stitch (great work with tutorial btw) because now I finally know perfect pattern to knit rug/door mat from t-shirt yarn. I’ve already tried the gauge and works great. You should try too if you are DIY addict :)
    Warm Regards from Rotterdam (NL)

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 28, 2014 at 1:20 pm

      Thank you! I appreciate it :)

      Reply
  9. Deb

    January 28, 2014 at 8:47 am

    Heidi, being fairly new to knitting I have no idea what size needles to use, what is an “appropriate” size? Thanks.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 28, 2014 at 1:19 pm

      Hi Deb! Here’s how to use our yarn’s label to determine the needles you need: http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/06/deciphering-yarn-labels/. Since this is just a cowl, and not something more complicated like a sweater, you should be good just using the needle size recommended on the label! Don’t hesitate to email/comment if you have any questions! :) -Heidi

      Reply
  10. Kokeshette

    January 28, 2014 at 11:19 am

    Oh, I love the stitch and the color !!
    And, as I already knitted a cowl with this yarn, I have the right needles ! No excuse !
    I think I might update my blog with this cowl in a few weeks… :-)
    Thanks for the pattern !

    Reply
  11. Frida

    February 2, 2014 at 4:27 am

    Great pattern :)
    Thank you for sharing.

    Hugs
    Frida
    http://www.fridaspeach.wordpress.com

    Reply
  12. Vicki

    February 2, 2014 at 10:28 am

    Love this cowl. I am making one now for a good friend. Can’t wait to make one for myself. Thanks for the nice pattern.

    Reply
  13. Kokeshette

    February 14, 2014 at 3:25 am

    Hi Heidi,

    My cowl is ready ! I followed all the instructions of your blog : I mean, I used the same yarn, same color, same quantity, same number of stitchs… :-) http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Kokeshette/faux-woven-cowl
    I love it !! And thanks for the explanation, especially the video of the stitch !
    Moreover, it made me try the provisional cast on and grafting.

    I’d like to share it on my blog, which is in French. Are you ok, if I just translate the part where you explain the pattern ? For the other instructions, I will redirect to your blog or some video in French.

    Thanks again for sharing !

    Reply
    • Heidi

      February 16, 2014 at 8:30 pm

      No problem! I’ve blogged my take on someone else’s pattern before (here’s how I formatted it: https://handsoccupied.com/2013/12/lovely-lacey-scarf/ – I didn’t paste her charts or the pattern into my post since I didn’t write it). If you could refer your readers to this post for the pattern in English, that would be great. Thanks so much for asking ahead of time! :) You’re the best.

      Reply
      • Kokeshette

        February 20, 2014 at 10:00 am

        Thanks :-)
        It’s now on my blog (in French) :-)
        http://kokeshette.fr/2014/02/diy-le-tuto-du-snood-tisse.html

        Reply
  14. zouzoubidouille

    April 13, 2014 at 3:01 am

    Superbe merci beaucoup pour ce beau modèle , il me tarde de l’essayer
    Bises
    Ingrid

    Reply
  15. Cristina

    April 21, 2014 at 5:18 am

    Hi Heidi,
    I’ve made it!
    Only 2 days work :-)
    I’ve followed your instructions and made it with the very same yarn (that I had to mail order as it’s not easy to find in Spain). When the first skein finished I balled the second and then I took a pic of the work the ball & 3rd skein as was in a shabby chic theme. As usual I got side tracked with a mini chest of drawers I was decoupaging and was in the mentioned picture. When I restarted knitting I didn’t remember which side I was in & had to repeat the row 4 times :-(
    And then came the grafting. I didn’t follow it well the 1st time & had to repeat, but then I realized it was the same way my mum had taught me to join it (but for the leaving it on the needles) and as it was a bit loose I pulled the yarn. Once at the end. I realizad the loose thread was from the last row not the grafting so I ended up with 3 threads to hide thru the stitches. And now is 25ºC here in Alcalá de Henares so it’ll be a while before I try its warmth.
    Thank you very much for your detailed explanation & all the pics
    XOXO, Cristina

    Reply
  16. ali

    July 21, 2014 at 9:35 pm

    Simply beautiful! Thanks for sharing this lovely stitch. :)

    Reply
  17. Ali

    November 5, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    Thank you for this pattern! (And for tips on working it in the round) I just started it last night and it’s knitting up like a dream!

    Reply
  18. Eliza

    December 15, 2014 at 9:49 pm

    I LOVE the texture of this stitch! I would like to knit a hat using the same pattern. Is this stitch particularly stretchy? Have you used for something other than a cowl before?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      December 15, 2014 at 10:54 pm

      It’s actually, ironically, not stretchy at all! But if you get creative with a more elastic yarn than the one used in this pattern, you might be able to make it work. -Heidi

      Reply
  19. Edith J. Nutt

    January 24, 2015 at 10:43 am

    Would you please show me your (A.K.A.) Provisional Cast On again.
    missed it.
    Thank you Edith

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 24, 2015 at 10:50 am

      Here you go, Edith: provisional cast on tutorial.

      Reply
  20. Pamela

    March 2, 2015 at 8:56 pm

    Just a suggestion. Don’t play music in the background on your videos. It makes it very hard to hear what you are saying. And for those of us prone to migraines, that particular piece made it impossible to watch the whole video. Although it looks like you do a good job otherwise with your videos. :)

    Reply
    • Heidi

      March 4, 2015 at 8:21 am

      Thanks, Pamela! This was one of my first knitting tutorial videos – you might want to check out the more recent ones to see what they’re like these days. Spoiler alert: Great minds! ;)

      Reply
  21. Cris

    July 9, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    I made this very same cowl thanks to you. The joining was a bit tricky, but…

    Reply
  22. Helen

    February 16, 2024 at 12:19 am

    ON THE RIGHT SIDE : When you KNIT 1 THRU THE BACK LOOP FOR ONLY THE FIRST EDGE STITCH, it creates such a nice edge then follow the instructions above ending with a SL1 Yarn in front purlwise.
    On THE WRONG SIDE : P1, THEN SL1with yarn in back purlwise.

    This creates edges on both sides of right side that are similar (like v’s) instead of one side v’s and the other knots.

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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