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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. :)

Supplies

bulky yarn (I used 3 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas’ Bulky in frost.)
knitting needles in the right size
yarn needle
scissors

Directions

To start, you’ll need to cast on an odd number of stitches with an invisible (a.k.a. provisional) cast on, which I shared last week. I used 23 stitches for my cowl, but you can do whatever works for you & your yarn.

How to do a provisional or invisible kitting cast on

Once you’re ready to knit, here’s the pattern:

{k1, bring yarn to front as if to purl, sl1}, repeat from { to } until last stitch, k1
{bring yarn to back as if to knit, sl1, p1}, repeat from { to } until last stitch, bring yarn to back as if to knit, sl1
repeat to end, leaving a couple feet of extra yarn to finish the cowl

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

When you’ve knitted the length of your cowl, leaving a couple feet of yarn to work with at the end, you’re ready to attach the two ends of the cowl with a kitchener stitch (a.k.a. grafting).

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: DIY Style, Free Patterns, Knitting, Knitting & Crochet, Video Tutorials Tagged With: cowl, diy, faux woven, infinity scarf, knit, Knitting, provisional cast on, scarf, woven effect knitting

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. 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

Trackbacks

  1. 20 TURQUOISE TUTORIALS | JADERBOMB says:
    January 21, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    […] Jar Cups via Madigan Made  Tassel Earrings via Lana Red Studio Faux Woven Cowl via Hands Occupied  Turquoise and Silver Faith Bracelet via Wait till your Father get’s home Diy […]

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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), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! T It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! This go around, get to know two new sister yarns from @manosyarnsusa, Marla and Sami, and enter to win a skein of each to try for yourself. 
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What makes these yarns sisters is that, while dyed differently, they’re the same weight and come in intentionally coordinating color palettes. For my review, I opted for a sky-inspired combo of Sami in Natural and Marla in Nube. 🌧️ 
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Check out the full review & enter the giveaway at the link in my bio. 
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#handsoccupied #yarnreview #manosdeluruguay #knitting_inspire #crochet #yarngiveaway #knitters #yarn #crochetersofinstagram
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