Quick and cozy, handknit cowl patterns are both fun to knit and to wear. There are just as many styles to make as there are techniques to choose from for when picking your knitting pattern – lace, cables, and textured stitch patterns can decorate double-loop cowls, single-loop cowls, infinity loops, circular scarves, neckerchiefs, or hoods. Check out our most popular cowl knitting patterns!
Deilen Hood
by Christina Wareham-Norfolk, knit in Wool of the Andes Tweed
The bold cable design on this stylish yet practical hooded cowl picks up the shape of leaves and entwining branches. The cables are simple on the cowl portion and then become more intricate on the sides and back of the hood.
Korzina Cowl
by Lisa Ebert, Knit in Simply Wool Aran
There’s nothing cozier than a double-looped, cabled cowl on a cool night. This woven-textured cowl allows the wearer to loop a cabled piece with confidence — the “wrong” side is just as fun to look at as the right side!
Ogawa Cowl
By Kendra Nitta, knit in Journey Tweed
The contrasting stitch patterns in this pretty one-skein accessory transition gently from one to another like a meandering ogawa (little stream), flowing from a forest of firs to the rippling sea.
Mallow Cowl
by Ksenia Naidyon, knit in Swish Worsted
Gentle mallow flowers symbolize health and protection – two things a lot of us are wishing for these days. Inspired by the shape and special meaning of the mallow, this piece is ready to shield off if not the hardships of life, then at least cold and unpleasant weather. This design combines a look of a triangular shawl with an effortless styling and coziness of a cowl.
Alhambra Cowl
by Neisha Abdulla, knit in Capra
Alhambra is inspired by the decoration found at the Alhambra Palace in Andalusia, Spain, particularly from the main courtyard, named the Court of the Lions, with its highly ornate stucco carvings held up by a series of slender columns. This stranded colorwork cowl is a beautiful addition to your wardrobe.
Jubilation Cowl
by Margaret Stauffacher, knit in Snuggle Puff
The Jubilation Cowl is inspired by holiday lights strung all around Whoville in the movie The Grinch. This cozy and soft cowl has a beautiful drape and is the perfect project to play with color.
Monstera Knit Cowl
by Briana K Designs, knit in Chroma Worsted
Colorwork can be a scary thing for those that haven’t tried it before, but it doesn’t need to be. Get your love affair with colorwork started with this stranded colorwork cowl. The simple tube shape let’s you give the colorwork stitch pattern all your attention.
Flocking Cowl
by Lee Meredith, knit in Snuggle Puff
This fun, easy-to-memorize stitch pattern creates a very squishy, textured fabric; a great effect for a cotton yarn, which can tend to be a bit, well, unsquishy. The Garter Stitch base features slipped strands of yarn pulled up over several rows, literally squishing the fabric together with a V motif, vaguely resembling a flock of birds flying together (or flocking) over a cloudy sky.
Arris Cowl
by illitilli, knit in Palette
Knit on the bias, this large cowl features a diagonal side split and a colourful gradient of garter stripes. Designed for three, five, or nine contrast colors, it’s the perfect project to use up small amounts of fingering-weight yarn.
Kitchen Garden Cowl
by Margaret Mills, knit in Chroma Fingering
The geometric style of mosaic knitting is combined with a large floral design to evoke the stone beds and riotous organic growth of a French kitchen garden in this generously sized cowl.
Siegfried Cowl
by Angeline Webb, knit in Swish DK
Siegfried Cowl features geometric lace arranged along one edge and repeating eyelets along the other edge of this triangular shaped neck accessory. Inspired by larger triangular shawls, I really wanted something smaller and quicker to knit up – like a spring kerchief – and an easy accessory to grab for layering.
Nor’Easter Cowl
by Danielle Chalson, knit in Swish Worsted
You can face any winter storm with this fully reversible cowl in your wardrobe! Worked flat and then grafted together, this project is also a great way to master the Kitchener Stitch technique. This unisex cowl comes in two lengths, depending on your preference for wearing the cowl; try wrapping the longer size around your shoulders as a mini cape, or protect your head by wearing the smaller size as a snood.
