New Cashmere Bandana Cowl!
Our original Bandana Cowl is a Purl Bee favorite, knit up it Swans Island beautiful merino Bulky. We love it too! But we couldn’t resist the temptation to get even cozier with the help of Jade Sapphire’s extraordinary 8 Ply 100% Mongolian Cashmere. Carefully selected, gorgeously spun and lovingly hand dyed, it doesn’t really get any better than Jade Sapphire’s cashmere!
For a whole new perspective on winter, put this quick knit at the top of your list. For Erin’s original pattern, plus even more fabulous yarn suggestions, visit her Bandana Cowl Project Journal right here!
UPDATE: BANDANA COWL IN NEW COLORS + STYLES!
SEPTEMBER 2022
Plenty has so many beautiful colors, we whipped up Bandana Cowls in every one, plus four new colorplay versions, too: Breton Stripes, Transitional Stripes, Colorblock, and even a duplicate stitch Monogram, so you can bring your A game to this knit! (Or your B game!) Cast on to find out why the Bandana Cowl is still one of our most popular knits!
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
I do love the cowl.
Just right for this time of year.
Christy
Lil Bit Brit
i just adore this pattern and have made it several times, but now I would really love it in Jade Sapphire . But I only have 6 ply-what shall I do?
Hi Laura-
This pattern is tricky to adjust so it's important that you're getting the same gauge. With that said, if you really want to use your 6 ply you could try using bigger needles to get the correct gauge, but it will make a more open fabric.
Thank you for writing in!
Molly
Hi just started knitting the bandana, looking forward to it. I casted on 89 stitches. Joined up the round, then am wondering if when it says purl all stitches, does that mean a purl row before I begin Round 1? Carol
Hi Carol,
Great question! That is correct, you will purl one round before beginning Round 1.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I've made this twice before and love it–thank you for reposting! I'm wondering if there's a way to modify the pattern to fit a child. I'd love to knit one for a mom-friend of mine and her daughter, who's just leaving toddler-hood.
OOooo I love it! I have never seen such a lovely style of handmade goodness for the neck!
Hi Rachel-
We have no plans to write a smaller version of this pattern at the moment but you might try knitting it in a smaller gauge to get a smaller over all cowl.
Thank you for your question!
Molly
I like this a lot. I wish I had some fashion sense, however. I would love to see you post photos of this with an outfit to see how you'd put it together with other clothing. I need that kind of tutoring. LOL. Thanks for all the great projects you bring us!
I love how this looks, but I've tried making it twice and the edges and point curl up funny 🙁 what am I doing wrong?! Does anybody have any tips? Thanks!
Hi Kay~. You asked your question so long ago that I hope you still would like a tip. I have easily made at least two dozen of these and I love this pattern above all others. One suggestion if the point curls up s to make a tassel and attach it to the point to weigh it down. I do this for many of the bandana cowls that I make for women.
Also, a request for the pattern makers……I would love this pattern in child sizes. Scarves can be so bothersome and a safety concern for young school-aged children. This style would be so cute knitted up for kids. And much safer!
Hi Michelle,
Great tip! We will certainly keep the suggestion in mind for the future!
Best,
Cassy
I love this pattern and have made it many times with many yarns. I agree that it can be tricky to adjust – a few scarves have been knit more than once. . . But it is easy to wear, flattering, and perfect for chilly bike rides or dog walks or gardening. Having no floppy ends makes it very cozy and tidy, and it is a nice color and texture contrast to crew neck sweaters or t shirts. Cashmere? Okay!
Did you knit any with worsted weight? Wonder how you adjusted the pattern.
Hey Stephanie, check out the Ravelry page for this cowl – there are loads of photos of people wearing the finished product. I has this pattern bookmarked, but when I saw someone at a party wearing it I was hooked! I've made 5 so far – dare I cast on a 6th? That cashmere os oh so tempting!
Hi Kat-
To counteract the little curl you're getting in the point you can try blocking the cowl by soaking in cool water and wool-safe soap, then reshaping it to dry. If the curl is proving truly resistant you can pin it to a towel using rust-proof pins while it dries.
Thanks so much for your question!
-Erin
I notice that a skein of the cashmere is 30 yards shorter than the merino bulky. Is it still enough to make the cowl, or should I get 2 skeins?
Hi Cathy W-
You will need 2 skeins of the cashmere. All of the materials info can be found on the pattern page here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/bandana-cowl/2011/10/11/sweet-stitching-with-erin-bandana-cowl.html
Thank you!
Molly
Would it be possible to use your new Worsted Twist with this cowl?
Hi Kristen-
Yes. Our Worsted Twist would work for this pattern.
Thank you for your question!
Molly
I'm about to cast on this cowl again. I made one for my mom last year and saw her wearing it yesterday. It is just so cute! The wrap and turns make it fun and not too boring. Thanks for having your projects archived and easy to find!
Looking at the Bandana Cowl made on Ravelry and then back to your original as well as the Cashmere one, it looks like the one you knitted is wider and not so pointed.I have made three so far and they too look more pointed. I like the wider look best. Any ideas on how to make it look that way instead of pointy?
Thanks for the pattern!
Oh, yes another question, when I get to the last short row I have had problems with working it correctly. Somehow I end up with a wrap and turn on both start and end of last row and then have added stitches.
Hi Margie,
Hmmm… I'm not sure why your cowls are looking pointy. Are you decreasing every round at the beginning? Is your gauge correct?
And at this point…
Next Round: With the knit side facing you, knit to the marker, making sure to pick up the wrapped stitch.
Continue with the knit side facing you, working again in the round. Knit 2 rounds, picking up the wrap of the first stitch.
…you do have wrapped stitches closely following each other, one before the stitch marker and one after.
Sorry to not have more concrete answers. Please let us know if we can help more!
Whitney
I just bought the yarn for the bandana cowl online, but now have somehow lost/cannot retrieve the pattern. Can you help?
HI Tina-
The project is linked at the end of this story by clicking on the blue hyperlink that says "here". And here is a direct link to it: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/the-purl-bee/2012/10/14/new-cashmere-bandana-cowl.html
Thanks for getting in touch and good luck with the project!
Molly
I love all your beautiful Knit patterns which are for everyone. Each one is so unique! Plus your Instructions are easy to follow be we a Beginner or Advanced Knitter.
I am in the process of knitting the Cashmere Cowl with a pretty color of Lobster Pot Cashmere. Oh me goodness it's simply gorgeous and so soft to knit with.
I plan on knitting your Ombre Cowl and there are a couple of others on my To Do List.
I always have my needles in hand knitting something for my family and of course for my sweet Grandchildren who are Twins.
I try to knit most of my Christmas gifts for my family and dear friends.
And everyone really appreciates receiving one of these.
Thank you so much for all your sharing with us. It is a joy to see the various knitted projects that your Staff create for us to see which inspires us all to try knitting one of them.
Warmest Regards
Sandra
I’m having trouble downloading this pattern I just love it and would like to make a few for Christmas gifts, can you please offer you help? Thank you. My husband says I don’t have a website. Thanks
Hi Pam-
This pattern isn’t available to download directly from our site as a pdf. Unfortunately we don’t have the resources to convert all of our free patterns into print friendly pdfs but there’s a fairly simple way to do it yourself:
First copy and paste all the text and any photos you want into a Word or Text doc. From there you should be able to save as a pdf or print. If you don’t see the option to save as a pdf within your program there is usually an option to do that within the print dialog box.
I’m so sorry we can’t be of more help. This is an issue that we’re working to resolve.
Please let us know if you have any more questions!
Molly
Hi, I’ve made this cowl four times. Four! And here’s the thing: every time I complete my short rows and knit back, picking up the last stitch before the marker, then continue in the round, picking up the wrapped stitch on the other side of the marker to join (the first stitch of the new round), I end up with a gap and what appears to be a large stitch. I find that picking up that first wrapped stitch of the new round (the one I wrapped on the last short purl row) is incredibly tight to knit. Wow. Really frustrating, especially after the fourth cowl! It’s the only blemish (which I’ve fixed each time and, frankly, is not even noticeable when donned, but still…) on an otherwise perfect project. Any ideas as to what I’m doing incorrectly?
Hi Tim,
You’re not the first person to report this problem, and honestly, when I knit my own bandana, a similar thing happened to me! I suggest as a possible remedy that you knit the final wrap (together with the knit stitch) through the back loop. This means that instead of inserting the needle to left of the front legs, you put the needle into the stitches to the right of the front legs. Essentially, this twists the stitches and takes up some slack. And then there’s always the post-production futzing, where you spread some of the slack out among neighboring stitches to diminish the “blemish”.
Another solution that might avoid the problem altogether would be to end your short rows a couple of stitches sooner so that you don’t end up with two wrapped stitches so close to each other.
I hope this helps you with your FIFTH bandana! Thanks so much for asking and for being such a prolific bandana knitter!
Whitney
Thanks! I’ll give both solutions a try…
In March 2014, I purchased from you 2 skeins of Violet Mermaid and today my friend said she would rather have a cowl instead of the Whisper Wrap.
Is this cowl a good one for the yarn or do you have another that is more elaborate?
The Mermaid yarn is gorgeous – and, as far as I know, the color she loves! (will show it to her tomorrow)
Hi Marny!
I don’t think that the Bandana Cowl would work, unless you quadrupled (at least) the yarn to make it thicker. You might look at this pattern instead, which I think the Mermaid would be beautiful for! Plus, you’ll have plenty leftover to make yourself one too!
Happy Knitting!
Thomas
Will the cowl pattern work for a large man?
Hello Laurie,
As long as you make sure to bind off extra stretchy, it should work for a large man! How large is his head? Let us know!
Best of luck! -Alyson
I love this cowl and the pattern has been fun to learn. Lots of good short row practice indeed!
One question: when I finished the short rows and started on the finishing rows leading to the cowl edge, I had way too many stitches. Somehow I had increased about 20. How did this happen? I obviously made the error in the short rows but not sure what I did wrong. I’ll be redoing the cowl again to get it right and don’t want to make the same mistake twice. Thanks!
Hello Lisa!
What you most likely did was knit the wraps singularly instead of together with the stitches that they are wrapped around. That would give you exactly 20 extra stitches. Next time, make sure that you knit the wrap together with the stitch its around so that you don’t increase on accident!
Thanks for writing in and we’re glad you liked this pattern! Enjoy! -Alyson
I’ve made at least 10 of these and am casting on yet another today for a client gift. The short row directions are simple to follow and the whole piece is absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for sharing! It’s become my go to for gift giving…I might even make one in Cashmere just for me!
Can you help me? Would love to make this, but don’t see where to get the pattern.
Hi Janice,
Thanks for writing in! The pattern for this lovely cowl can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2011/10/11/sweet-stitching-with-erin-bandana-cowl/
Happy knitting,
Cassy
Where do you place the stitch markers for the short rows. I am knitting this for the first time
Hello Rosanne,
Thank you for reaching out! You only need the beginning of the round stitch marker until after you have completed your short rows and come to your “Set-up Round: K18, place marker, k45, place marker, knit to end of round.”. You keep track of where your wrap and turns should be from you wrap and turns from the previous short row.
I hope this answers you question, please let me know if you need anything clarified.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
This is my first bandana! I’m making this with a dark yarn, and am having trouble recognizing a wrapped stitch from the previous row. I wish that your instruction for Row 7 had specified the # of stitches I must knit to get to the wrapped stitch (as you did in Row 6). I’m not an inexperienced knitter, but am new to this short row method, and the dark yarn isn’t helping. And, how many stitches should I have after having done Rows 7 & 8 18 more times? Thanks for any advice!
Hello DGW,
Thank you for reaching out! In row 7 you will have 3 stitches between your two wrap and turns, because row 6 is “P3, wrap and turn.” This means that in row 7 you will knit 3 stitches, knit the wrapped stitch making sure to pick up the wrap, k1, wrap and turn. This has added two stitches between your wrap and turns so row 8 is “Purl 5 stitches, purl the wrapped stitch making sure to pick up the wrap, p1, wrap and turn” . As you can see two stitches are added every row!
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions.
Happy knitting,
Marilla
How do you know when you reach a “wrapped stitch”? It’s confusing. And how many wrapped stitches should there be in a row? Help, I’m losing count and my place! 😏 Thankyou, Pat
Hi Pat,
Thanks for reaching out! You will be able to tell a wrapped stitch when you get to it because it will have a second strand of yarn around the base! Our Short Rows: Wrap + Turn tutorial is an excellent resource to use and will show you exactly what it should look like and how to work the stitches!
All the best,
Gianna
with this lovely pattern, I am being introduced to wrap and turn.
Things are going well, but I need help at Row. 6 P3, wrap and turn.
Does that mean that at the turn I only p3 to the wrap?
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes that is correct, you are purling 3 stitches wrapping the stitch and then turning the work and going directly on to the next row!
All the best,
Gianna