Classic Cowl
In the pantheon of classics we think our Classic Cowl is right at home. Like the little black dress and the camel trench coat, cowls have worked their way onto the shortlist of wardrobe staples.
I paired this pattern with another near-newbie, Purl Soho’s wonderfully soft, beautifully plied Worsted Twist. Knit in a never-boring neutral, Wheat Flour, and in a never-boring stitch pattern, Fluffy Brioche, our Classic Cowl is just that. -Laura
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Laura Ferguson.
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoClassicCowl, and #PurlSohoWorstedTwist. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 4 skeins of Purl Soho’s Worsted Twist, 100% merino. Each skein is 164 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 656 yards required. I used the color Wheat Flour. (NOTE: We no longer offer Worsted Twist, but choose from one of our other worsted/aran weight yarns.)
- A US 7 (4.5 mm), 40-inch circular needles
- A spare US 7 or smaller, 32- or 40-inch circular needles (optional; for tubular bind off)
- A stitch marker
Gauge
15 stitches = 4 inches in fluffy brioche stitch
20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Size
Finished Height: 12 inches
Finished Circumference: 60 inches
Note
Slip all slipped stitches purlwise.
Pattern
Begin
Cast 226 stitches onto the circular needle. I used a Long Tail Tubular Cast On, because it’s nice and stretchy, but a basic Long Tail Cast On would also do! If you use the Long Tail Tubular Cast On, don’t forget to work the two Foundation Rows before joining in the round (they are described both in our tutorial and below).
If You Did a Long Tail Tubular Cast On…
Foundation Row 1: *Knit 1 through the back loop, slip one with yarn in front, repeat from * to end of row.
Foundation Row 2: *Knit 1, slip 1 with yarn in front, repeat from * to end of row.
If you Did a Long Tail Cast on or Similar…
Foundation Row: *K1, p1 through the back loop (tbl), repeat from * to end of row.
Continue in Twisted Rib
Place a marker and join to work in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Round 1: *K1 through the back loop (tbl), p1, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Round 1 until piece measures 1 inch from cast-on edge.
Continue in Fluffy Brioche Stitch
Round 1: *P1, slip 1 wyif (with yarn in front), yo, repeat from * to end of round. [339 stitches]
Round 2: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. [226 stitches]
Round 3: *Slip 1 wyif, yo, p1, repeat from * to end of round. [339 stitches]
Round 4: *K2tog, k1, repeat from * to end of round. [226 stitches]
Repeat Rounds 1-4 until piece measures approximately 11 inches from cast-on edge or 1 inches shy of desired finished height, ending with Round 2.
Continue in Twisted Rib
Round 1: *K1tbl, p1, repeat from * to end of round.
IF YOU BEGAN WITH A TUBULAR CAST ON AND WILL DO A TUBULAR BIND OFF…
Repeat Round 1 for 3/4 inches.
IF YOU BEGAN WITH A LONG TAIL CAST ON AND WILL DO A BASIC BIND OFF…
Repeat Round 1 for 1 inch.
Bind Off
If You Did a Long Tail Tubular Cast On…
Bind off with a Long Tail Tubular Bind Off, using the following set-up rounds. NOTE: Round 1 is different here than in the tutorial in order to accomplish a twisted rib Tubular Bind Off)…
Set-Up Round 1: Work the round, knitting the knit stitches tbl and slipping the purled stitches purlwise with the yarn in front.
Set-Up Round 2: Work the round, purling the purl stitches and slipping the knit stitches purlwise with yarn in back.
If you Did a Long Tail Cast on or Similar…
Bind off loosely in pattern.
Finish
Weave in the ends and block as desired.
Hi there! And I apologize in advance for my (probably) very basic question… I am still a beginner!
I have opted to use the Long Tail Tubular Cast-on method on circular needles. Because I am using the Long Tail Tubular Cast on, I know I will need to work the “Foundation Rows” that the pattern mentions. However, this is where I have gotten confused. I’m under the assumption that working the foundation rows is basically the same as knitting flat, meaning that after casting on all my stitches, I turn my work over and begin knitting with the “working yarn needle” in my left hand. However, if I were to do this, I would start with a purl stitch rather than a knit stitch as the pattern suggests. Did I cast on the wrong number of stitches? I thought the slip knot counted as a cast on stitch… So, this would mean all odd number stitches are knit stitches (including the slip knot at the beginning) and all even numbered stitches are purl stitches. By casting on 226 stitches, this means I have ended with a purl stitch, which would be the first stitch worked for the first foundation row, but this is not how it is stated in the pattern (says it should be a knit stitch). Am I just over thinking this? Or have I set myself up wrong some how?
Sorry if my question was confusing! I’d greatly appreciate any help you can offer!
Hi Sara,
Thanks for the question. Hopefully I can straighten this out. The cast on is 226, so in a k1p1 repeat you’ll end on a purl cast on. However, when you turn your work (because the foundation rows are knitted flat), you’ll be presented with a knit stitch because the opposite of a knit is a purl. I hope this helps! If not, feel free to ask me more about this.
-Adam
Hello, I’m at a similar point than the Sara above.
I had to restart my foundation rows, because I couldn’t get them to join in the round. After my long tail tubular cast on on DPNs, I joined and knit foundation row 1. Then I flipped it and did foundation row 2. However, when I joined it appeared as if there’s a gap from when I flipped my work. Can you help me point out where I went wrong?
Thank you
Hi Sara,
Thanks for writing in! I think that I can help! The first two foundation rows will be knit flat without joining in the round. Once you have knit these first two rows, you will then join in the round and begin working the twisted ribbing. There will be a small gap from workign 2 rows flat that you will then sew up at the end using your tail!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Im on row 3 & realized it doesn’t specify which way to slip the stitch. Are we suppose to slip the stitch knit wise or purl wise?
Hi Korey,
Thanks for the question. In the notes section below the stitch gauge and size you’ll see that it says to slip all stitches purl-wise. Thanks!
-Adam
Forgive me if this has already been asked but could you tell me if there is a difference between doing the yarn over after the slip 1 wyif versus before ( in rounds one and three of the fluffy brioche )? Will it make a difference in the way the pattern looks? It is much easier to do the yarn over first but then it doesn’t cross over the slipped stitch . Thank you!
Hi Ajila,
Thanks for the question. You have to slip one with yarn in front first before the yarn over. If you did it your way, you’d probably get a bar across your brioche stitch. Happy knitting!
All the best,
Adam
Hi there
I see that the pattern is a little bit different from the video tutorial of fluffy brioche. Does this have to do with the fact that this cowl is knitted in the round? How do you do the yo in the first row of the repeat exactly?
Hi Eline,
Yes, the pattern is a bit different because it is knitted in the round. In the first round you’ll slip one stitch with the yarn in front and then yarn over by taking the working yarn and draping it over the slipped stitch toward the back of the work. I hope this clears up the issue!
All the best,
Adam
Hi!
I need some help with fluffy brioche stitch.
After knitting round 1 the yarn is in front as the last stitch is yo after a purl stitch and a slip stitch wyif.
The first stitch of round 2 is knit stitch, so the yarn should be back. If I take the yarn back then last stitch of round 1 (yo) disappears, so I don’t know how to begin knitting round 2.
Could you help me, please?
Thanks
I think the problem is when doing yo. Could you tell me if yo is clockwise or counterclockwise around the needle on round 1.
Is it the same for round 3?
I guess yarn is in the front before and after yo.
Thank you so much
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing in! All of the yarn overs for this pattern should created in the same fashion, you will move the yarn from front to back over top of the needle. We do have a handy video that helps with this that can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/11/11/yarn-over-yo/
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi Laura,
Thanks for writing in! I think that I understand the issue! At the end of round 1, you end with a yarn over which should bring your yarn to the back as a yarn over is created by bringing the yarn from the front to the back over the needle (https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2013/11/11/yarn-over-yo/). With the yarn in the back, you should be able to begin round 2 without an issue.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Thank you so much!
That resolves the issue
Hello, how long should the tail be?
Hi Sara,
Great question! The rule of thumb for a long tail cast on is to use a tail about 3 times as long as the circumference of the finished item. I always like to add a touch more for piece of mind but that should do!
Best,
Cassy
HI! I know that you guys have a fluffy brioche hat pattern, but if I wanted to use size ten needles and this pattern for a hat, what would I cast on? I used this pattern to make a scarf and it was so much fun! Thanks!
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for the question. I am not sure what your cast on would be on a size 10 needle because I don’t know the type of yarn you are using and the gauge. If you do a gauge swatch in the round and calculate your stitches per inch, you can then multiply that number by your desired hat circumference. This will give you a rough cast on estimate. Be sure that you cast on an even number, as fluffy brioche is worked over multiples of two.
All the best,
Adam
Hello I am having an issue with round three of the classic cowl pattern. You have slip 1 wyif. If I do that after round two I was assuming I bring the yarn forward first (as the last stitch in round 2 is a knit ) and I then do the slip and yarn over then p1??
What I’m getting confused about is no matter what I do I am only getting a cluster of two stitches at the beginning of round three. Is that because I am ending on a purl and it completes the first cluster of 2 ?
Wonder if this is making sense. Thanks
Hi,
Thanks for writing in! It sounds as though you have everything correct! Beginning round 3, you move the yarn to the front, slip the stitch, yarn over and then purl 1 stitch. This cowl does have a seem where the rounds meet. It is not visible in the pictures above but is present. So long as the rest of the round lines up correctly and the pattern emerges, it sounds to me like you are working the cowl pattern correctly!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
For the long tail tubular cast off do I need another set of needles the same length ? Or can I use ones that are 29 inch
Thanks
Hi,
Thanks for writing in! For the second needle, you need not have one that is the same length as your original needle. It needs only to be long enough to hold all of the stitches required!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi – how can I modify this pattern for narrow shoulders? Do I cast on less stitches? Thanks!
Hi Shaznin,
Thank you for the question! I’m not 100% sure I know what you mean but if you are referring to the bulk of the cowl from wrapping around so many times, then yes, you should cast on less stitches. Hope this helps!
-Adam
Thanks for the quick reply, Adam. I’m also not entirely sure what I meant by the question. However, I don’t want it looking bulky as it appears to me on the mannequin. So by how much to reduce stitches? Does this pattern go in odd or even number of stitches? Thank you.
Hi Shaznin,
The pattern is worked over an even amount of stitches. If you would like less bulk, you can take a tape measure and wrap it around your head at your chin twice to get a rough measurement for the circumference of your cowl. From there you’ll want to add about 6-8″ ease for wrapping the cowl. This will be your final circumference and you’ll multiply this number by your stitch per inch gauge. The cowl in the photo looks so bulky in part because it is made from a worsted weight yarn. If you’d like to change the weight of the yarn this will require gauge swatches and much more math!
All the best,
Adam
Hello, I don’t know if this has been asked before, but I’v knit the Fluffy Brioche Hat and noticed the twisted rib for that pattern is knit 1 through the back loop purl one through the back loop but for this Classic Cowl it’s only knit 1 through the back loop and purl 1. Do they look the same? I’d like the two to match as much as possible.
Hi Scott,
Excellent question! Knitting through the back loop on just the knits creates a 1 sided twisted rib. That is to say, the the rib will only truly pop as a twisted rib does on one side. If you knit and purl through the back loop, the result will be a two sided twisted rib. So if you fold up the brim of the hat, the ribbing will look the same on both sides!
Best,
Cassy
Hi,
I would like to make this cowl and I have a question: I don’t want to do the twisted rib edging, what other cast on/bind off would you recommend for this?
Thanks!
Hi Steph,
Thanks for writing in! If you are opting to do just a standard ribbed edging instead of the twisted rib, you can still use the long tail tubular cast on wish. You can also opt for the regular long tail cast on. In general, when not noted, we use the long tail cast on and it would work well here!
Best,
Cassy
Hello,
I noticed that there is a jog each round in the fluffy brioche stitch pattern. I can only think of helix knitting as a way to avoid this, is there maybe another easier way?
Thanks,
Gaby
Hi Gaby,
Thanks for writing in! Due to the nature of this stitch pattern, there will be a jog when knitting it in the round. We think of it as a deign feature and for those who like it a little less than we do, looping the cowl around your neck, can effectively hide the jog when you are wearing it.
Best,
Cassy
Thank you for your reply. May I ask: Is this pattern supposed to be the pearl brioche stitch (see here: http://www.briochestitch.com/archives/stitchvariations/pearl-brioche-stitch) ? I am confused, because the pearl brioche when worked flat requires you to slip with the yarn in fron on the WS, so if knitted in the round like for the cowl you would need to slip with the yarn in back, wouldn’t you?
Hi Gaby,
Thanks for writing back! Very interesting! I am not familiar with pearl brioche but based on looking at the link that you provided, it seems that the fluffy brioche that we use hear differs a little from the pearl brioche. While they do look similar, there do appear to be some differences. For this pattern, you will be slipping with the yarn in front for the fluffy brioche sections!
Best,
Cassy
Hello,
I’d love to make this scarf but I’m not up to the challenge of circular needles yet. Is there a flat pattern available at all? I really like the combination of the edging stitch with the fluffy brioche.
Thanks for your time.
Cheers, Sarah
Hello Sarah,
Thank you for your interest in the pattern. This specific pattern is currently only written as a cowl/for working in the round and we do not have the pattern for working it flat. We do have a blanket pattern that uses the same Fluffy Brioche stitch as used for the body of this cowl though.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
Hi! I apologize if this question has already been asked…in the tutorial for the fluffy brioche stitch it says to S1WYIF, YO, K1; however the pattern says to P1 instead of K1 on rows 1 and 3. Just wanted to check in and make sure that was accurate.
Thanks much!
Hello Ruth,
Thank you for writing us! The pattern is correct. The reason for the deference is that the swatch in the tutorial is knit flat while this cowl is knit in the round.
Happy Knitting!
-Marilla
Thanks Marilla – I worked that out myself laying in bed last night! Much appreciate the response!
Hi there just wondering if there is a u tube visual for the classic cowl ? Thanks Fiona
Hi Fiona,
Thanks for writing in! We do have a video for the Long Tail Tubular Cast On but not for the other techniques used or the whole project. We will certainly keep your request in mind for the future.
Best,
Cassy
Thank you for getting back to me with my couple of ?s I will check out video on Long Tail Tubular Cast on and Cast off hopefully is there somewhere to. Many thanks I am about to purchase my yarns and give it a go. Fiona
? Why in the pictures are there two sets of circular needles?
Hi Fiona,
Thanks for writing in! The portion where you see 2 sets of needles being used is for if you decide to so the long tail tubular bind off. You may opt to use this technique or to do a standard bind off if you wish. If you use the technique, you will need to divide your stitches onto 2 circular needles to achieve the bind off.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Any suggestions for minimizing the end of round transition? I am a little anal about “seams” – otherwise my first brioche attempt but I made a headband instead of the cowl.
Hello Janet,
Thanks for writing us! Unfortunately the end of round seam is inevitable. The seam at the beginning/end of the row is due to the fact that the stitch pattern is not continuous at this point. When you are knitting in the round, you are knitting in a spiral. For some stitch patterns, there will be no noticeable start to a row but for others there will be. This is one of those stitch patterns.
However, given the lofty and lovely nature of the brioche stitch as well as the size of the cowl, the seam barely visible if not invisible when worn.
I hope this helps! let us know if you have any further questions.
Warmly,
Marilla
Love this! How would you suggest altering for my 4 year old?
Thanks so much!
Hi Andrea,
Thanks for writing in! For a smaller person, I would cast on fewer stitches. Perhaps measure a cowl that you already have that fits them and use this to determine of big you would like to make it. The cowl works over any even number of stitches. I would also suggest knitting it to be less tall. Again, using a scarf of cowl that works well, you can determine the height that would work best; 5-8 inches should be the sweet spot!
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Dear All,
I knit in the continental method being from Germany. My question re: the Fluffy Brioche Stitch is a simple one. Is this pattern also called Honeycomb Brioche? I am asking because I’m unable to find instructions for the “Fluffy Brioche Stitch” in the continental method.
I still have problems understanding some of the English knitting terms. Although Laura’s videos are absolutely great, but when she explains knitting stitches I am somewhat lost do to the different method of knitting.
Many thanks in advance for your time and response.
Sincerely, Mara
P.S.
Does the store carry tapestry needles as the one used in the Kitchener Stitch video?
Hi Mara,
Thanks for writing in! Honeycomb Brioche is a bit different that Fluffy Brioche. I have seen Honeycomb Brioche written up a few different ways all of which differ a bit from the Fluffy Brioche that we use here.
I, myself, am a continental knitter. The only true difference is that your are wrapping your yarn with the opposite hand. You can still follow the written directions with no alterations. It can sometimes take a bit to work things out when watching a video from a knitter who knits opposite to you but if you give it a shot, you may be able to get it. I also like to read the written instructions out loud to myself and follow them in that fashion. I find it really helpful when trying a new technique! As an aside, the fluffy brioche video that we have is fluffy brioche worked flat and this pattern uses it in the round which is a bit different!
We absolutely carry the tapestry needle shown in the Kitchener Stitch video! It can be found here: https://www.purlsoho.com/chibi-with-2-inch-tapestry-needles.html
Best,
Cassy
From an educator to the wonderful staff of Purl Bee, I’d just like to thank you for the excellent and thoughtful answers you provide all those in a confused knitting state. Since I’m a self taught Continental knitter of no great experience and will be taking on this wonderful cowl in 2018, I wanted Purl Bee to know how very much I need and appreciate all of the terrific answers given to really important quesions.
Hello Rebecca,
Wow- thank you for your thoughtful, kind words. We appreciate your support! Let us know how the cowl goes and, of course, let us know if you have any questions throughout the process.
Happy knitting,
Marilla
The pattern needs to be fixed for download. If you download it you will see what I mean!
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for writing in! Are you using our print function to download as a PDF? I just gave it a try and all worked well. If the images are too large of plentiful for you, you can click on each image to delete just the unwanted images or you can click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%.
Please do let us know if you have any further issues!
Cassy
I thought this was so beautiful and just finished knitting it. Love it! I’ve only done kitchner stitch a few times, so maybe how I was doing it was part of the problem. All I know is my bind off side was much smaller than the cast on side. Any thoughts on how to correct that if I were to knit this again?
Hi Courtney,
Thanks for writing in! I am so glad that the project turned out well! Sometimes bind offs can get a little tight. I frequently go up a needle size when working a bind off as this will give you a little more slack and create a bind off that is not as tight.
I hope that this helps!
Cassy
Hi!
I’m attempting this project and have a few questions. On the twisted rib portion, could I k1tbl and p1tbl rather than just k1tbl?
Also, why do we join after the foundation row is completed? Why can’t we join on the foundation row?
Thanks!
Hi Trish,
Thanks for writing in! You can certainly substitute your variation of twisted rib if you prefer – the difference between the two is very subtle and won’t affect the gauge of the ribbing, so it is up to your personal preference.
If you are referring to the two foundation rows after the Long-Tail Tubular Cast-On, it is definitely necessary to work the foundation rows before joining, as the Tubular Cast-On twists around the needle so much that it would be near impossible to join in the round without a twist or two unless you have worked the foundation rows to secure it.
If you are referring to the single foundation row after the regular Long-Tail Cast-On option, you may join before working the foundation row if you wish, but we find it is much easier to see and avoid twists, especially with really long cast-ons like this one, if the first row is worked before joining.
I hope that answers all of your questions!
Regards,
Julianna
I understand now! Thanks for your reply, and thanks for having such a great site!
Hi! Okay, I’ve been struggling with this pattern so I hope I can explain my problem correctly. I looked through the Qs and didn’t see mine, so I may be alone here. So when you get to round 4 – knit 2 together and then knit 1. Is it correct in that the two stitches that you are knitting together are the previously slipped stitch and yarn over stitches (from round 3) and the knit 1 is the previously purled stitch? I ask because when you yarn over the yarn goes all the way over to the purl so it feels like I should be knitting the previously purled and slipped stitch and I’m forcing the yarned over stitch when I use that one. In fact from the instructions is looks like you are always essentially doing the knit 2 together with the previously slipped and yarn over stitch and then knitting the purl stitch on its own. I hope that this made sense! As always thank you for the gorgeous pattern and the help!
Hi Lilo,
Thanks for reaching out! You are correct that in brioche, you are always knitting together the slipped stitches with the yarn overs from the previous row. If you are working the yarn overs correctly, they should seem to “pair” with the slipped stitches naturally, making it easy to knit them together. You might want to take a look at our Yarn Over (YO) video, especially the section on yarn overs between two purls, to make sure you are wrapping your yarn the correct direction, as wrapping it the opposite direction would make a very tight yarn over, which could be causing your problem.
I hope that helps! Brioche is a fairly advanced stitch, but just keep at it and I’m sure you’ll get it!
Best of luck and happy knitting!
Julianna
I followed the pattern and made the cowl and I absolutely love it! I wanted to make a matching hat to go with it, but I’m not sure how to change the pattern to do so, specifically when decreasing at the top part of the hat. Would you be able to help me with this?
Hello Hana,
Thank you for reaching out and your kind words! I think our Fluffy Brioche hat would be a lovely companion to the Classic Cowl.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I feel silly asking such a basic question but I can’t figure out the gauge. Normally it’s a certain amount of stitches and a certain amount of rows but your gauge just says 20 stitches and then 4 inches so I’m not sure how many rows to knit….??
Hello Stormie,
Thank you for reaching out! The reason we don’t give a row count is just because you don’t need to have a perfect row gauge for this pattern, so if you are getting stitch gauge you are in good shape.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi,
I am knitting this cowl for a friend, but they would like it to go once around the neck, rather than the double loop length as it is pictured. Would casting on 112stitches be okay? (about half but an even number for the tubular cast on and bind off) Or should it be shorter?
Hello JS,
Thank you for reaching out! This sounds like a great plan. Casting on 112 stitches will give you a circumference of roughly 30″. If you would like a snug cowl than I would go down in your cast on. You could always measure out 30″ with a measure tape so you can visualize it, this often helps me.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Thank you!
Hi,
Can you please suggest how many stitches to cast on for a kid size or would this size fit a kid as well?
Thanks a lot!
Julia
Hi Julia,
Thanks for writing in! Although this is a pretty substantial cowl that would probably be a bit overwhelming for a child of any age, it’s hard to say exactly how much smaller to make it without knowing the age or size of the child you wish to make it for. In general though, this stitch works on any even number, so if you know how long you want to make it, you can multiply your desired length in inches by our gauge of 3.75 and round to the nearest even number to get your cast on amount.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi,
I have started the cowl 4 times now but I still can’t get the pattern right. The first row says to p1 which already takes the yarn to the front. Then to slip1wyif but the yarn is already in front. So, do I just slip it? Then it says to yo which brings the yarn to the back. How do I p1 with the yarn in the back?
I am confused.
Thanks,
Cinzia
Hello Cinzia,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, you keep your yarn in front when you slip the stitch. After your yarn over you will bring your yarn to the front to do your purl.
I hope this clears things up for you and happy knitting!-Marilla
Hi,
I’m considering knitting this cowl and have 1 and 2/3 skeins of worsted twist left over from a prior project and am wondering whether I could get away with ordering only 2 more skeins for this.
Thank you,
Diana
Hello Diana,
Thank you for reaching out! I think you should be fine. You might loose a tiny bit, but not enough to be noticeable. If I were you I would just order the two skeins.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
I love the fluffy Brioche pattern! I’m making my second hat, using Cashmere Merino Bloom, and I want to use matching yarn to make this cowl. My gauge is very close to your ‘normal’ in the many Purl Soho projects I’ve made. What size needle would you recommend for the cowl in this yarn and how would I need to adjust the cast on number of stitches to achieve the same size? Thanks in advance for your help. Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for reaching out! I would use a US 4 as you did for the Fluffy Brioche Hat, and based on the hat gauge of 20 stitches to 4 inches, you will need to cast on 300 stitches for a similar length cowl. It’s a bit hard to say how much yarn you will need, but I would guess 4 skeins of Cashmere Merino Bloom should do it!
Happy knitting, and please do let us know how the matching cowl turns out!
Julianna
Like Diana above, I have 2 skeins of worsted twist bought for a project that I changed my mind about. I had thought about purchasing 2 more skeins to make this cowl, but was concerned about not having the same dye lot—is that not an issue anymore? Thanks for your advice!
Hello Kathryn,
Thank you for reaching out! It is true that, depending on when you purchased your two skeins, we likely will not have the dye lot of your original skeins. There is one way to get around this and that is to stripe between two skeins, of the same color, but from different lots to eliminate a line from forming.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I want to knit the Classic Cowl in a lighter, softer yarn than the Worsted Twist.
What would you recommend, and what changes would I need to make to the yardage and pattern?
Hi Reesa,
Thanks for reaching out! I think Cashmere Merino Bloom would be a great option – it is a DK weight and looks lovely in fluffy brioche, as you can see in our Fluffy Brioche Hat. Since it is a lighter weight yarn, I would suggest knitting a gauge swatch in pattern on US 4 or 5 needles to measure your stitches per inch. You can then multiply that by 60 inches and round to the nearest even number to determine how many stitches to cast on. It’s hard to say how much yarn you will need when changing the gauge, but I think it will take about 4 skeins of Cashmere Merino Bloom.
I hope that helps, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
After half way through the project I have 13 stitches that do not give me the correct angle of the pattern ( looks like a stockinette stitch). Ripped out to that row but it keeps repeating the mistake. What am I doing wrong if I am following the pattern? The rest is fine.
Hi Debra,
Thanks for reaching out! It’s hard to say exactly what might have gone wrong without seeing your work, but it sounds like you may have added or removed a stitch in the previous row. I would recommend taking out two rows to see if that helps!
Best,
Julianna
Hello. I’ve knitted swatches in stockinette and fluffy brioche. How do I count stitches to determine gauge for the fluffy brioche? I got gauge in stockinette. Thanks.
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for reaching out! This is a great question. Your process for counting stitches in the fluffy brioche pattern will be the same as for counting stockinette, except the stitches look a bit different! When counting your fluffy brioche gauge you’ll know you’re counting straight across one row if your stitches alternate between fluffy and normal looking knit stitches. I hope this is helpful!
Happy knitting!
Gaby
hi sorry if this has already been asked but could we use a knitted cast on. Long tail comes out incredibly loose for me
Hi Alicia
Thanks for writing in! If you use the knitted cast on it won’t be quite as elastic and the edge won’t have as much stretchiness as it would if you did one of the Long Tail Cast On. The overall circumference of the cowl is 60″ so you will have no issue of it fitting over your head, but it may not let the ribbing relax as much as it would with the long tail. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting
Jessica
Hey all —
Beginner knitter here, who is trying to challenge herself! For the Long Tail Tubular Cast on…. am I really supposed to knit that on straight needles & then transfer it? I know it’s supposed to be knit flat, but that seems impossible. Or is this just something I need to keep practicing? Thanks for any & all help!
Hi Courtney,
Thanks for writing in! Long Tail Tubular Cast On is definitely a bit more of an advanced technique, and yes you begin it on straight needles and then transfer it! It is a technique that takes a bit of practice so I do recommend looking at our Long Tail Tubular Cast On tutorial, it is an excellent resource to use!
Please feel free to reach out with any more questions moving forward!
All the best,
Gianna
Thank you for posting free patterns. This entire site and your business is very inspirational. After what feels like eleventeen tries, I am giving up and picking something easier….. one day I’ll try again but to keep me from stabbing someone with my knitting needle I’m going back to garter stitch scarves because they don’t reject me.
Keep up the great work
Hi! I have finished the cowl… and it is so pretty… but it rolls inward. What did I do wrong and is there a way to fix it? I used your worsted twist yarn… can it be blocked and if so… how woud you do that? Thank you so much for your help!!
Hi Pam,
Thanks for reaching out. Blocking will definitely minimize much of that roll! I’d recommend wet blocking the cowl and laying it flat to dry. You also may be interested in taking a look at our handy Blocking Tutorial. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I have 2 skeins of line weight, is this sufficient to complete this Classic Cowl in Fluffy Brioche stitch?
Can you please suggest the best needle size and number of cast-on stitches.
Thank you.
Christina
Hi Christina,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, 2 skeins of Line Weight might not be enough yarn to knit the Classic Cowl. The Brioche stitch tends to use up more yarn than other stitches, so I would recommend having at least 3 skeins of Line Weight. If you are interested though, we also have the Crosshatch Cowl, the Willow Cowl, and the Newsprint Cowl that are all knit using only 2 skeins of Line Weight!
To calculate how many stitches should be cast on for the Classic Cowl in Line weight, you can knit a swatch on size US 2-4 needles to measure your stitches and rows per inch. Then multiply your stitches per inch x 60″ and round to the nearest even number to get your cast-on number, and multiply your rows per inch by 12″ to get the number of rows you need to knit. We have a very helpful tutorial called All About Gauge that you might find useful, too!
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Carly
Hi! I’m working through this pattern and nearing the end. I have done the Long Tail Tubular Cast On but now I’m starting to stress about the bind off. I don’t have a second needle to divide up the stitches. Is there a way to do it with one needle and still give it the same look? It seems like the Kitchner stitch can be done on one needle but I don’t know if it would apply to this pattern and I don’t want to mess it up. If the 2 needle method is the best and easiest way, then I’ll find a way to make it work.
I hope this makes sense! Even after 15+ years knitting, I’m still learning!
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for writing in! Since you don’t have another needle, I’d recommend doing a ribbed sewn bind-off instead. This will give you a similar look to the long tail tubular bind-off, but you don’t need an extra needle! It’s very stretchy as well.
All the best,
Lili