We may enjoy knits that are long, meandering walks, but every now and then we find ourselves in a sprint to the finish line!

Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho

If you’re in a too-many-gifts-not-enough-time situation, our Right Before Christmas Cowl is one heck of a sprinter… And a wonderful gift, too!

Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho

In classic double seed stitch, this cowl looks remarkably woven, like a willow basket but a whole lot softer! A couple of knit-stitch columns in the back allow for neat decreases and a cozy fit.

Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho

The softness, the beauty, and the speed are owing to our gorgeous Gentle Giant! One hundred percent merino wool, this gently spun single-ply yarn knits up in a snap on US 19 needles. You just need two skeins and hardly any time at all!

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!

Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoRightBeforeChristmasCowl, and #PurlSohoGentleGiant. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho
  • 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Gentle Giant, 100% merino wool yarn. Each skein of this super bulky yarn is approximately 48 yards/125 grams; approximately 79 yards required. We used the color Periwinkle Blue. (NOTE: Some colors are no longer available)
  • US 19 (15/16 mm), 24-inch circular needles
  • A stitch marker

Gauge

5¼ stitches and 8¾ rounds = 4 inches in stitch pattern

7 stitches and 9 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Size

  • Finished Circumference At Bottom: 30½ inches
  • Finished Circumference At Top: 26 inches
  • Finished Height: 10 inches

Notes

Stitch Multiple

This pattern works over an even number of stitches.

Pattern

Cast on 40 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Set-Up Round: *K1, p1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.

Rounds 1 and 2: K2, *p1, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Rounds 3 and 4: *K1, p1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.

Round 5: K2, *p1, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Round 6 (Decrease Round): Slip slip knit (ssk), *p1, k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, knit 2 together (k2tog). [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Rounds 1-6 two more times. [34 stitches remaining]

Next Round: K2, *p1, k1, repeat from * to end of round.

Bind-Off Round: K2, pass first stitch over, *p1, pass first stitch over, k1, pass first stitch over, repeat from * to end of round.  Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitch.

Weave in ends and steam block.

Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho
Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho
Right Before Christmas Cowl | Purl Soho

LEARN ABOUT GENTLE GIANT + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS

You can’t get more gentle or more giant than Gentle Giant! A single ply of 100% merino wool, Gentle Giant has a loose and lofty spin that puts the fiber’s softness up front and also keeps this jumbo-weight yarn from weighing you down. You knit Gentle Giant up on mega US 17 or 19 (12-15 mm) knitting needles, making it a very smart choice for last-minute gifts that don’t sacrifice a lick of beauty!

More Free Knitting Patterns

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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!