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Cozy Up Cowl
Whether you’re looking for a lickety-split gift or something to warm you up right quick, our Cozy Up Cowl pattern will be done in a (cold) snap! Our new hollow-spun yarn, Pouf, is incredibly soft and lofty, and its fleecy texture looks absolutely marvelous in reverse stockinette.
You’ll knit your Cozy Up Cowl in the round, all in stockinette stitch… There’s not a purl in the whole pattern! It’s so fast and easy, and when you’re done, you’ll simply flip it inside out to put all that purl-side goodness on display.
These toasty tubes of fabric are super long, making them amazingly cozy and fun to cuddle up in! A very slightly tapered shape allows the cowl to nestle comfortably around your neck, and Pouf’s airy spin makes the fabric light as air.
Pouf is made with a mix of 50% alpaca and 50% fine highland wool, literally spun around air to make a wonderfully insulating, surprisingly light, and delightfully squishy chunky-bulky to super bulky-weight yarn, with a soft hand and floaty drape!
Pick from Pouf‘s palette of 23 joyful colors, including these three beauties: delicate Crocus Bud, bright Golden Green, and rich High Tide. You’ll need just two big, bouncy 100-gram balls of your chosen color to make a Cozy Up Cowl!
When cold weather comes to call or the clock winds down on holiday gifting, you’ll be so glad to cozy up with quick-knitting Pouf!
Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 55 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!
Pattern designed and written by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!
Story written by Andrea Lotz for Purl Soho.
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
- 2 balls of Purl Soho’s Pouf, 50% alpaca and 50% Andean highland wool. Each ball of this chunky-bulky to super bulky-weight yarn is approximately 108 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 175 yards required. We used the colors Crocus Bud, Golden Green, and High Tide.
- US 11 (8 mm), 16-inch circular knitting needles
- A stitch marker
- A US 13 (9 mm) or US 15 (10 mm) knitting needle, any type, for binding off
GAUGE
11 stitches and 15 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
SIZE
- Finished Circumference at Bottom: 22½ inches
- Finished Circumference at Top: 19½ inches
- Finished Height: 21 inches
PATTERN
Cast on 62 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Place a unique stitch marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Work in stockinette stitch, knitting every round, until piece measures 7 inches from cast-on edge.
Decrease Round 1: [Knit 2 together (k2tog), k27, slip slip knit (ssk)] 2 times. [58 stitches remain]
Continuing in stockinette stitch, knit until piece measures 14 inches from cast-on edge.
Decrease Round 2: [K2tog, k25, ssk] 2 times. [54 stitches remain]
Continue in stockinette stitch until piece measures 21 inches from cast-on edge.
With larger needle, bind off knitwise.
Weave in all ends on right side and gently wet block.
Turn inside out so purl side is facing when worn, and enjoy your cozy cowl!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
LEARN ABOUT POUF + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
Pouf makes this knitting pattern feather-light and soft as a kitten! This very special yarn is made by spinning a fluffy 50/50 mix of alpaca and wool into a hollow strand that traps a cushion of air inside, making it toasty warm and incredibly lofty. You’ll also love how it knits up into a gorgeous, textured fabric, thanks to its slightly thick-and-thin spin. Cast on with this big, beautiful ball of fun… 100 grams gives you a lot of yarn for a super bulky-weight yarn, so you’ll go far with a few!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of Pouf knitting patterns!
More Super Bulky-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of super bulky-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial, our Yarn Substitution article, and our Complete Guide To Yarn for lots of helpful information.
More Yarns With Similar Fibers
- Shop alpaca yarn
- Shop wool yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our knitting patterns (including tons of free knitting patterns) and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 55 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!
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Is the cozy cowl a size that would work for a man as well as a woman? Or could it be modified to work for one?
Hi Elaine,
Yes, this cowl is meant to be worn by anyone! You can absolutely add or remove stitches from the cast-on if you want it do be a different size though.
All the best,
Lili
i am only 5 ft tall so 21 in cowl is big. what would be a good choice to size down. And when to reduce for the narrow part
Cherie
Hi Cherie,
Thanks so much for asking! One option is to follow the pattern as written and, since there are 7 inches of knitting after the final decrease, to just stop knitting when the cowl fits your vision. Otherwise, it may help to know that there are two rounds of decreases and that they occur 1/3, then 2/3, of the way through the cowl. So, if you decide that an 18 inch high cowl would be better for you, you would work Decrease Round 1 after 6 inches and Decrease Round 2 after 12 inches. I hope this helps get you going, and please let us know if you have any more questions… We’d be happy to answer them!
Best,
Whitney
Hi – How would you suggest adjusting this pattern so it’s child sized?
Thank you – Susan
Hi Susan,
Thanks for writing in! I would recommend casting on fewer stitches so that the circumference is narrower and also knitting fewer rows so that the height is shorter. This pattern works over any even number of stitches!
All the best,
Lili
I haven’t started this project yet, as I am still trying to work out how you have 58 stitches left after knitting two together twice. Isn’t that a decrease of 2 stitches in total, rather than 4? So wouldn’t you have 60 stitches left? (The knitting 27 twice and slip-slip-knitting twice involves 30 stitches twice, or a total of 60 stitches, no decreases there, is that right?)
I’m confused.
Hi Susan,
No worries, I’m happy to help clarify! On each decrease round, you are decreasing by 4 stitches in total, since you’ll be working 4 1-stitch decreases. On Decrease Round 1, for example, you work the k2tog to start, then knit 27 stitches, then work an ssk. Then, you repeat that segment one more time, working both the k2tog and the ssk again!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks, Lili. I didn’t realize that ssk was a decrease until I watched the video demonstrating how it worked…should have watched it before asking the question. Thanks again for clarifying!
Susan
Hello
I cast on 72 stitches instead of 62 (to fit my cable length). So how do
I calculate the decrease rounds?
Thanks Belinda
Hi Belinda,
Thanks so much for reaching out. This sounds like a great project, and I’m happy to help!
I’ve written the decrease round instructions below for your stitch count!
I hope this is helpful! Please reach back out with any other questions!
Happy knitting,
Hills
This is such a lovely cowl, and seems like a good beginner’s knit. My 7-year-old daughter has expressed interest in beginning to knit, and I think this would a great quick and satisfying first project. How might you adjust the pattern (# of cast on stitches, and # of inches before beginning the decrease and before binding off) to account for a child-sized cowl? Thank you so much!
Hi Anne,
Thanks for writing in! This cowl works over any even number of stitches, so you can absolutely cast on fewer stitches as long as it’s an even number. Then as you mentioned, you can knit for fewer rounds as well before working the decreases and binding off. Just make sure to work the decreases exactly opposite from each other on those rounds so that the cowl is symmetrical! You can place another stitch marker exactly half way through the round to make this easier. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, can you use the Novella yarn to make this cowl?
Hi Andrea,
Thanks so much for reaching out! This cowl would look so nice in Novella! There are a few things to keep in mind!
This cowl is worked from the bottom up. You want to aim to cast on enough stitches to reach 22.5″. You’ll want to knit and block a gauge swatch to see what your gauge is. Once you have your gauge, you can multiply it by the desired circumference to find how many stitches to cast on. If you knit at the mid range for the gauge listed on Novella, you’ll want to cast on 146 stitches.
You would also want to adjust the number of stitches knit between the decreases. I would note, however, that because of the difference in yarn weight, your decreases will decrease disproportionately compared to the decreases in our sample. Decreasing by 4 stitches over a row of 62 stitches will have a larger impact than decreasing over a row of 146 stitches. You may consider adapting the pattern further so that you can reach the final circumference of 19.5″.
Unfortunately, this would take some rewriting that we don’t have the resources available for at this time.
I also would like to note that you would need to pick up more yarn than the sample in Pouf to complete a project the same size if you’re knitting at a tighter gauge. You’ll end up using more yarn per stitch. With that in mind, I would suggest knitting and blocking a gauge swatch to best estimate your yardage. You may also enjoy reading more about yarn substitution in our neat article, Yarn Substitution Made Easy!
I still encourage you to give this a try!
Happy knitting,
Hills
Why we reduce the width at 1/3 of the height? Do we fold it inward to wear it?
Hi Myrto,
Thanks for writing in! The slight decrease is to accommodate the width of the wearer’s neck, which is wider at the base and narrower closer to the head. This cowl is meant to be worn with a slouch, not a fold, but you could totally style it differently if you prefer!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili!
Hi – I bought two different colored skeins of pouf because I wanted a two-tone color block cowl. Do you know at what point – whether it row’s or inches I would need to cut color A and switch to color B ? So I have a cowl that’s half color A and half color B? Thanks!
Hi Catherine,
That’s such a fun idea! The finished height of the cowl is 21 inches, so you’d need to knit up to 10.5 inches before switching to the second color.
All the best,
Lili
Would it be possible to use straight needles? And can the pattern be converted for that? Thanks
Hi Joy,
Thanks for writing in! This pattern is designed to be knit in the round, so I’m afraid that you won’t be able to knit it on straight needles unless you modify the pattern. If you want to use straight needles instead though, then you can cast on the required number of stitches and follow the pattern as written, but purling every other row instead of knitting everything. Then you can seam the cowl together into the tube shape! You may also want to add 2 stitches to the cast-on to use for the seaming. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
How many inches of your super bulky POUF yarn should I measure out for the longtail cast-on in this pattern, using a 13 US circular needle?
Hi Stefanie,
Thanks for writing in! We recommend using a tail that’s 3.5 times the length of the cast-on. In this case, that would be about 79 inches!
All the best,
Lili
THIS is the info I need, Lili! I’m very new to knitting and flying by the seat of my pants in terms of how long the tail should be when casting on for different projects. Is there a rule of thumb you can share? Is it 3.5 times the finished width/circumference of the project?
I’m doing this project with leftover super-chunky alpaca yarn and trying stripes for the first time. I’m chuffed with it so far! It’s so cool of Purl Soho to offer free patterns to knitters, I’m very grateful 🙂
Thank you and happy new year!
Amy
Hi. This looks really lovely (and easier than Giverny cowl for a newbie knitter). Would it be okay to use Lovebird yarn for this project, and if so, would 3 skeins be sufficient?
Thank you.
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for writing in, and you could definitely use Lovebird for this project! Just be sure to knit up a gauge swatch before beginning so that you can determine what size needles to use. You may need to size your needles up or down in order to achieve the gauge of the pattern. And yes, 3 skeins would definitely be enough!
All the best,
Lili
Awesome!
Thank you, Lili!!
Do people find this yarn to be scratchy around the neck? I love the look of the yarn and love the cowl pattern, but I am worried about how itchy it may be.
Thanks, Louise.
Hi Louise,
Thanks for asking! Pouf is made from alpaca and highland wool. While alpaca is a very soft fiber, highland wool often feels prickly to those who are sensitive to wool. So while this yarn is very soft to the touch, it may itch a little bit when worn close to the skin.
All the best,
Lili
Hi Louis
I just received this yarn and cast on to knit. I’m almost at 7 inches, and I can say, yarn is not scratchy at all. Before I even cast on I rubbed the ball on my neck. You will love it, it’s really unique. I got 4 balls so I can also make the Inside Out hat pattern.
Hey Lili
My friend Steven just ordered me the yarn to make this pattern. Can I make it shorter, right after the second decrease? I’m not tall and shorter neck. Maybe 14 inches. So excited to try the yarn. He also ordered me the yarn for new hat pattern.
Hi Cheryl,
Yes you can absolutely make this cowl shorter by knitting fewer rounds! It’s super adjustable for any length!
All the best,
Lili
Hi, I have some DK yarn that I would like to use for this pattern. It needs a 4mm needle. Would it be alright? Do you think it would be too thin?
Hi Elizabeth,
It sounds like the yarn you have is much thinner than Pouf, but this pattern is easily adaptable for any yarn! The first thing you can try is holding the yarn doubled, using larger needles, and swatching to see if you can achieve the gauge of the pattern. If you’re able to do so, then you can knit the pattern as written (with the yarn doubled)!
Alternatively, you can hold just a single strand and adjust the cast-on number. To figure out your new cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the circumference of the cowl (22.5 inches) and cast on the nearest even number. Then you can essentially follow the pattern as written, just making sure to position your decrease stitches exactly opposite each other in the round!
All the best,
Lili
Can Pouf be knitted from the ball that it comes in? Or should it be hand wound into a regular yarn ball?
Hi Eileen,
Thanks for writing in! You can start knitting with Pouf as is–no winding necessary!
All the best,
Lili
Hello. I love this pattern. I have some really nice yarn that I want to use for this project, but it’s bulky. What would be my new stitch count?
Hi Megan,
This pattern was designed for a bulky weight yarn, so the yarn you have should work! I’d recommend knitting up a gauge swatch to first see if you can match the gauge. If not though, just let me know what your gauge measurements are, and I can walk you through the steps of modifying the cast-on!
All the best,
Lili
hi! i didn’t need to turn this inside out to get to the purl side, it was on the outside all along. any guesses why? and yes, i’m a beginner 🙂
Hi Kate,
Huh, I’m honestly not sure what could have caused that! Would you mind reaching out to us directly to send a photo of your work? Our email address is [email protected]. That way, we can better visualize what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili
I used the larger needle size to bind off, but that edge is still very tight and inflexible for slipping over my head. Can you suggest another technique for the binding off that would leave the edge more elastic? Thanks!
Hi Julie,
I’m so sorry that the bind-off edge is still very tight! I would first recommend binding off normally again, but focusing on keeping an extremely loose tension with your working yarn and not tugging on any of the stitches. That should loosen up your bind-off significantly! If that doesn’t work, then you can try a sewn bind-off, like Elizabeth’ Zimmerman’s sewn bind-off!
All the best,
Lili
Would this knit up well in Rowan Aria? I found it in Crocus and also in a burgundy and a white.
Is it best to stick with one color, or could two or even three look nice?
Also, why not a long-tail cast on and off, instead of a larger needle? Isn’t there a variant on tbe long-tail too? I used it for a wool hat.
Hi Judy,
Thanks for reaching out! I think that alternative yarn could definitely work for this cowl, and I love the idea of using multiple colors.
As always when substituting yarn, I recommend swatching to make sure you meet the pattern gauge. It looks like Aria has a chainette construction, so it might not have quite as much loft/fluff as Pouf. This may mean you’ll need to adjust your needle size depending on the measurements you get (which is why swatching is so helpful).
We recommend using a larger needle for the knitwise bind-off so it’s not too tight, since this will end up being the top of the cowl. This is a choice made by the designer, but a long-tail cast off would absolutely work if you prefer that method!
Please don’t hesitate to reach back out if you have any other questions.
Kindly,
Sam
Hi, I am a beginner. Can you explain how to “bind off with a straight needle”? I know how to bind off but have never used a straight needle with circular needles? Which hand will my straight needle be in? Thanks!
Hi Gretchen,
Thank you for writing in! I’m afraid I don’t see the location that indicates to bind off with a straight needle. Could you let me know in which section you see that? To bind off for this pattern, we just recommend going up a few needle sizes to ensure your bind off doesn’t end up too tight. In the meantime, I will keep an eye out for your reply!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi Gavriella, thanks for your reply. Under Materials section of pattern it says… A US 13 (9 mm) or US 15 (10 mm) knitting needle, any type, for binding off. Do I transfer all my stitches to straight needles or just use one of 13 or 15 inch needles? Which hand would I hold it in? Newbie question!
Hi Gretchen,
Thank you for clarifying that for me. So you won’t actually need a straight needle, just a larger needle for binding off. From there you can bind off normally with the larger needle being used in place of your right needle.
Happy knitting!
Gavriella
Thank you!
I would like to use the magic loop method for this pattern so that I don’t have to buy a 16 inch cord. I have a 32 inch cord I can use. Can this pattern be adjusted for magic loop method? Any tips to help? Thank you (from a new knitter hehe)
Hi Kaleigh!
Thank you for writing in! Absolutely you can use Magic Loop with your 32″ needle, no adjustments needed. Just cast on, divide the stitches evenly across the two sides of the cable, and you’re good to go. Our Magic Loop tutorial can help if you’d like a visual.
Happy knitting!
Megan
I’d like to try making this with stripes. Does pouf look okay striped, or is it too… poofy? And if I did try doing it with two different skeins, how frequently would you recommend switching colors? (After four rows?) Thank you so much!
Hi Kate!
Thank you so much for writing in! I love this idea! Pouf can look really beautiful in stripes. Its fluffy texture will soften the edges a bit, giving you a more blended, cozy look rather than crisp lines. If you like that softer, slightly blurred effect, it’s a great choice!
For striping, switching every 4 rows is a lovely place to start and will give you balanced, visible stripes. If you want something more subtle, you could switch every 2 rows, and for bolder stripes, try 6–8 rows.
One tip: since Pouf is so lofty, be sure to carry your yarn loosely up the inside so the cowl doesn’t pucker. It sounds like it will be a gorgeous project!
Happy knitting!
Megan
Working this now in my very first Purl SoHo yarn. I’ve been eyeing them up for years and recently took the plunge on a sale day and have stocked up on several different yarns. My question is regarding the cowl- is this meant to be pulled up over your head if needed? Is that why it is a quite tall cowl? It looks lovely bunched but I feel like it might also be useful to cover your head in a pinch as well.
Hi Marty!
Thank you for writing in and how exciting that you’ve started knitting with Purl Soho yarn after eyeing it for so long! That’s such a lovely feeling.
Yes, you’re absolutely right. The extra height of the cowl is intentional. It’s designed to look beautiful worn bunched around the neck, but it can also be pulled up over your head when you want a little extra warmth. That versatility is part of what makes it such a cozy and practical piece!
We hope you continue to enjoy both the project and your new yarns, and please let us know if you have any other questions along the way!
Happy knitting!
Megan
Would you please tell me the recommended method to join the ends of the two balls of Pouf yarn together when you’re adding the second skein? I’ve never worked with this type of yarn before. Thank you.
Hi Toni,
Thanks so much for reaching out with your question! I’m excited to see that you’re working on the Cozy Up Cowl, and I’m very glad to help.
You don’t, technically, have to join the balls. When you’re ready to start knitting with the new ball, you can simply drop the working yarn from the old ball and start knitting with the new ball. You can watch our tutorial on “Adding a Ball of Yarn” to see this technique in action. We recommend weaving in your tails at the end of your project.
I hope this helps! Please reach back out anytime. We’re always happy to help.
Happy knitting,
Hills
I appreciated Kate’s question, because it was mine.
Yet I add another wrinkle, as I am using Rowan Big Yarn, a Super Chunky. I would say it has a slightly fuzzy, matte finish.
I used long-tail cast-on of 48 stitches, which came out loose, as I haven’t done that for awhile, I suppose. I got 2″ from 4 rounds of double rib and 1″ from 4 rounds of straight knitting! I will try at a more relaxed knitting and tighten up the end of double rib and figure that is the top.
So I am not following the same pattern. It was supposed to be done in tweed yarn with a diamond pattern in 3 or 4 colors, but I chose super chunky. I had some help from the ladies in the shop in planning a simple method. The model pattern is just 11 1/5″ long, but mine must be a bit going-with-the-flow.
I have Wild Berry (025) and Prize( 064), a lilac, and wish to add Biscotti (082), a rich camel. I like the last for being between the other two in color saturation.
This is a lot in a thick yarn for a short cowl. If I had stuck with one color, maybe that length would be fine. I was advised that adapting the diamond pattern would be very complicated. I thin stripes will be very nice, but am not sure how to balance them. Should they all be the same width, or may I vary them in a balanced way? I am also wondering how long I can make it with its still looking nice.
I haven’t started the Prize yet, only the Wild Berry, on US 15 circular needles. I have 2″ on double rib and 1 row of straight knit.
Please advise, as I hope for a lovely result. Thanks so much.
edit: Could I insert Aria instead of Prize, if I double the yarn? I love the bright lilac, especially against the rich depth of Wild Berry and rich smoothness of Biscotti. I think changing texture might be a nice addition too, if I can get it right. It is woven differently. It is 7% Polyamide and the rest wool. It takes 7 mm needles, however, not 10-15 mm .
Actually, Aria in this color is the first one that drew me. I just wanted to use larger needles.
Hi Judy,
Thanks for reaching out. This sounds like a very exciting adaptation of this project!
Sadly, I’m not familiar with this yarn and can’t really make accurate recommendations for it. Since you’re working at a different gauge with a yarn I’m unfamiliar with, I don’t have much advice for you on your color choices within this range. It does sound like you’re on the right track, though.
I’m not exactly certain which diamond pattern you’re referring to, as this cowl is worked in stockinette and turned inside out to reveal the wrong side. Is this one of our patterns that you would like me to take a look at?
We’ll keep an eye out for your reply.
Kindly,
Hills