Chunky Seed Stitch Cowl

This Christmas my little sister asked if I would make her a chunky winter wrap. My search for patterns didn’t yield what I was looking for. They all seemed a little stiff and used such thick yarn that each stitch seemed to be bursting. I like any type of knitted wrap to have a good drape and these patterns were coming up short. And so instead of looking for a pattern I decided to buy the yarn I wanted first, then make it up as I went along. Making things up as you go is the joy of knitting scarves and cowls — you can’t really mess up a long rectangle. The pattern and yarn worked together so nicely for my sister’s gift that I ended up making a second cowl for myself.

If you’d like one too, the pattern is below. It will only take a few evenings curled up on the couch with a cup of tea and your favorite show on the TV or radio to keep you company as you work away mindlessly, stitch after soft stitch.

Seed Stitch Cowl

Materials

• 1 set 12 mm (US Size 17) straight knitting needles
• 3 skeins (3 oz, 180 m) worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Natural Heather)
• 4 – 6 large buttons (I used 4 buttons 1.25 inches in diameter)

Process

• Using three strands of yarn, one from each skein, loosely cast on 20 stitches.
• Knit in seed stitch for full length of scarf, approximately 136 rows. As you knit, be sure to treat all three strands as a single strand.
• Seed stitch is executed as follows:
Row 1: *K1,P1; repeat from * to end of row
Row 2:  *P1,K1; repeat from * to end of row
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for entirety of scarf.
• Knit until you have enough just enough yarn left in each skein to cast off loosely. After casting off, weave in loose ends.
• Sew buttons evenly along the cast-off end of the scarf. Use natural openings in the stitches of the cast-on end of the scarf as button holes and you have
your cowl.

With buttons on the end there are plenty of ways to wrap and wear this chunky scarf.