Puget Sound Cowl

Ever fall in love with a stitch pattern or technique and just need to knit with it over and over? I definitely do! I might love the rhythm of the stitch, the way the stitch moved and plays with yarn colors, or just appreciate the way it moves to the eye. 

Once I knit and designed the Puget Sound Beanie I knew I'd be designing other patterns with this stitch to turn it into a series. The simple lace pattern featured in the Puget Sound Cowl gently creates waves in the fabric and moves the colors in a variegated yarn like water. The little pops of contrast colors from the variegated yarn looks like little bits of Poppy's around the Sound. 

Puget Sound Cowl is a single skein design that uses DK weight yarn and a size US 6 needle, for a quick and satisfying knit. This design is perfect to pull from stash and knit for the nature lover in your life. 

Summer Heat Cowl

We are in the thick of winter here in the PNW and I'm missing the natural heat just a bit. I grew up in Northern California and during the summer the was scorching, you could actually see it waving off the pavement of the road. My original Summer Heat Sock pattern was inspired by those heat waves off the pavement. After the first sock design and how well different yarns play with the slip stitches I knew a cowl was needed. 

Summer Heat Cowl uses garter and slip stitches to highlight hand dyed yarn and the play of color between different stitch types. This new cowl design uses a single skein of fingering weight yarn, making it a perfect project to pull from stash. Summer Heat Cowl would be rated at a confident beginner level as the majority of the stitches are knit, purl, or slip stitches. These slip stitches show the change variegated yarn and beautiful play of colors within the skeins. 

The original Summer Heat Cowl was knit in Malabrigo Sock using ~100 grams or 440 yards of fingering. Any fingering base or yarn you find comfortable on your neck is perfect for this project. You can see tester projects and color on Ravelry to get an idea of what other yarns would look like in the Summer Heat stitches. 

This sample of Summer Heat Cowl is al little more on the subdued side of my color wheel so perhaps I need to stash dive for a bright signal skein for my next one! I'd love for you to leave comment on the blog post letting me know what dyer you think you'll be using! 

Why did you make that choice? I-cords

Sometimes when you're readying a pattern you really just can't figure out why the designer decided to go one way or the other. One of my latest patterns, Discovery Cowl, uses a provisional cast on and then two i-cord bind offs. Why? Let me tell you. 

Picking up from an i-cord is difficult for the average knitter. Honestly, that pretty much is the whole reason. Picking up from the i-cord requires making sure the cord isn't twisted as you pick up. The stitches also aren't always easy to visualize picking up (one strand or two!) and can be very frustrating. 

I'm proud of creating patterns that are fun and easy for the average knitter and a next step for a beginner. While a provisional cast on isn't the easiest, it is easier that the i-cord pick up. If you are confident in your skills then you can most definitely do an i-cord cast on and pick up stitches but you don't have to. 

I hope you enjoyed this look into design choices! 

Discovery Cowl

 Do you know what a yarn crawl is? Have you ever been on a yarn crawl? Let me tell ya about it. Usually a region close to you will have a host of yarn shops that come together and plan a few days (or a few weeks!) to visit each of the participating shops and fill out a 'passport'. Each shop usually has special yarn and patterns available during the crawl! 

Washington specifically loves yarn crawls! I designed for Bazaar Girls during the Puget Sound LYS Tour 2024. 

Discovery Cowl is a single skein pattern that uses fingering weight yarn and a simple lace pattern. Sometimes longer cowls can get bunchy when you wear them so Discovery Cowl has a row of increases that widen the circumference of the bottom of the cowl. 

Each end of the cowl is finished with an i-cord bind off to five a clean and finished look to this pretty lace pattern. I'm not usually one to knit much lace (I find it fiddly) but this pattern has a knit row between each lace section so you have a rest. The lace is only 4 rows so you'll be able to memorize Discovery Cowl and take it out and about no problem! 

The sample knit for the yarn shop was a single-ply merino yarn from Neighborhood Fiber Co in an exclusive shop colorway. My second sample (photographed here) was knit in a 100% merino yarn, multi-ply from Knitted Wit that's been in my stash for quite some time. 

Using different yarns for this pattern would be no problem! Anything comfortable around your neck and has ~400+ yards would be great. Discovery Cowl would look great in a solid, fontal, variegated or speckled yarn; you really can't go wrong! 

Leave a comment if you know what yarn you'll use! 

Cabled Pines Cowl

As I've talked about many times before, up here on the Olympic Peninsula it is soooo green! It's my favorite part of driving home when we go out. With all that green there are gorgeous trees, with the gorgeous trees developed Cabled Pines; a slip stitch cable cowl that will make you think of trees. This cowl was specifically designed for the Salish Sea & Sky Retreat by Kas from Seattle Sky Dyeworks! 

Cabled Pines is a single skein cowl using two different slip stitch cables and squishy ribbing. This great accessory uses one skein of fingering weight yarn with ~400 yards. 

This cowl was designed with a variegated/hand dyed yarn which I used to highlight the ski stitches. You have so many yarn choices that would work for this pattern. Cabled Pines would look great in a solid or kettle dyed yarn, a variegated, tonal or speckle! Check out the different tester projects to see what yarn they picked.

I designed Cabled Pines to be long so that your chin can be tucked in, but, as it is the same repeat over and over you can easily make it your preferred length. I hope this more in-depth information about Cabled Pines is helpful and I'll be seeing you knit one soon! 

Hygge, what the heck is it?

Ever read the world hygge and thought 'huh?' you and me are in the same boat. I don't really enjoy not knowing something so I went and did a little research. First of all, it's actually pronounced Hoo-ga which is 100% not how I was saying it and it is a Danish philosophy of 'finding joy in the simple pleasures of our daily lives, creating a warm atmosphere, for calmness, relaxation and cosiness.' This seems right in-line with my new years goals! 

I think any kind of concept where you focus on finding joy for calmness, relaxation, and coziness is a concept I can get on board with. As knitters, we have the unique ability to be making art and coziness with our hands, we literally make hygge! I also think having an area where you can focus solely on your stitches and what you are creating brings your practice of the concept to a whole new level. 

When I think calmness, a warm atmosphere and relaxation I think easy knitting projects and heavier yarns. Here are a few of my patterns that I think would be perfect hygge knitting for this winter. Scales uses DK weight yarn and faux cabling pattern and Intersection highlights the crossing between utility and beauty.

I hope my post inspires you to transform your creative space into your own calming corner, where you can have your cosy project at hand, to escape, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day, and stitch yourself calm.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the concept of Hygge, and if it’s something you already embrace?

Little Pops Hat and Cowl

Do little things make you happy? A small sticker, a tiny tapestry needle? For me, they totally do. Little Pops Hat and Cowl set brings out those tiny pops of color to make you ridiculously happy! 

Little Pops Duo is a meditative knit with stockinette in the round interspersed with a slip stitch round that is easy to memorize and breaks up the knitting. 

This set can be made as a matching set to fit your winter wardrobe or switch it up and make them fraternal twins, change which color is the contrast and which one is the main color. 

The sample was made with a neutral color as the base and a barber poled gradient, a fun way to add hand spun or a similar yarn to your knit. Don't have a hand spun yarn? Use scraps or a variegated yarn as the contrast color! 

The only requirement for this set is to have the main yarn be comfy on your skin. You can even play around with the weight of the yarn. The main color for the samples is a fingering weight but the contrast color is classified as a sport weight. What do you think you're going to use? 

Two of a Kind Cowl

When the cold really hits all I'm inspired to design is cowls. I want that snuggly wool and cashmere on my neck, tucked in my coat, and keeping out the damp chill from the ocean. I'm very much a 'design what inspires you' designer so my pattern for February is a cowl design! 

Two of a Kind is a two skein cowl using complimentary color fingering weight yarn and mosaic knitting! Two of a Kind uses provisional cast on and icord bind off for a polished and structured finish. The mosaic pattern is easy to knit and simple to memorize, perfect TV or social knitting! 

Two of a Kind uses 75 grams of two different colors, I used two colors of Miss Babs Yummy 2-Ply a 100% Merino yarn. For my colors I chose a speckled and solid, my speckled was a yellow base with speckles of green, teal, and a bit of purple. My solid is a teal that matches perfectly and really brings out the teal speckles. 

My recommendation is two fingering weight yarns you are comfortable wearing around your neck and that you like the color combination of. If you have slightly less than 75 grams of yarn you can definitely still knit Two of a Kind it will be slightly shorter or you can decrease the cast on by 10 stitches (the amount that is in a repeat) 

I had a few testers knit with a solid and a gradient/self striping and their projects look amazing! Fun color changes without the ends to weave in, gotta love that! Not loving any combos in your stash? Check out Miss. Babs Duo Sets, combinations of two colors the dyer has already put together! 

What is a Mitered Square?

What is a mitered square? That's what this whole post will be about! A mitered square is a form of knitting that utilizes decreases at certain sections to create a shape. 

Mitered Squares cast on the full amount of stitches for two sides of the square ie cast on 32 stitches for 16 stitches per side and then you decrease on both sides of a center marker. 

There are also options for decreasing two stitches at once instead of on each side of a marker but for All Squared Up, the pattern uses a center marker and then decreases on both sides. 

Mitered Squares can be used in a variety of ways. All Squared Up uses them a the bottom of the shawl for binding off, Scrapbook Cowl uses only mitered squares to create the body of the cowl. 

Mitered Squares really are a fascinating and fun knitting technique that is simple to knit and a great way to explore color. I can't wait to see the color groups knitters come up with for All Squared Up! 

A Re-Knit

I have to be honest, I've knit very few of my patterns a second time. Yep, usually once is enough to hold my interest and then I'm ready for the next adventure with brand new yarn. Each time I start a design I'm never 100% sure that it's going to work... I mean, I have the basic idea (and a terrible sketch) but other than that it's a bit of guesswork and luck. I very much enjoy the exploration and excitement of a design idea working out. 

Even with my aversion to knitting things twice I did decide that the single skein of gorgeous yarn that I purchased from The Lamb and Kid needed to be made into a Bump Along cowl. And oh, my, word, this yarn is amazingly soft! The base is a merino/cashmere blend called Elmer Fingering and I think I want my whole winter wardrobe made from this, it is divine! But alas, only one skein was in my budget so I've just knit myself a luxury cowl. 

The reason I picked Bump Along is I really love the dimensions of this pattern and it is so easy to memorize! I wanted to have a single skein project that was easy to knit while my mom and I were traveling and attending Stitches West. I love showing how versatile Bump Along is in a solid version along with the original striped version. 

The final fabric is squishy yet lofty from the ply of the yarn. Which do you prefer, the striped version or the solid version? 

Intersection Cowl

Do you have a love affair with hand dyed yarn? I do. I absolutely adore hand dyed yarn. But sometimes it isn't always easy to find the pattern that will work with such delicious colors. Occasionally the colors overtake the pattern or the pattern overtakes the colors and things just don't work. This is where Intersection Cowl steps in, a pattern that is the crossing between a utilitarian cold weather piece and the art of hand dyed yarn. 

Intersection was designed to be a simple take along project that highlights hand dyed yarn while also knitting into the perfect deep, snuggle your chin into cowl. 

Intersection is knit in the round alternating knit and purl rounds with a section of stockinette stitches so that you can see the interplay of colors in different textures! 

I used Miss Babs Yowza (about 1/2 a skein) which is a 100% Merino wool yarn but any DK weight would work, and you only need 100 grams! Your yarn doesn't have to be wool but yarn with a silk or linen content will have more drape to it and won't stand up the same as a wool or wool/acrylic blend. My testers knit their cowls in some awesome colors and dyers stop by and take a look to get an idea for your cowl! 

Scrapbook Cowl

Happy 2022! I'm am so glad it's a new year! 2021 was so emotionally hard and stressful and amazing and a pretty low bar to pass for 2022. I don't need a great year, I really just want it to be better than 2021. The year wasn't terrible but also wasn't great and the 'new year' is really just a mindset but I hope 2022 is calmer. 

Enough maudlin thoughts, I have a new design for you! Scrapbook Cowl is designed to use your leftovers and create a beautiful wearable 'scrapbook' of your previous projects. This design is knit using mitered squares, a decreasing technique that creates a spine down the middle and takes you from the full cast on down to 2 stitches. 

Each square only uses a few grams of yarn so you can use lots of leftovers or just a few colors and make different placement combinations. Scrapbook Cowl is knit flat and then seamed together using the mattress stitch. Why Scrapbook? Because this is a scrapbook of different yarns from different projects; a way to collect all your project memories together. 

I obviously went with a fall/pink vibe for my cowl, but I had test knitters use a variety of yarns and color combinations. The color combinations are endless! Some of my yarns were from different designs and projects, and some were purchased to try out and support different small dyers. 

As for the yarns used, these were all scraps so it's a combination of bases and fibers, but all are fingering weight. The cowl is designed starting at one corner and then made as long or tall as you want! My original sample is 6 squares high and 11 squares but I think I'd like to knit another that's even higher, they higher you make it the taller the cowl is. I can't wait to see your version! Come share it in the Knitting Joy Facebook group! 

--Sierra 

Cascade Cowl

Are you ready for another single skein project?!? Cascade cowl is the perfect project for that luxury or single skein of sock yarn you've been holding on to. 

Cascade was inspired by gradients, the movement of the colors and the simple exchanges dyers make. Instead of transitioning color Cascade transitions stitches. The lace design is made from double wraps and they are super easy to make and knit. These double wraps are slightly larger than a traditional yarn over so they are a bit more bold. 

I love the 'cascading' stitches down the cowl, changing from quite often to very sporadic. I knit my cowl from a MCN blend (Merino/Cashmere/Nylon) which is lovely to wear around your neck but any fingering weight you are comfortable on sensitive skin will work.

The colorway I used is a solid/slightly tonal but my fabulous test knitters used a variety of dye styles so you can pretty much use anything. I do think that a self striping or self patterning will hide the stitches. 

Happy Knitting! 

Bump Along

I have a bit of an obsession with mini skeins and collecting my leftovers. The mini skeins are a great way to remember visiting a new yarn shop or trying out a new dyer. The leftovers, I just can't dump those precious little nuggets. 

Sock yarn, especially hand dyed, is pretty pricey so I know all the little balls of yarn cost a pretty penny. Because I have all the different odds and ends I design and knit quite a few scrappy projects. Bump Along is my newest design that works perfectly for leftovers and minis. 

This simple cowl design uses the same stitch pattern as featured in the Speed Bumps sock pattern. Instead of utilizing a self striping yarn I used mini skeins! The nature of the pattern means you can see any jogs when you change colors. 

I used ~3 grams of yarn per stripe, meaning that a 5 gram mini will work for a stripe but you won't be able to repeat the colors. I repeated my colors twice across the cowl but I think that a full scrappy version with a different color every stripe would be amazing. 

I had fabulous test knitters for this pattern, you can see the projects here. One tester knit with a single skein, another with a set of minis, and the third used a gradient single skein. They all look amazing! I would recommend any fingering weight yarn you are comfortable wearing next to sensitive skin. 

Leannán Cowl

I love this stitch pattern so much I couldn’t just design one piece out of it. Leannán Cowl uses a slip stitch cable to highlight the individual qualities and colors of hand dyed yarn. The cowl is a single skein project to use that one beautiful skein you have hanging out in your stash. 

I absolutely adore the color way I knit my sample in! The color way name is City Siren and it's dyed by Buxom Cat Knits. I pretty sure I could knit a whole sweater in this lovely yarn. I love the watercolor effect the dye has and the way the slip stitches help to highlight that. 

The base for this yarn was a regular sock base so any fingering weight you are comfortable wearing around your neck will work. The yardage required is 400-460. It's an 8 stitch pattern so very easy if you want to make it wider if you have more skein of yarn. 

I can’t wait to see what dyer you highlight in your Leannán Cowl! Here is the Leannán Sock pattern if you're more interested in socks than a cowl. Happy Knitting! - Sierra 

Alfean

I designed another single skein project, surprising I know. I love being able to pick a single hank of yarn out of my stash and use the entire hank in a design, its so satisfying! 

Alfean is a simple pattern with strategically placed increasing and decreasing so the fabric looks like it's moving. The movement of the stitches really highlights variegated yarn. I used a Merino/Nylon blend fingering weight yarn (madtosh Twist Light) in the colorway Cactus Flower and I think it's dreamy.

I would suggest any fingering weight that you are comfortable wearing close on your neck as this is a tighter fitting cowl. I also would suggest a yarn that you can block. I saw the effects of the stitch pattern way more once I blocked the finished cowl. I hope you enjoy knitting this new pattern as much as I did! 

Fringy DK

I loved knitting my Fringy Cowl last summer. It was easy to memorize and keep track of and also enjoyable because of the great colors. Not everyone loves fingering weight as much as I do though (I don't understand that but whatever) so when I say this gorgeous yarn from Sew Happy Jane I knew I needed to design a DK version. 

Fringy DK uses 100 grams of DK weight yarn plus about 10 grams of the contrast color. I originally purchased the 100 gram skein and then reached out to Heather to ask which she thought would be a good contrast color. Heather gifted me the contrast color, how sweet was that! 

This cowl is a great skill builder, it features a provisional cast on (linked tutorial), increasing and decreasing, and a three needle bind off! As usual with my fringe you drop stitches to make it so it is easier and quicker than traditional fringe. 

Any DK weight yarn will work for this pattern, through a stickier yarn like alpaca will be harder to drop the stitches with. My DK was a 100% Superwash Merino, so you can pretty much knit with whatever DK feels good to you! Happy Knitting! --Sierra 

String of Purls

I love succulents! They don't love me quite as much. Previously I wrote about the plants that I knit and how I don't love to water and I'm not great at it. Well, me and succulents just can't seem to get on the same page. 

I was inspired to design with this gorgeous yarn (a gift from a friend) and I had the String of Pearls in mind when looking at stitch patterns. This wrapped stitch pattern was perfect to imitate the leaves/pearls of one of my favorite succulents and along came the String of Purls cowl! 

I used a single skein of fingering weight yarn which was 380 yards. The base I used, from Sundara Yarns, is a Merino/Cashmere/Nylon and it was so plump and delicious to knit with. I would definitely knit with this base again if I have the chance. 

For this project I would suggest a fingering weight yarn that you enjoy the feel of around your neck. This doesn't have to be a luxury skein of yarn but as this has full contact with delicate skin make sure you like the way it feels. I also think that a highly variegated yarn will hide the stitch work. The tones of the sample yarn are all close enough that it doesn't obscure the stitch pattern but enhances it. 

I hope this cowl inspires you knit this for a plant lover in your life! 

Fringy Cowl

A fun new cowl that uses drop stitches for the fringe?!? Why yes, I did just publish that. Fringy was designed in 2020 with the idea of pulling together a collection of all my drop stitch pattens. My mom (Susan) and I had discussed the different shawl shapes and techniques I've used and brainstormed on how I could add a cowl to the collection. 

Fringy is a quick and easy knit that uses a few unique techniques to really elevate the project. I designed the cowl with only a single skein of sock yarn in mind and then I added just a little bit of a pop. Fringy uses a provisional cast on and is knit flat and then put together with a three needle bind off. Stitches are then dropped to make the fringe; so fun! 

The yarn I used is a 75/25 Merino/Nylon blend so any fingering weight will work! Using an alpaca or mohair blend may be a bit harder to drop your stitches but will still work. 

I hope you love knitting this new cowl! -Sierra 

Scrunch Cowl

All this month is first for the year first sock pattern, first shawl pattern, first female VP, first cowl pattern. Did you see how I threw that in there? I'm so excited! Kamala Harris is the first female to ever be sworn in as the United States Vice President and I'm alive to see it. What a day! 

I'm no VP for the US but I do have a new cowl pattern! Scrunch Cowl is a perfect design for scraps, mini skeins, or advent calendars. Scrunch is knit in the round, garter stitch, cowl that has a fun little i-cord feature. 

Changing colors every row is easy when you weave your ends in a the same time. Scrunch has four different version all in one pattern, a light weight small size, light weight large size, heavy weight small size, and heavy weight large size. The sizes featured in the photos are the light weight small (green) and the heavy weight large (pink) and they were both so fun to knit! 

The pink is a strand of lace weight and a strand of fingering weight held together, I changed the fingering weight after every garter bump and used the same ball of lace weight throughout. The weight needed for the different cowls ranges from 100 grams for the light weight small to 280 grams for the heavy weight large. 

I don't really have any yarn recommendations for this design, I used a little bit of everything and pulled it all from stash. Have fun, create a palette, make it wild, enjoy the knit!