How to Knit a Cowl for Beginners

Steps

1. 1. Cast On 51 Cowl Stitches With a Long Tail Cast On

   Pull out a long tail of yarn, about three times the width you want, plus a little extra. Lay the yarn over your needle and hold it in a slingshot shape over your left thumb and finger.

   Tip: Count in groups of ten and mark each group with a scrap of yarn so you do not lose count.

   

2. 2. Knit the First Stitch of the Seed Stitch Cowl

   Turn the needle so the stitches sit in your left hand. Keep the working yarn at the back.

   Tip: Keep your stitches near the tips but not so close that they slide off when you set the work down.

   

3. 3. Purl the Next Stitch to Start the Seed Stitch Pattern

   Bring the yarn forward between the needle tips. Now push the right needle into the next stitch from right to left, in front of the left needle.

   Tip: If the row ends on a purl, you missed a stitch somewhere. Count your cast on again.

   

4. 4. Turn the Cowl and Work the Next Seed Stitch Row

   At the end of the row, turn the work so the needle tip is back in your left hand. Do exactly the same thing again: knit one, purl one, and end with a knit.

   Tip: Say "knit, purl" quietly as you go. It keeps your rhythm on long rows.

   

5. 5. Read Your Seed Stitches to Find Your Place in the Cowl

   Look at the stitches sitting on the needle. A purl stitch has a little horizontal bump right under the needle.

   Tip: Check the first two stitches before you start each row. It catches errors early.

   

6. 6. Join the Second Ball of Yarn at the Start of a Cowl Row

   Keep going until the first ball runs low, and change yarn at the start of a row. Leave a tail of the old yarn for weaving in.

   Tip: Joining at the edge keeps the tails out of the middle, where they could show.

   

7. 7. Bind Off the Cowl in Seed Stitch Pattern

   Stop when you have a few yards left, more than you think. The cowl will be about 32 inches long and a bit over 8 inches wide.

   Tip: Pull the first loop out a little for slack, and hold the second with your finger.

   

8. 8. Fasten Off the Last Loop of the Cowl Bind Off

   When one loop is left on the right needle, slide the needle out and pull that loop up tall. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail.

   Tip: Leave a tail at least as long as your arm so you have plenty for the seam.

   

9. 9. Seam the Short Ends to Close the Knit Cowl

   Both sides of seed stitch look alike, so it does not matter which side faces out. Bring the two short ends together without twisting the rectangle.

   Tip: A blunt bent tip tapestry needle slides between stitches without splitting the yarn.