Feb 8, 20192 min read

How Do You Spell Cowl Backwards?

We've been having a bout of really cold, really snowy weather. Just the kind of weather that makes you want to grab those thickest and warmest woollies. This cowl is just the thing to keep you snuggly warm.

Palindrome Cowl is an infinity scarf or cowl that has no beginning and no end — you can wear it any which way you like! The cowl is worked in easy and mindless garter stitch but the stripes and color changes add interest to the project so you don't nod off completely.

Massive color blocks and two-row stripes make the cowl a versatile — and unisex — accessory. By changing the colors according to your or your recipient's liking you can completely change the look.

I made one in cool colors, one in warm tones, using Sandnes Garn Lun Ull (100% merino, 80 m/50 g), a buttery-soft single-ply superwash merino... which has sadly since been discontinued. Malabrigo's brand new Washted (100% merino, 192 m/100 g) would make a great substitution but any kind of aran-weight, next-to-skin soft yarn that gives you the right gauge would be perfect.

This is a great pattern for an adventurous beginner who's looking to broaden their knitting skill set with a couple of nifty techniques. Seasoned knitters will find it an enjoyable, instant-gratification palette cleanser between larger projects.

The cowl is mainly worked in soothing garter stitch but i-cord edges give it a nice, finished look. And the edgings are also great place to hide your yarn ends.

The cowl starts with a provisional cast-on. At the end of the project the cowl is joined in a loop by grafting together live stitches from both ends. This makes the join completely invisible so you really can't tell where the cowl starts and where it ends. The pattern includes instructions for grafting using the knitted Kitchener-stitch method, that is, grafting on knitting needles instead of a darning needle.

Because the cowl is knit in aran-weight yarn it is a super quick knit — you can easily finish the whole thing in a weekend! And this pattern is so simple only written instructions are needed.

The pattern for Palindrome Cowl is now available on Ravelry. Share your project on Instagram with the hashtags #palindromecowl and #talviknits.