January Cowl
January (for Anne)
January (for Anne)
Download printable PDF file: download now
January is a light, double wrapped cowl. Simple pattern and a fast knit! My cowl uses 800 meters of sock weight yarn (doubled) and 6mm needles. You may use aran weight yarn as well. Pattern repeat is 18 rows. You may do as many repeats as you like for a closer fitting or looser fitting cowl. For a deeper cowl, cast on a few extra stitches. For a scarf, do not join the ends. If you prefer a thicker fabric use chunky weight yarn. Enjoy!
Materials
800 meters / 875 yards sock weight yarn (used double) or
400 meters / 438 aran weight yarn (used single)
6mm needles
Gauge (not crucial)
20 stitches and 28 rows in garter stitch
Measurements
56″ x 6″ before joining ends
Abbreviations
K = knit
sts = stitches
SL1 = slip 1 stitch
YO = yarn over needle to make 1 stitch
Instructions
Cast on 20 stitches.
Begin 18 row pattern repeat.
Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17: SL1, K to last 4 sts, YO, K4
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16: K to end
Row 18: Cast off 9 sts knit wise, K to end
Repeat rows 1-18 another 19 times or to desired length. Cast off stitches. Join ends.
©copyright 2010 Annie Lee. This pattern may be used for non-commercial, personal use only. It may not be used in any publication in print nor should it be reproduced in electronic/digital format without permission.
Annie Baker Designs 
Very pretty! What yarn did you use?
Hi! I used two strands of Zen Yarn Garden Squooshy Sock yarn. It’s a semi-solid shade called “Mossy Oak”.
Love your pattern. Made it using Schafer Chris yarn in fall colors. Took me two nights to finish it 🙂 Your color is beautiful.
Hi Maureen!
Oh, I am so glad you like the pattern! Sounds beautiful in fall colors!
Annie
hi there, i am a beginner, and i really want to knit this pattern but i am not understanding ”K (all sts and YO) to end” could you please explain it to me?!
thanks
sophie
Hi Sophie!
It means “knit to end”. I’ve had a few questions about that, so I should change the wording on the pattern. I just wanted to make sure the YO would be knit and not dropped.
Thanks!
Annie
Am knitting a number of things for my daughter who will be at University in Dunedin (near the bottom of NZ and therefore close to the Antartic and rather chilly). Since we live in Sydney normally and it never gets cold enough to enjoy delicious winter knits like these I have been trolling the Net for fab patterns. Made the Eve Cowl yesterday and this one is being started in a few mins in a lovely soft Angora I have had for some time. Your patterns are extremely simple for beginner knitters or someone that wants to knit very quickly while their mind is otherwise occupied and the end result is stunning. Well done and thank you so much for sharing the joy of creation.
Thank you so much for letting me know that you are enjoying my patterns!
Annie
this is lovely, thank you so much for sharing it 🙂
You are welcome! Enjoy!
Well, I just cast this beautfiul cowl off and am a bit confused as to how you should “join ends” Did you mean just with the shawl pin or to actually join the ends of the wrap?? Thanks so much for any insight here, it will make a lovely gift for a special person 🙂
You can do either. If you don’t join the ends, it can be worn with a pin or just tied at the ends. I’ve seen it both joined and not joined. So glad you like the pattern!
Annie
I’ve been searching and searching for something fun and useful to make, and this one just popped out at me. It’s beautiful!! I’m going to try it – I hope it turns out as well as yours. Thanks so much!
Thanks for your message! Hope you enjoy the pattern! Annie
I made the January Cowl and I love it. It is warm and toasty when I am sitting out at my sons’ baseball games. It was an easy pattern to knit and looks and feels terrific. Thank you so much for the pattern.
I just knitted the first 18 rows of January cowl. When I start row 1 again, the YO and subsequent “holes” would appear on the opposite of the 18th row cast offs. What am I doing wrong? The pattern of open “holes” should appear on the bottom of the cowl!
Thanks for your time,
Esther
Hello Ester!
When you start row 1 again, the YO’s, holes and cast off edge should all be on the left side of your knitting. The cast off row is a wrong side row. Please let me know if this works.
Thanks!
Annie
Thanks, Annie, for your quick reply. Yes, helpful to know YO’s on the left and CO row on wrong side.
Esther
I absolutely love this pattern. I’m knitting it in a beautiful purple and cannot wait until it’s finished. I’m a beginner and was a little intimidated at first but once I started it, I realize it was pretty easy. I did notice the points are curling up a bit – any suggestions for flattening them out once I’m done?
Thanks for the great pattern. Can’t wait to finish it in time for fall!
Mary
Hi Mary,
Don’t worry about the slight curling. Once you are finished, block the knitting and the curls should be gone. Please also make sure that you are not casting off too tightly (this may cause the points to curl back a bit).
Glad you are enjoying the pattern!
Thanks for getting in touch!
Annie
I bet I am casting off too tightly. Hopefully the points will straighten once I’m finished, if not I will try blocking as you suggested.
Thanks!
Mary
Thank you so much for thies absolutely nice pattern! Soon there will be one, worn by me, going around in Berlin :o) Thank you! Bettina
Hello Bettina!
So glad you enjoyed the pattern!
Annie
That saves me. Thanks for being so sensible!
I cannot wait to try this pattern. Thank you for sharing it!
Beautiful! Thank you i would love to make one for my daughter!
I have made two of them and love the pattern
Patricia in Halifax Nova Scotia
hi i have just knit this and love it to bits ……thank you but i dont know how to join as i want to wear it doubled round my neck
Hello! You would just cast off your stitches and join ends together with darning needle. I hope this helps. Thanks! Annie
Thanks for your reply,so i would have a twist in it? is that right? i was confused as i was trying to wrap it around without a twist !
Hi Lynda,
If you join the ends there will be a twist when you wear it (you could wear the twist at the back). If you leave it unjoined, you could wear it with a pin.
Thanks!
Annie
Hi Annie,
I just finished making your January Cowl and I thought the pattern was so fabulous I have written about it on my new blog. Please feel free to check it out at runningwithcraftscissor.blogspot.ca. Thanks for designing such a a great pattern and for making it available for free! You are awesome!
Lesley
Hi Lesley,
I just saw your January Cowl…oh my, it’s gorgeous! Love the colour!
Glad you enjoyed the pattern!
Annie
Thanks Annie! I am thinking I might have to buy your Groovy pattern to make this winter. It looks fabulous also.
Lesley
Wonderful cowl/scarf pattern. I want to knit it right NOW! Gorgeous simple pattern. Thank you so much.
Wow, thank you! I hope you get a chance to knit this cowl!
This is beautiful, I am going to make it in a lovely blue/ green mix yarn. Thank you so much for sharing, it’s wonderful of you.
I followed this pattern to a T and it came out horrible. Points were good but the width kept increasing. I tried this in two different yarns and the result was the same, kept getting wider and wider. Looks very pretty but perhaps there was a step left out? I’d say it was me but when I’ve done it twice and got the same result after meticulously following the pattern, I’m not willing to say it’s me. Not trying again.
Hi Beth,
I am so sorry your January Cowls did not turn out nicely. I have checked the pattern and the knitting should return to the original width after each 18 row repeat. Thank you for letting me know.
Annie
Thank you for the pattern. It looks complicated. But if it simple I will definitely make it. Thank you again. What a generous person you are! Neat.
Hi Annie
The January cowl is so pretty,and I want to knit it, but the pattern won.t print. Some other knitters have also tried with the same results. Has the printing of the pattern been blocked?
HELP! Joy
Hello Joy
I have saved the pattern as two pages. Please send me an email and I will reply with the pages for you to print. Thanks, Joy! Annie
Hi Annie,
Love the January cowl. Only problem, I can’ t get it to print. Any suggestion? Don’t see an e-mail address.
Roberta
If you copy/paste the pattern (and picture) into an email to yourself, you can print it from there – or paste it into paint or word-pad or whatever. 🙂
I am in the US – could you please tell me how many yards 800 meters is? I CAN look it up -google or whatever – but I’m sure, as pretty as this is, that I won’t be the only one wanting to know. Thank you for your time 🙂
I, too, am from the US and cannot find a conversion chart for meters to ounces or yards. I would appreciate knowing this, Annie. Thanks for sharing this unusual and fun pattern.
Hello Jeannie and Susan,
I’ve updated the pattern to include yardage information.
Thanks!
Annie
I just finished knitting the January Cowl. As in a previous comment, mine got somewhat wider. I’m not sure why but it is not so bad that it can’t be worn. My question is how do you get it to lay so pretty and even. I have tried and tried but just can’t get it right. Does someone have a picture of it on a real person? Maybe that would help me.
This information is worth everyone’s attention. Where can I find out more?
The picture that has the two rows ….is the scarf wrapped around the neck twice with the twist in the back after it is joined.????
Hi Elisa,
Yes, the cowl is wrapped around twice. Or you could knit a shorter length and do a single wrap.
Annie
Thank you so much. I was knitting the wash cloth and thought why not do a shawl like this. Than I found yours. I didn’t know how to figure a pattern out for one. Thank you again.
Do you slip the first stitch purl wise with the yarn in front?
No, you do not need to slip the first stitch. Thanks!
How long should it be before you join it together? Wonderful pattern and so easy to do.
I have been knitting this cowl for awhile now (so easy), how long should it be before you cast it off. I am now about 45 inches and don’t feel like carrying on if it is too long now. I do like the look of the doubled over one sewn at the ends. Thank you…..Lynn
Hello Lynn,
Wrap your knitting around your neck twice to see how it fits. Keep in mind our knitting will open up in length after blocking. If the length feels right, you can stop knitting.
I hope this helps!
Annie