Cowl in Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ - Downloadable PDF

Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ Knit Cowl – Free Downloadable PDF Pattern Summary

This free beginner knitting pattern from Bernat guides crafters through creating a cozy, oversized knit cowl using the innovative Bernat® Alize® Blanket-EZ™ yarn system. The finished cowl measures approximately 16 inches by 24 inches around, making it a generously sized accessory perfect for cold-weather layering. Because the pattern is rated beginner difficulty, it is an ideal first project for anyone new to the EZ knitting method or to yarn crafts in general.

What Is Being Made

The project is a rectangular knit cowl worked flat and then joined to form a loop. Its dimensions — approximately 16" [40.5 cm] wide by 24" [61 cm] in circumference — produce a chunky, voluminous neckwarmer that can be worn draped loosely or doubled up for extra warmth. The right side of the fabric faces the crafter at all times during construction, which is a hallmark of the EZ knitting technique.

The Bernat Alize Blanket-EZ Technique Explained

This pattern uses the unique Bernat® Alize® Blanket-EZ™ no-needle knitting method. Rather than conventional knitting needles or a crochet hook, the yarn itself acts as the working tool. The Blanket-EZ yarn is a specially engineered super chunky yarn with pre-formed loops along its length. These loops serve as the "stitches" on a virtual needle, eliminating the need for traditional tools entirely.

The core action throughout the pattern is pulling loops of the working yarn up through existing loops from back to front, creating a fabric that closely resembles a hand-knitted knit stitch or stocking stitch texture. The working yarn is held behind the stitches at all times, and loops are always pulled through from back to front — a consistent rule that gives the resulting fabric its neat, uniform appearance.

Construction and Stitch Techniques

Foundation Row

The cowl begins with a foundation row of 20 loops, counted directly from the Blanket-EZ yarn. The yarn end starts at the far right, and all loops face upward before the first working row begins. This foundation acts as the cast-on in traditional knitting.

First Row

Working from left to right, the 21st loop — drawn from the working yarn — is pulled up through the 20th loop (the last loop of the foundation row) from behind, creating the first knit stitch. Each subsequent loop of the working yarn is then pulled up through the next foundation loop in the same manner, continuing to the end of the row. The work is not turned at the end of the row, maintaining the right side facing throughout.

Second and Third Rows — The Repeating Pattern

The body of the cowl is built by alternating two directional rows:

• Second row: Working from right to left, the next loop from the working yarn is pulled up from behind through the last stitch worked on the previous row, then repeated across to the end. Work is not turned.
• Third row: Working from left to right, the same process is repeated — pulling the next loop from the working yarn up from behind through each stitch across. Work is not turned.

These two rows are repeated alternately until the work measures approximately 24 inches [61 cm], ending on a completed third row. This back-and-forth directional working — without ever turning the piece — is what distinguishes the EZ method from conventional flat knitting and produces a smooth, consistent stocking stitch-like fabric on the right side.

Bind Off

A bind off row is worked in the same directional manner as the body rows to secure all live loops and finish the edges cleanly, preventing unraveling once the cowl is complete.

Stitches Used

• EZ Knit Stitch — the primary and only stitch used throughout, created by pulling working yarn loops up through existing loops from back to front
• Foundation row setup — equivalent to a cast-