Hudson River Cowl in Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool and Sock-Ease - 90576AD

Hudson River Cowl – Free Knitting Pattern in Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool and Sock-Ease (Pattern 90576AD)

The Hudson River Cowl is a free downloadable knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn that produces a bold, colorful striped cowl designed to turn heads. Rated Easy+ on the skill scale, this project is an excellent choice for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready to explore color work through simple striping. The finished cowl measures approximately 56 inches (142 cm) in circumference and 11 inches (28 cm) in height, making it a generously sized, wrap-around accessory that can be worn looped once or draped loosely around the neck and shoulders for dramatic effect.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a single circular cowl worked in the round. The large circumference gives it a relaxed, flowing drape rather than a snug tube shape, making it versatile as both a neck warmer and a lightweight shoulder wrap. The colorful striped design is the defining visual feature, achieved by alternating between multiple yarn colors in a structured sequence.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The cowl is worked entirely on a circular needle, eliminating seams and creating a smooth, continuous fabric tube.
• Striping – Color changes are made at regular intervals to build the characteristic horizontal stripe pattern. This technique requires carrying or cutting yarns at each color change, making yarn management an important skill to practice.
• Stitch marker placement – Markers are used to track the beginning of rounds, which is especially helpful when working a large-circumference project in the round.
• Finishing with a blunt needle – A large-eye blunt needle is used to weave in the many yarn ends created by the multi-color striping, a critical finishing step for a polished result.

Stitches Used

As an Easy+ pattern, the Hudson River Cowl relies on fundamental knitting stitches. While the full stitch breakdown is contained within the pattern PDF, projects of this type and skill level typically feature combinations of knit and purl stitches to create either a stockinette or textured ribbed fabric. The simplicity of the stitch pattern allows the bold striped colorwork to remain the visual focal point of the finished piece.

Materials and Yarn

This pattern makes creative use of six different yarn colors across two distinct Lion Brand yarn lines, blending rustic woolen texture with the fine, smooth character of sock yarn for an interesting mixed-fiber aesthetic.

• Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool (Color A – Oatmeal, #150-123) – 1 ball. A classic, natural-toned worsted weight wool yarn known for its durability and rustic texture.
• Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool (Color B – Nature's Brown, #150-126) – 1 ball. A warm, earthy brown that complements the Oatmeal colorway naturally.
• Lion Brand Sock-Ease (Color C – Rock Candy, #240-201) – 1 ball. A fine sock-weight yarn introducing a lighter, more delicate stripe into the design.
• Lion Brand Sock-Ease (Color D – Lemon Drop, #240-204) – 1 ball. A bright, cheerful yellow that adds a pop of color contrast.
• Lion Brand Sock-Ease (Color E – Taffy, #240-202) – 1 ball. A soft, candy-toned hue that contributes to the playful, colorful palette.
• Lion Brand Sock-Ease (Color F – Red Hots, #240-203) – 1 ball. A bold red that anchors the brighter tones in the stripe sequence.

Needles and Notions

• Circular knitting needle, size US 9 (5.5 mm), 40 inches (101.5 cm) long – The long cable length is necessary to accommodate the large 56-inch circumference of this cowl when knitting in the round.
• Lion Brand Stitch Markers – Used to mark the beginning of each round.
• Large-Eye Blunt