Woodland Cowl

Woodland Cowl by Petitchoufleur Knits

What Is Being Made

The Woodland Cowl is a knitted neck accessory designed as a practical yet stylish project for intermediate knitters. This cowl measures 7.25 inches tall by 25 inches long when finished, making it a versatile piece suitable for layering or wearing as a standalone neckwarmer. The design is worked flat on two needles rather than in the round, offering a straightforward construction method.

Yarn and Materials

This project uses Wendy Mode Chunky yarn in two contrasting colors, requiring 2 balls total—one main color (MC) and one contrasting color (CC). The sample shown features grey as the main color and blue as the contrasting color. The chunky weight yarn works on 6.5mm / US 10.5 needles. The finished cowl also requires 3 buttons as notions to complete the design.

Gauge and Finished Dimensions

The pattern achieves a gauge of 15 stitches and 30 rows per 4 inches (10 centimeters) in pattern after blocking. This gauge measurement is essential for achieving the finished dimensions of 7.25 inches in height and 25 inches in length.

Knitting Techniques and Stitches

The Woodland Cowl features an 8-row slip stitch pattern that showcases the interplay between two yarn colors. This pattern is ideal for crafters looking to use up yarn scraps or coordinate complementary colors from their stash.

Essential pattern skills required include:

• Cast on
• Knit stitch
• Slip stitches
• Cast off (bind off)
• Eyelet buttonhole technique using yarn over and knit two together decrease

Pattern Structure

The cowl begins with casting on 27 stitches using the main color yarn. The pattern opens with a Buttonhole Edge section worked over rows 1-2 using the main color, followed by a buttonhole row (Row 3) that incorporates three evenly spaced eyelet buttonholes created using the yo, k2tog (yarn over, knit two together) technique. These buttonholes are positioned at intervals of 7 stitches across the row, with 4 stitches before the first buttonhole and 3 stitches after the last buttonhole.

After the buttonhole edge is established, the Woodland Pattern section begins. This section introduces the contrasting color yarn, which is added on Row 1 of the pattern section and remains attached throughout the remainder of the project. Both yarns are carried together as the knitter works the remaining rows, creating the characteristic two-color slip stitch fabric.

The slip stitch pattern technique allows for color changes and visual interest while maintaining a relatively simple stitch repertoire, making it accessible for intermediate-level knitters who have mastered basic techniques but may be newer to working with multiple colors.

Difficulty Level

Rated as an intermediate project, the Woodland Cowl is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to explore slip stitch colorwork and buttonhole construction. The straightforward stitch vocabulary combined with the introduction of two-color knitting makes this an excellent stepping stone project for developing colorwork confidence.