enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

striped knit cowl tutorial.

November 13, 2014

“Let’s!” “Get!” “Crafty!”

Back in the day I had grand plans for my own craft channel TV show. Today, I present to you, episode one. (Just kidding. Though six points if you remembered without clicking that link what I’m talking about.)

BUT! I did film, edit, voice-over, produce and upload a short video (you can click below to enlarge) that shows how to knit a striped cowl from start to finish. It’s going to take you more than 10 minutes to knit but only 10.5 minutes to watch (plus, probably some start, stop, rewind, wonder what the hell I am trying to demonstrate time).

striped knit cowl tutorial from elise blaha on Vimeo.

I have shared my go-to cowl tutorial before but this one is a bit different because it’s smaller (tighter to the neck) and uses two colors which makes it look much more impressive than it is. The secret to a two-color cowl is keeping both colors attached the whole way through (which I demonstrate in the video). The video also covers how to long tail cast on, how to knit both the English and Continental styles, how to cast off, how to weave in your tails and what I do when I am not sure why something looks odd (spoiler alert – push through!).

I love a small cowl so this finished project is only about 12 inches wide and 15 inches tall when laid flat. (Yours could be bigger if you cast on more stitches and kept going for more rows.) I used US size 7 (4.5mm) circular needles that were 16 inches long and two different skeins of Patons Classic Wool Roving.

If you know what you’re doing and don’t want to watch a video, pattern instructions are below.

Long-tail cast on 64 stitches with starting color. Join the round, taking care to make sure there are no twists in your yarn. Knit all the way around with the second color. Switch back to the first color. Continue this alternating pattern for 54 rows total. Cast off with the same color you started with. Weave in ends.

TA-DA! Pull a gray sweater out of the hamper to match, pretend it’s not 80 degrees in November and wear with pride!

Posted in get crafty, tutorials, what i wore, yarn projects

29 responses to “striped knit cowl tutorial.”

Jennie

November 13, 2014

Love this! I may have to teach myself how to knit…I’m a crochet gal! What a great gift idea for my girlfriends!

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Kristina

November 13, 2014

Thank you! Somehow the “make sure there are no twists” line seems so simple and yet my experience has always been otherwise.

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lisa valinsky

November 13, 2014

Coolness! I’ll watch this on my next day off. I have two skeins of yarn leftover from another project – one deep purple, one black – and I’d love to learn this striped technique to make a cowl.
Thanks Elise! About to listen to yesterday’s podcast too. 🙂

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Sarah Alves

November 13, 2014

I want to make these for Christmas gifts! I have a circular knitting needle set already, but the needles are thicker, which would result in a chunkier scarf. I’ll have to decide whether to go chunky or skinny as you have done! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Sarah Alves

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Debbie

November 13, 2014

Thank you for sharing you knitting “TV show” :)! I am inspired! I used to knit felted purses. I have all the “ingredients”, and am getting my knitting needles out! It can be a very relaxing craft, and great to do in the cold winter days.

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Kristina

November 13, 2014

I LOVE it!
You seem to really like cooler weather (or clothes for cooler weather!). Do you ever dream of living outside of California? (I don’t know how you would… I live in Ottawa and it is 4 degrees today lol). But I thought I would ask!

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andrea

November 13, 2014

so strange to see another knitting style than the continental one. One advice I have. Twist the yarn on your index finger twice around it (or three times with thinner yarn). it makes it a little bit easier and that’s how we learn it.

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Hannah low

November 13, 2014

Awesome! I may have to out down the hook and try this! I like the keeping both colors joined idea- so much easier than joining colors all te time like in crochet. Thanks for sharing!

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Sally

November 13, 2014

Yay!! Thank you so much for posting. I can’t WAIT to get started! I just love all your projects so much.

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elise blaha cripe

November 13, 2014

we lived in Maryland for three years! I did the (semi) cold and snow and it was not my favorite. but we might be headed back to a cold state and the think I would love most this time around is having an excuse to make more quilts and knitwear. 😉

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EJ

November 13, 2014

Elise – this is so great! As someone who is not a professional knitter, it’s rather refreshing to hear you say that you twist your yarn, and that you get weird holes in your weave. And of course, it’s great to see how you just fix the error and move on. I’d love to see more of these (in crochet, if you do that too?). By the way, you have a lovely and calm voice for instructional videos.

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S. Molinari

November 13, 2014

Thanks for the great tutorial! I think I’ll make one of these for my daughter in law. Just one helpful suggestion- Try using your left needle to pull the yarn over and off on your cast off, instead of your fingers. It’s much easier and quicker 😉

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Sometimes Lately

November 13, 2014

If you want a cool trick to match up your stripes at the end you can knit Jogless stripes. here is a good video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdYUr2LruLE
Looks GREAT!
Vivianna 🙂

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Kim

November 13, 2014

this is fantastic & would be great for running in Iowa this winter. need to find someone to make me one 🙂

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Melissa Marie

November 13, 2014

It looks great Elise! I really love knitting and this project looks simple, but pretty! Do you happen to know if the yarn is washable? 🙂

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elise blaha cripe

November 13, 2014

thank you! great tip!

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elise blaha cripe

November 13, 2014

awesome! I’ll check it out. thank you!

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elise blaha cripe

November 13, 2014

thank you! it says handwash. 🙂

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Melissa D

November 13, 2014

That flashback post was super fun to read. Young Elise is spunky.

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Denise

November 13, 2014

I enjoyed the flashback… in the comment section {of the flashback} was that “your Paul” stating that you were “crazy, but the good kind of crazy”???? cuz that was cute! {The cowl was cute too, but I don’t knit}

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Davinie Fiero

November 13, 2014

A huge compliment to you! I’m left handed and have a terrible time finding tutorials that work for me. Whatever you are doing, it’s how I knit, so yay! Cowls for everyone! Thanks!

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Krista

November 13, 2014

Love this. You’ve got me excited to pick up the knitting needles again!

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lea

November 14, 2014

I’m already so behind on my Xmas knitting, I might need a few simple cool projects like that!! would make a super cute hat too! oh and mittens 😉

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Stephanie

November 14, 2014

So that’s how you knit so fast! I only ever knew the English style, so this opened up a whole new world to me 😉

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Karli Jo

November 14, 2014

Thanks for the video! I have a slightly more complex pattern that requires circular needles (got it on a summer vacation with my hubby when I bought some really pretty llama yarn). This will be great for me to learn how to use those needles at a more basic level first!
BTW I saw that same yellow yarn at Joann’s before you posted this and thought it looks really pretty paired with a fuchsia and pale blue… I am going to have to have to make this now with 3-4 colors, maybe with varying stripe widths. Aaaaaah the inspiration!

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Alicia

November 16, 2014

Okay, you’ve officially got me knitting (I am totally a seasonal knitter & usually do on cool winter days) but your cowls are calling me! I am doing a simple seed stitch one instead of just a straight knit one like above. When I previously did one similar to that it curled too much for me but maybe it was the size of it that made a difference (it was actually more like an infinity scarf).

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Carolyn K

November 17, 2014

Thank you for these awesome instructions. I immediately ran to JoAnns and started knitting for the first time! Great easy to follow video. I have been knitting like a crazy woman and finished it today. We’ve had cold weather and I couldn’t wait to wear it. I couldn’t get it over my head!! My stitches must have been way tighter than yours. I was bummed but will give it to my 4 year old granddaughter. I’m not giving up. Going to try again. Do I use bigger needles? And how do I knit looser?!

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Daisy

December 17, 2014

Thanks for the video!! I love that you only do the knit stitch, I’m a beginner and can’t figure out the purl stitch! Using two colors gives the cowl the variety I’m looking for without trying to figure out a new stitch. Luckily we have a few cooler days here in South Florida so I could actually wear a cowl!

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Kirby

February 7, 2016

Elise! don’t know that you’ll see this, as this post is s couple years old now – but if you do, help a new knitter out?
I know this seems crazy basic but I’ve watched videos and asked at a store yesterday : how to achieve the v’s? I’m making s scarf knitting just as you were in the video, yet both sides are the bumpy garter stitch look. ❤️ the zigzag v’s! hope this makes sense – thanks Elise!!

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