The name of this cowl came about as it became my go-to knitting whenever social media got overwhelming during the second (third?) year of the pandemic. The soothing garter stitch kept my hands busy while my mind settled. You can be actually anti-social in this cowl if you want (put on a mask and tuck your chin down, nobody will see you in this cozy number), but of course it’s optional.

The cowl is worked flat from one end to the other. This way, the finished cowl has the garter ridges sitting vertically when worn. I-cord cast on and bind off create a neat finish, and the edges are worked with built-in i-cord so that there are no stitches to work once you have bound off.

Circumference of cowl when buttoned: 27 inches
Depth of cowl: 10.5 inches

I have included this design in my Living Lightly collection for two reasons. I made the sample using an environmentally-friendly fibre, and I already had this yarn in my stash. Using what you already have is one of the best ways to live more lightly and to reduce your impact on the planet. So hunt through your stash for any 10 ply yarn and enjoy using it up to create this warm cowl. (Or you could have a lot of fun holding multiple strands of yarn together to create 10 ply! Perhaps I will try that too.)