The Checked Snood is a free pattern that is accessible for first-time intarsia knitters. With large, square blocks of three different colors and a few simple lines to create a seamless repeat all around, this cowl can be done up in so many interesting color combinations to help match your entire winter wardrobe. Not only that, the Checked Snood also makes the most of a neat, chain edge that’s intended to curl in to give this relatively simple construction an infinity-like edge around the face and neck.

Notes: This snood is knit using a method of colorwork called intarsia, which involves knitting part of a given row of knitting using multiple balls of yarn, but without carrying your yarn at the back of your work (a.k.a. fair isle or stranded knitting). If you are new to knitting intarsia, I would recommend checking out my Intarsia 101 tutorial, including easy-to-follow instructions. I would also direct new intarsia knitters to the following tutorials: how to estimate & manage yarn tails in intarsia, how to knit intarsia without bobbins, & how to weave in intarsia ends.
A provisional cast on is used, please see this post for more about provisional cast ons, and watch this video tutorial for my favorite way to do a provisional cast on. Ends are joined using kitchener stitch (a.k.a. grafting); please see this tutorial for how to work a kitchener stitch.