With short rows and a bit of garter stitch, this is a good casual knit; if you’ve never tried short rows, it’s a good place to start since they’re right near the bind off and any little mistakes will be safely hidden! Using a little bit of contrast yarn to lace up this cowl - and add a bit of fringe, if that’s your jam - keeps it from being too plain, and the chunky weight will keep you warm whether you’re wearing it inside or outside.

This cowl is a one-size pattern but feel free to size up (or down for kiddos); just do it in multiples of 2 to keep the short row instructions consistent. Because this is such a flexible pattern, you can choose a chunkier or lighter yarn, just make sure you know how big it will turn out to be!

You should only need about one skein of chunky yarn for this cowl, but if you’re going to use contrast yarn, make sure you have enough on hand to do a long lace-up and matching fringe. The knit portion only uses one colour of yarn so you don’t need more than that, if you’re not using contrast colours.