These three cowl patterns look very different, but they have something special in common:

Featuring endless, intricate, twisted cables, this cowl’s complexity still pales in comparison to all the shapes and recombinations found in the bark of a mature ash tree. Not just for cowls, this stitch pattern would look stunning on any circular project like socks or as a panel on a pullover.

Horizontal streaks of elongated stitches resemble the lenticels on pale birch bark in this warm, reversible and easy-to-knit triangular shawl.

Arranged in a soft, quilted diamond formation, the eyelets in this cowl are formed in an unusual and educational way. Instead of the expected yarn overs, you knit the strand that runs between your needles. This creates a slightly smaller and tidier eyelet that is easier to work on circular needles than a yarn over, since there are no loops of y...

Deep, furrowed and flowing cables make this soft and cozy cardigan hum with life. Raglan sleeves are worked in the round and the yoke is worked all in one piece to minimize seaming.

Waving texture wraps up and over this over-size, one-piece pullover. You cast on at the bottom of the front, cast on gradually for the length of the sleeves, work from cuff to cuff up and over the shoulders, then down the back.

Knitting in the back of every stitch gives this one-row pattern a special, airy elegance. Work each color until you run out of yarn

Quick, simple and fun, these slippers can be knit for any size foot at any gauge without short rows, seaming or complex math. All you need are your foot circumference and length, your stitch gauge and row gauge. Work all in one color, or with contrast color at the heel and toe. You can even get fancy and add a little colorwork on the part that’...

Simple bands of circular stockinette stitch are transformed into soft, billowing waves using one simple “diving” stitch every eighth round. The stitch pattern makes a rounded, three-dimensional texture on one side and a deep honeycomb on the other, making it excellent for a cowl where either side can be visible. One Bromley gradient kit from Va...

Simple and classic as can be, this hat makes a great one-skein project for men, women, and kids.

Warm and sturdy, these spiral-knit tube socks hug the curves of your ankles and feet without any tricky shaping. Since there’s no heel, they can be worn in any orientation, extending their lifespan. Strong and lustrous Cotswold wool spun in a tight 2-ply sport weight yarn like this add to its warmth and durability, making a great pair of house ...

Anyone who’s seen me more than once has probably seen me in this sweater. Designed for myself as a “Yes I can knit” showpiece sweater years and years ago, it has become a central tent pole of my entire wardrobe. I have literally lived in it for weeks at a time while travelling, reworked the cuffs and neckline as it’s gotten frayed or stretched ...

Like a hard-drinking sailor knitting a sweater for himself, the Irish Rover has the structure of a traditional, unisex, top-down, saddle shoulder Aran pullover, but has cables that drunkenly swagger, unravel and improbably recombine as the knitting progresses. The pieces are knit flat throughout and seamed at the sides, but the pattern is easil...

This super fun and colorful cowl uses just one skein of Malabrigo Caracol. The cowl is knit back and forth in rows like a scarf until you’re nearly out of yarn, then the end is sewn to the beginning to form a circle. I’ve included detailed instructions for grafting at

This cowl is worked length-wise in the round, then the end is joined to the beginning to form a torus or donut-shape. This means there’s no wrong side visible and it’s double-layered at all points, making it a great use for a hand-spun single ply yarn that might be too fragile as a single layer. A brief section of simple lace adds visual intere...

Another shawl designed to be perfect for travelling, picking up and knitting in any spare moment without having to dig out the pattern, count stitches or rows. It’s also designed to be easy to shop for (just get equal amounts of two colors of anything) and to use up all the yardage without needing to scramble to find more.

There’s an old saying that the shoemaker’s children go barefoot. In my house, the knitting designer’s devoted partner had gone without a handmade sweater for far, far too long. So I had him show me a few pictures of the kind of sweater he wanted: shawl collar, double breasted, with detail at the shoulders, with a slim, modern fit. I set about t...

This simple lace stitch, consisting mostly of ribbing, creates a softly stretchy cowl with different patterns on each side.

A simple, classic 1x1 ribbed hat that’s both stretchy and warm — a perfect fit for a man or woman.

Knit one, purl one is all you have to do to make a lovely, double-thick scarf that’s perfect for a man or woman.

Just a hint of randomness turns knit and purl basketweave into a unique, syncopated, and richly textured fabric.

This is an easy, structured way to make a one-of-a-kind lacy cowl with just the right amount of randomness.

Here’s an easy way to make a one-of-a-kind chevron cowl without counting or guesswork. All you need is a long circular needle and stitch markers. This pattern really shows off self-striping yarns, but it would be amazing with hand-dyed or solid colored yarns as well.

This extraordinarily simple barely-a-pattern uses marker placement in relation to columns of yarn overs to create a natural spiral. The increases make the markers slowly drift across the plain garter stitch shawl.

Named after an unusual old tale by Robert W. Chambers, this cowl uses one unusual skein of Malabrigo Rasta in an unusual lace pattern that zigs and zags in unusual ways, closed with a single unusual button. Anything usual about this cowl at all? I’m afraid not.

Elongated stitches worked into rhythmically varied bands of garter stitch: a technique that’s perfect for showing off a beautiful yarn and for soothing, but never boring, knitting. The cowl is cast on lengthwise and worked in rows to the desired width, then it’s turned on its side and a second section is worked perpendicularly to give more leng...

This elegant stole features traditional Shetland lace stitch patterns and edges. Originally made for Gail Callahan, she modeled it so well that soon everyone wanted to know the pattern.

Daisy Stitch is a particularly attractive member of what I like to call the cluster clump, a group of patterns that involve working a small bundle of stitches at once, usually multiple times.

An original lace pattern that came to me as I experimented with lace triangles. It looked so stunning that I needed to repeat it to see it over a larger area, and I wasn’t disappointed one bit!

A striking, elegant sweater made of just four rectangles in a bold lace stitch. No shaping to keep track of or to fit into the stitch pattern. The front and back are identical, so you can throw it on without worrying that you’re wearing it backwards. The stitch pattern reminds me of fresh figs with honey, a most simple and satisfying dessert.

What IS that stitch? Just knits and purls, my friend, and more knitting than purling at that. Well, there are increases, too, but that comes with the triangular shawl territory. Did I mention that it only has two pattern rows? And that its wrong side looks nearly as good as its right side? And that it looks best in wildly contrasting hand-dyed ...

A devilishly simple lace pattern can create a very intricate looking piece. This cowl is light enough and long enough to be worn around your neck in one, two, or three loops.

A riotous, non-repeating yet symmetrical lace triangle kerchief. Buffalo Gold makes it uniquely western, but it would be lovely out of any dk, sport, or lighter weight yarn.

Our cups runneth over! The Three of Cups card symbolizes the celebration of community and the joy found in new friendships. This delightful cardigan abounds with “threes,” made in three pieces with three simple lace rows dancing around each other like a happy minuet. Its light and open fabric hugs your curves and the simple kimono shape flows d...