This pattern (along with most of my earlier work) was retired in the summer of 2022. However, it may be available for a few days once or twice a year. Read on for details!

In the summer of 2022, I realized that maintaining a back catalog of hundreds of patterns was kind of overwhelming. I couldn’t do it and still release new things. So I took my old patterns down so I could keep doing new work.

Since then, a handful of my favorites have come back, and lovely new things have come out. But the vast majority of the old patterns are retired and will no longer be generally available.

However, enough folks have asked about some old favorites that I’m planning to make many of the retired patterns available for a few days once or twice a year (most likely in late spring and then again in the fall around Thanksgiving).

• If you see the buy buttons on this page, you’ve caught it on one of the days it’s available, and you’re welcome to grab it!
• If you don’t see the buy buttons on this page, then it’s not currently available.
• If you want to hear when the retired patterns will be available, subscribe to the mailing list or patreon, or keep an eye on my instagram.

Consilience noun the linking together of principles from different disciplines to form a comprehensive theory

There’s something magical about a good cowl.

They’re easy to knit (especially this one, it’s mostly just stockinette in the round with a tiny bit of lace thrown in to keep things interesting). They’re easy to wear (I can’t be the only one who feels like they don’t quite know how to get a scarf of a shawl to sit just right). And they make the coldest winter days (or that killer office air conditioning) a whole lot more bearable.

They’re also the perfect thing to do with a single skein of special yarn. And they fit pretty much everyone, so they make perfect gifts. I think that’s really pretty much everything you could ask for!

The pattern includes instructions for both pieces (the taller and the shorter cowl). Each comes in four sizes (126, 140, 154, and 168 stitch cast on) and three gauges (3.5, 4, and 4.5 stitches per inch), so there’s plenty of flexibility to make the size that feels most comfortable for you. The cowls are tapered (the top is about 3/5 the size of the bottom), as I find that makes for the best fit (plenty of fabric at first to keep you warm, not too much up top to get in your way).

The pieces in the pictures were knit at 4.5 stitches per inch. They are 37 inches around at the widest point, 21 inches around at the narrowest point, 11 and 5.5 inches tall, and shown on a size 16 dress form. The largest took 250 yards of yarn (if you want a really big cowl, 350 is a safer bet) and the smallest 125 yards of yarn (if you want a bigger one, 150 is a safer bet).

These are perfect for you if:

• You’re always looking for something cozy to snuggle up in
• You need a bit of armor to keep out the world
• You’ve got a skein of soft, beautiful yarn you want to keep close

They’re not for you if:

• You don’t like charts (the pattern uses charts)
• You hate swatching (you need to swatch to check your needle size)