Picture this—you’re browsing your local yarn store or wandering through a fiber festival and you find it. A nubbly, texture-y skein of yarn that calls out to you. Some slubby handspun. A tweed to build a dream on. But as you stand there, with your texture treasure in hand you think “but what would even do with this?” Tell me I’m not alone.

This easy-to-knit, easy-to-wear bandana-style cowl comes to the rescue. Worked on the bias with an I-cord edging and bind-off, this simple cowl makes an unusual yarn (or yarns) the star of the show. When picking a yarn, you’ve got lots of options. Choose a slubby fingering-weight yarn and a matching partner (as in the sample), a DK-weight tweed - even several strands of fuzzy, sparkly laceweight—as long as it adds up to something approximating a DK or light-worsted weight in the end, you’re good to go. Add a tassel for extra texture, omit it for a more streamlined look, or make it detachable and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Yarn
Long Dog Yarn Slub Sock 436 yards (399 meters) / 100 g; 90% Superwash Merino, 10% nylon; single ply fingering-weight and Merino fingering 400 yards (366 meters) / 100 g; 100% Superwash Merino, 2-ply fingering-weight in “That’s Not Fair” (fuchsia cowl) or “I Move the Stars For No One” (blue-violet cowl).

When selecting a yarn for this cowl, you’ve got quite a lot of latitude. Choose something that you’d like to wear—if it’s around a DK weight and you’re hitting gauge, you should be good to go. I might go as light as a sport-weight or as heavy as Aran-weight—the lighter the fiber you choose, the more open and airier the finished cowl. Just be aware that using grippy, fuzzier fibers will create a cowl that has correspondingly more body and less drape. The world is your (fiber) oyster – pick anything you like. You’ll need about 400 yards of whatever you choose.

Needles
US 8 / 5.0 mm 32” / 80 cm or larger circular needle (recommended). As this cowl is worked flat, cord length isn’t essential.

Notions
2 stitch markers, tapestry needle, locking stitch markers or seaming pins (optional)