I love the look of a bandana cowl and the fact that it’s a perfect compromise between a shawl and a cowl. It looks like a shawl but it is a lot easier to wear because the cowl part keeps it snug around your neck and keeps it from falling off.
It also uses less yarn and doesn’t take as long to knit as a shawl, but still gives you a similar look and feel. It’s especially great under a coat because it’s not as bulky as a standard shawl would be.
The typical construction method for a shawl cowl is usually from the top down, so you would knit the cowl part in the round and the shawl part flat on just some of the stitches. (It could also be worked the other way, where you start with just a few stitches, shape the shawl part, then cast on to work the cowl in the round.
The Ansh Cowl from Kavitha Raman is entirely worked flat, then folded and seamed to make the cowl portion. This is a great construction method for people who aren’t comfortable with or don’t want to work in the round, or who just want to try a project that’s constructed in a different way.
This pattern is worked in DK weight yarn and uses eyelets to keep it light. It looks like a great project for those transitional seasons when you might want just a little bit more warmth but not too much.
You can get the pattern for this project on Ravelry.
Looking for more bandana cowl knitting patterns? Check out the Brignadine Cowl, the Cosette, the Out to Lunch Cowl and the Curiosity Colorwork Cowl. These are all great variations on the theme!
[Photo: Kavitha Raman.]
