Just one skein of yarn, a few hours of knitting, and a quick seam! Free pattern + free video tutorial.
Size: approximately 40” long (before seaming into a moebius) and 7” wide
Needles: Size 15 US, 24” or 32” circulars
Yarn: One skein of Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick (a super bulky weight yarn), 106 yards (The colors I used were Cranberry and Charcoal)
Additional Materials: tapestry needle for weaving in ends and seaming
Gauge: 2.5 stitches per inch in stockinette
This pattern is a FREE RAVELRY DOWNLOAD, and the video can be viewed at the bottom of this post. (There are also links to the three parts of the video in the pattern.)
I am getting many questions about modifying this pattern. It’s a simple pattern and easy to modify. Here are some guidelines:
You can use any yarn/needle combination you like. To knit the pattern as written, you will need to find a yarn/needle combination that gives you 2.5 stitches per inch. (You can also get gauge by holding more than one strand of thinner yarn together.) If you would like to use a different gauge, you can knit a swatch, measure your stitches per inch, then determine how many you will need to cast-on to get 40″ total length. Remember, you will need to cast on a multiple of 4, plus 2 extra stitches for the seam.
If you use a different yarn weight and gauge, here is how you can determine the yardage you will need. Start with a full skein/ball of yarn, and measure that on a kitchen scale. Knit the first 5 rows of the pattern, and measure the yarn again. Subtract the weight of the used skein from the weight of the full skein. This number is 1/4 of the number of grams/ounces you will need to finish the cowl. If your gauge is considerably smaller and you’d like to work more than 20 rows, you will need to double the weight of the first 5 rows, then multiply it by as many 10 row repeats as you’d like to work.
Awesome!! Thank you!!
I just love bulky yarn for that speed 🙂
I have question – is it possible to include metric system in the written-pattern, for example for needles size? It will be really more convenient for me since I’m not able to remember US sizes 🙁
Grüße from Munchen from Polish girl 🙂
Hi Olga – yes, the metric needle size shows up on Ravelry, but I didn’t list it here. The needle size is 10mm for this project.
🙂
S t a c i
Love this! I think I have 2 skeins of that yarn! I can make 2 quick Christmas gifts! Thank you!
Thanks, again, Staci, for another excellent tutorial. I have a few left-over skeins of scrumptious bulky weight wool waiting for a purpose. Up to the Knitting Studio I go!
Staci,
Did you use a row marker to mark the beginning?
I didn’t hear you mention it so I wondered if you did becaused it seemed valuable.
Jessica – this piece is knit flat, so there is no need for a stitch marker.
🙂
S t a c i
Staci
I believe you have a pattern and video on 2 socks on 1 circular – magic loop, I can’t find it, can you help. I am doing this but am getting ladders at the joins, feel I need to go back and start over. Thank you for your help.
Marilyn
Staci,
I am new to knitting and really love your site. It has helped me alot with learning all the stitches. I love the idea of the Cowl scarf that you added today. I am looking for a cowl neck scarf very similar to the one posted however I would like to be able to wrap around neck once or twice. Do you think this pattern would be ok for that if I double the rows? Should I also not have it so wide? Perhaps you have another pattern that I am not seeing similar to what I am talking about. Thanks so much for your help.
Dorie
Staci, you are such a gem! I have learned so much from you and made many wonderful things, thanks to your teaching. I will add this mobius scarf to the list. I so look forward to everything you post. Thank you, thank you.
~karen
What a wonderful design. Thank you so very much.
I recently joined you YouTube channel and it is great! thank you so much, I am going to buy some yarn and start my cowl!
tnx!
Iris.
Thanks so much for this pattern! It’s so cute and will be a great quick gift!
Can this also be done on regular needles? (Not circular)
Dorie – there are too many stitches to fit on straight needles. You could give it a try, but I don’t think they would fit on even the longest straights.
S t a c i
Love the look of this cowl and that it knits up so quickly. Thank you for another great pattern and video, Staci.
hello stacy
i think its wonderfull al off your yutube films.
i learn to knit whit it and i love your technieks.
also i love this coll and i think im going to make that but i need needle’s 10 mm first hihihih.
im from holland so whe work here whit mm instead of us size.
i keep track of your movies and im curious for the next whan. (sorry my englisch is not really good but he i hope you understand me)
greetz from the netherlands
petra
I would like to knit this – and thanks for sharing. I do not have #15 needles – I do have #13’s. My question is – how many more stitches should I cast on to make up for the needle size difference? I would like my finished project to be the same as yours – 40″ long x 7″ wide. For the width – I’ll just see how it goes – I can always add a row if I fall short of the 7″.
Thanks
Belinda
Belinda – you will need to knit up a gauge swatch to see how many more you’ll need to cast on to make it 40″ long. Remember, your cast-on number needs to be a multiple of 4 plus 2.
Good luck!
S t a c i
I have been wondering what to knit as an easy but useful Christmas gift for the women in my family. This will work perfectly! Thank you so much for another great tutorial Staci. At last I can use the size 15 needles in my Addi Click set. 😉
Hi Staci,
My 5yr old’s been asking for a cowl to match her fingerless mittens I knitted her. How do you think I could adapt the pattern to fit around a little neck? 🙂
Thanks a million – always come to your site for advice all the way from France!
Laura – yes, you can make this pattern in any size you want. Just remember that the cast on number needs to be a multiple of 4, plus 2 to maintain the basketweave pattern.
Good luck!
S t a c i
I was already to start and got my needles. Looked at the video again and realized I have Lion Brand HomeSpun yarn. (Bulky not Super Bulky) I went to Lion Brand’s website and looked up the Wool-Ease Thick & Quick it says its 6oz/170g 106 yd. My HomeSpun is the same weight just a little longer at 185 yds. Should I double to make the Super bulky or is just Bulky ok? I’m a newbie and have never guaged before. I love your website and all your videos!! 🙂
Hi Annie – to follow the pattern as written, you will need to check gauge with the different yarn, and adjust your needles (if necessary) to get 2.5 stitches per inch. This video will help you with checking gauge:
https://verypink.com/2010/12/21/checking-gauge/
Hope that helps!
S t a c i
Stacy, I love your site and all your videos. You really have taught me a lot! When binding off, do you bind off in knit, or purl, or both?
Hi Kathy – thank you for the note. For this pattern, I suggest you bind-off using a regular knit BO. (For future reference, when I recommend binding-off “in pattern”, I always put it in the written pattern.) Good luck!
S t a c i
Hi Stacy, I just finished my first Basketweave Cowl (many others to follow!!!) and I am about to begin an other cowl. The yarn I am going to use is multicolour and I am trying to decide what stitch should I use. I want something simple (the yarn is already too fancy), reversible and not curling at the edges. I am thinking garter stitch but I find it time and yarn consuming. What would you suggest?
Thank you!
Anna
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL MOEBIUS THANKS
Just finished my scarf. I enjoyed the pattern but didn’t get my “magic moment” I waited to the end but couldn’t get it to tighten all the way down. Everything is lined up so I guess it doesn’t matter. Thanks for the pattern and lesson. Love your site, Molly
im kinda confuse….im new at this so please dont be mad….after im done with role 6-10 i have to repeat role 1-5 and then 6-10 again or i have to keep on reaping just role 6-10 sorry….i did say i was confuse
Mindy – repeat 1-5 AND 6-10 again.
Good luck!
wonderful clear instruction and visual demostration. the instructor is a joy. thank you.
thank you for clearing that for me….there alot of things i saw that i like i would try to do them im always trying thing and i end up undoing it cuz i mess up
I have watched a lot of your youtube videos and I love every single of them. Very clear instruction, easy to follow. Being a selftaught knitter, your youtube on knitting socks really helped me and I have knitted several socks now. Is it possible to knit this mobius cowl in a round?
Hi Linda – thank you for the note. I address your question in the video…a moebius cast-on is fussy and difficult to work, which is why I chose to knit it flat with a seam. It is possible, but I don’t consider it very pleasant knitting!
🙂
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Hi Staci,
Do you know where I can find the cheapest size 15 circular needles with a 16″ cord? You don’t have to go searching for a place, but I was just wondering if you would recommend someplace… thank you so much! I can’t wait to try this cowl!!
I have followed your instructions to the letter and its been great fun. however,……I get it to drape beautifully as a single strand but I am getting into all sorts of problems when I come to double it up round my neck, to then pull up over the ears!
The seam is always where I don’t want it to be and the moebius twist gets lost.
Please help or add just a little bit to be beginning of your tutoria on how to put the cowl on and drape it properly for idiots like me!!! Being one of the older generation I thought I would try and get ‘with it’ by knitting this cowl but I just feel stupid that I am falling at the last hurdle.
Thanks Ros
Ros – don’t over-think it, I didn’t do anything special! Just wrap the cowl around your neck twice, with the seam in back, and pull up the wrap (without the seam) over your ears and head. That’s it!
🙂
S t a c i
If I were to do this for my girls they are 6 and 4 yrs old how many stitches do I need ,also how can I usr this. Patrern on a hat?
Hello,
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for your videos and patterns. I have watched your videos several times. I made two cowls and both of them have a noticeable seam on the inside of the cowl. I am wondering if the seam is expected.
Staci, Love your instructional videos!
I’ve made three of these scarves. On my own, I used a wool dark gray yarn and you can see the basket weave pattern wonderfully and cannot see the seam (a plus!), but on my second one, I used the thick and quick bulky yarn in dark rose and you can see the seam clearly (on the back side). My question…is there another stitch other than mattress that will hide the seam a bit better?
Gail – you can Google “Bickford Seam”…I haven’t tested it out on this project, but it might be what you’re looking for. However, I don’t believe the Bickford seam is as strong as the mattress stitch.
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Staci,
Love making this cowl scarf. Thank you for sharing all your talent with us. I have learned so much from your videos.
Happy Holidays!
Linda Cahan
Thanks, I will make this today. I learn’t a few tricks, you explain thing very well! have a great day
I made the Mobius scarf using the exact yarn and need size you did.
Thank you for the helpful video. It turned out well but I have two questions:
1) I ran out of yarn, so I ended at row 19. Do you have any thoughts as to why? I did the long tail cast on and may have left too long a tail but tried to spit splice it to the “tail” and it still wasn’t enough.
2) When I seamed, you can see the seam on the inside, is that correct?
Thanks again for your incredible website and blog and videos!
Ramona
Hello – I am a new knitter, and this was my first non-dishcloth project, made on my brand-new interchangeable needles. This pattern was very fun to knit, and it is very gratifying to wear something I’ve made! Love your videos. I’m really learning a lot from them. Thank you!
Regards,Ilove your videos.Your way of explaining every thing is lovely.This video of cowl scarf is amazing and making it will be a great fun.Thanks a lot.
Hello! First off, thank you for the pattern and your videos are very helpful. I am about finished with the Moebius scarf and am binding off; however, I have about 8 inches of the scarf left to bind off and only 8 inches of yarn left to use to bind off. I bought 106 yards of the yarn you recommended, and my other end has a 20 inch tail. What can I do to salvage my project? I am so close to finishing and am not sure what to do about the lack of yarn. My other question is why I seem to be a bit short – is it because I knitted too loosely? Thank you!!
Kim – two things, first, how to avoid this in the future. You have to make sure you’re getting the correct gauge (stitches per inch) as listed in the pattern when you start any project, so that your project size and yarn amounts used will be the same as the pattern. Knitting in incorrect gauge (loose or tight) will give you different results than the pattern.
To salvage your project, you can unravel one pattern repeat so that you have enough yarn to bind off and seam, and then try to get a little more length out of the cowl when you block (hand wash, set out flat to dry). Or you can visit the yarn shop/online shop where you purchased the yarn, and see if you can buy more in the same dye lot.
Good luck!
S t a c i
Staci, I love your patterns!!! I actually learned how to knit from watching your youtube tutorials, No one in my family or friends know how to knit, I watched so many other tutorials and it seemed so hard, but a friend told me about your tutorials they have been the most simplest yet the most helpful. I have only been knitting for about a year now but you have definitely helped me so much. I learned to knit everything I know from basically your patterns and videos they have helped me. I live in mexico and there are no private classes or knitting groups or anything like that here so i have only been able to use the internet to learn how to knit but I LOVE KNITTING now.Thank you so much for your easy explanations. You really do an excellent job with your work!!