FREE Knit Cowl Pattern Holiday Teacher Gift Idea
Around this time of year we start to think about the people that have touched our lives, or the lives of those that we love, in one way or another. Katelyn, my Social Media Manager, has a young child who is in preschool. She wanted to make something special for the teachers and so I designed a knit seed stitch cowl that she could give them. Get your free pattern below, it is a perfect teacher gift idea for this holiday season.
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Since the teachers take the kids out to pay at the preschool we thought that it would be a great idea to make them something that they could wear outside, while they freeze watching the kids. Using the new Collage yarn by Red Heart I designed a simple seed stitch cowl pattern that you can make within a few hours.
Teacher Gift Ideas:
Although you could stop with just the cowl as the teacher’s gift, Katelyn is going to pair them with a stamp set from biterswit. If you didn’t see their knitting stamps in our Stocking Stuffer Round up post you should check them out. They are perfect for making your own tags this holiday.
Not only do they have knitting stamps but they also have stamps made just for teachers. In our YouTube video of all of the stocking stuffer products we had Lindsey of Erin Lane Bags, one of our Podcast sponsors, join us. She is a former teacher and said that it is very hard to find nice stamps to use on papers.
Project Notes:
Because the Collage yarn is 73% acrylic and 27% wool it is important to add a tag that tells the receiver about washing instructions. They will not want to put this in the wash machine or it will start to felt. This cowl should be hand washed only when needed.
You will also want to consider using a larger finishing needle. Red Heart has just the tool that you need from Susan Bates on their website. These plastic needles are great for finishing up your knit and crochet projects. They range in length from 1-3/4 to 3-1/2 inches and feature an eye that runs the entire length making them much easier to thread and use than traditional needles.
Cowl Materials:
- 2 balls collage yarn (color of choice)
- US Size 15 circular knitting needles
- Finishing Needles
Cowl Pattern:
CO 61 stitches
Round 1: Working in the round place a marker to denote the start of the row. Without twisting your cast on knit the first stitch and purl the second. Continue in this alternate pattern of knit 1, purl 1 for the entire row.
Round 2: Purl the first stitch of the second round. You should be working into the first knit stitch that you made from the previous round. You will knit the purl stitches and purl the knit stitches from the previous round.
Continue in this alternate knit 1 purl 1 pattern until you reach your desired length.
Cast off in pattern.
Fasten off.
Weave in ends.
Packaging Your Gift:
Once you are finished with your project I would wrap it up in a nice box and embellish it with a yarn pom pom rather than a bow. Typically I use the left overs from my project to do this. You can see a full photo tutorial on the blog of how to make a pom pom embellishment.
Also on the Blog:
Frequently Asked Questions
What yarn do you recommend for this cowl?
Honestly… I designed this seed stitch cowl using the new Collage yarn by Red Heart. It’s a blend of 73% acrylic and 27% wool, and it works up beautifully. Just remember, because of the wool content, it needs to be hand washed!
How long does this cowl take to make?
So here’s the thing… you can actually make this cowl within a few hours! It’s a pretty quick project, perfect for whipping up as a last-minute gift.
What knitting needles do I need for this pattern?
Yes! You’ll want to grab some US Size 15 circular knitting needles for this project. They’re perfect for getting that lovely drape in the cowl.
I’m thinking of pairing the cowl with something else for a gift. Any ideas?
That’s such a sweet thought! Katelyn, my Social Media Manager, is pairing the cowls with stamp sets from a shop called Biterswit. They have some really cute knitting-themed stamps that make perfect gift tags!
How do I wash this cowl once it’s done?
Oh, this is important… you’ll want to hand wash this cowl only when needed. The yarn blend means you definitely don’t want to put it in the washing machine, or it might start to felt.
Categories: Knitting, Our Free Patterns, Pattern, Product Reviews
