Cowl and shoulders first
Start with ribbing in the round, then widen the shoulder section in stockinette. The written instructions give the increases and stitch counts for both sizes.
Make your own hooded cowl
Finished-project photo
Finished-project photo
Original design photos · Pattern only
A cowl and a roomy hood, together.
Chunky Hooded Cowl Knitting Pattern
Pull on the ribbed cowl, settle the hood over your head and head out in a winter layer you made yourself. A shoulder section sits beneath your coat while the knitted drawstring finishes the face opening. One project, with warmth around both neck and head.
Shaping, picked-up stitches and i-cord6-page English PDF
£6.99Digital knitting pattern
- Two sizes, S/M and L, with hood and total-length measurements
- A ribbed neck and shoulder section joined to a spacious, shaped hood
- Written shaping instructions, a folded drawstring casing and a knitted i-cord finish
Pattern only: English PDF. Finished hood, yarn and knitting tools are not included.
English PDF patternYarn and tools not included
Made by fellow knitters
What is included?
A 6-page English PDF with size and material details, written cowl and hood instructions, construction photos, drawstring-casing and i-cord instructions, finishing guidance and a notes page.
Which skills will I use?
Knit and purl ribbing, knitting in the round and flat, increases and decreases, picking up stitches, making eyelets, sewing down a folded edge and knitting i-cord. The PDF does not give a named difficulty rating.
How big is the hood?
S/M and L: total length 49 and 51 cm; hood length approximately 39 and 40 cm; hood circumference approximately 57 and 60 cm. These are finished garment dimensions.
What should I gather?
The PDF lists 5 or 6 skeins for S/M or L, with Rauma Vams or Istex Alafosslopi and Rauma Puno as an alternative. Use 4.5 and 5.5 mm circular needles and 5 mm double-pointed needles for the cord. Check the fuller yarn note below before substituting.
Delivery and refunds
This is a digital pattern, not a finished item. See our delivery policy and refund policy for the current terms.
Chunky Hooded Cowl Knitting PatternDigital knitting pattern
Get the Pattern · £6.99
Hood up outside. Cowl around your neck.
The spacious hood and long ribbed neck are part of the same design, so there is no separate scarf to arrange. The stockinette shoulder section widens below the cowl, and the hood can rest down behind your neck when you do not need it over your head.
A clear route through the construction.
See what the supplied PDF covers before you begin.
A shaped hood
Pick up stitches at the marked purl round, then work the hood back and forth. Written increase and decrease sequences shape the sides and crown.
The finishing details
Make the cord openings, fold and sew the casing, and knit the i-cord. The PDF finishes with washing and shaping guidance, plus space for your own notes.
The finish is part of the design.
The hood edge folds inward to create a casing for the knitted cord. It is a small piece of finishing that changes how the face opening looks and feels. The PDF explains the cord holes and i-cord rather than leaving you to find a separate finishing method. This is not a completely sewing-free project: the folded edge is sewn down.
Build it from the neck upward.
Knit the ribbed cowl
Work the neck in the round, then increase through the shoulder section.
Pick up the hood
Use the marked purl round, then shape the hood while working back and forth.
Add casing and cord
Pick up the face opening, work the ribbed edge and cord holes, then fold, sew and thread the i-cord.
Choose between two finished sizes.
The PDF labels the sizes S/M and L. Check the dimensions rather than treating those labels as a head-circumference range.
Size S/M
Total length: 49 cm. Hood length: approximately 39 cm. Hood circumference: approximately 57 cm.
Size L
Total length: 51 cm. Hood length: approximately 40 cm. Hood circumference: approximately 60 cm.
Plan your yarn and tools.
Materials
Suggested yarns in the PDF: Rauma Vams or Istex Alafosslopi; Rauma Puno is listed as an alternative. Quantity: 5 skeins for S/M, 6 for L. The PDF does not give a separate weight or metre requirement for each alternative, so do not treat the ball counts as interchangeable across different put-ups. Check the chosen yarn’s label and the required gauge. Circular needles: 4.5 and 5.5 mm, with 40 and 60 cm cables as needed. Use 5 mm double-pointed needles for the i-cord, plus markers and a needle for sewing the casing and weaving in ends.
Gauge
15 stitches × 22 rows = 10 × 10 cm in stockinette on 5.5 mm needles, measured after washing. Swatch before beginning and choose the needle size that produces this gauge rather than relying on yarn-weight labels alone.
Before you cast on
A few things before you begin
A few practical answers for this particular project.
Ask us a questionIs this a finished hood?
No. It is an English digital knitting pattern to make the hooded cowl. Yarn, needles and the finished garment are not included.
Is the hood knitted separately and sewn on?
No. Hood stitches are picked up from the cowl construction. The hood is then shaped back and forth. The drawstring casing does require sewing down.
Can I use another chunky yarn?
Use a yarn that achieves the washed gauge and gives a fabric you like. Compare its meterage and ball size with your planned yarn; the PDF lists 5 or 6 skeins but does not provide separate quantities for every alternative.
Is there a video tutorial?
The supplied PDF includes written instructions and photos. No video tutorial is included or promised on this page.
Can I finish it in a weekend?
The PDF gives no completion-time estimate. Plan around your own pace and allow time for the shaped hood, casing, cord and washing.
Your next handmade favourite
Make the layer you will pull on before heading out.
Choose your size, check the washed gauge and build your cowl, hood and knitted cord one stage at a time.