Jan. 27, 2026 - Feb. 2, 2026 Buy more, save more!
Buy 2 patterns, get 10% off with code BUY2GET10
Buy 3 patterns, get 15% off with code BUY3GET15
Buy 5 patterns, get 20% off with code BUY5GET20
Buy 8 or more patterns, get 25% off with code BUY8GET25
(Excludes: Tied Up in Cables)

First I made the Knitwinter Nights socks, and then I was challenged to adapt the pattern into a cowl! I like to call the motifs “knitflakes” as they have eight points, compared to a snowflake’s six.

I like a looser cowl, so I knit 12 total sections for my sample, however, if a tighter cowl is more your style, you might want to knit only 9 or 10 sections. (The smaller cowl circumference is based on 10 sections.) Each section is equivalent to the length of one background color stripe. If the background stripes don’t appeal to you, you can always knit the background in just one color.

It would also be fun to see the cowl in reverse, with different colored knitflakes on a single color background.

Please note: For those using a DK Cowl Kit from Moonglow Yarn Co, if you are doing the full cowl length/circumference, which is 12 sections (same as my sample), you may need more than the one skein of the main color used for the knitflakes depending on your own personal gauge and techniques used. I did not need the extra, but only had about 12 inches left of the MC. One of my testers had to use some of a second skein, and one of my testers had more left than I did. If you are making a tighter cowl with only 9 or 10 sections, you won’t need the extra yarn.

Finished Measurements: 9” (20cm) wide x 28 (34)” / 71 (86) cm circumference.

Gauge: 24 stitches and 27 rows over 4” (10cm) in stranded colorwork in the round

Yarn:
DK weight yarn:

Knitflake color: 110g (135g) or 254yds (312yds) / 232m (285m)

AND one of the background color choices

Multiple color background:
5 (6) 50g skeins 116yds / 106m per 50g

Single color background:
200g (225g) or 462yds (520yds) / 422m (475m)

Want to switch up the background and knitflake color throughout the cowl? You will need roughly the same amount of each color, approx. 150g (170g) or 347 yds (393yds) / 317m (359m)

Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) 24” (40cm) circular needle, plus another Size 4 circular needle or one size smaller.

Extras: A crochet hook in a similar size to your knitting needle, scrap yarn, stitch markers, 2 removable stitch markers, and a tapestry needle.