Knitters and crocheters have long been inspired to create items seen on their favorite TV shows and movies. Industry publishers have, of course, taken note as well and produced themed books and magazines on everything from “Harry Potter” to “Downton Abbey.”
The latest show to inspire knitwear is the amazingly good “Outlander” series, with the highlight being its popular super chunky cowl. Lots of patterns for it have popped up on Ravelry, but we’ve narrowed it down to two options to make things easier for you: one knitted and one crocheted.
For a knit version, yarnista Nicole, who happens to be a huge “Outlander” fan, recommends The Gathering pattern by Kalurah Hudson (a free pattern) for the accuracy in its design. The key, Nicole said, is holding a super chunky yarn doubled and using those now-ubiquitous size 50 US (25 mm) needles.
You also could crochet one of these, if knitting isn’t your thing. Try the Sassenach pattern by Polly Foo Foo (also free). This pattern uses a size Q (16 mm) hook and is single-stranded. It looks fine as is, but since we have size 50 hooks in the shop, I think you could easily modify this pattern to make it look more accurately bulky by holding it two stranded and using that 50 hook.
We have some size 50 needles and crochet hooks in space now, but they’re going fast. They’re in the room with the super bulky yarn. For yarn options, Ushya would be our pick. It’s 114 yards per skein so two will do the job nicely. The chainette stitch of the yarn makes for a light and squishy fabric. If you want something a bit heavier, Spud & Chloe Outer, with its 65% wool-35% organic cotton blend, has some fantastic neutrals that would be awesome and cozy. They’re only 60 yards/skein, though, so you would probably need three to four, depending on how big a cowl you want to make. If you’re feeling like a splurge, the brand-new-to-space BagSmith Big Stitch Merino or Big Stitch Alpaca would make an absolutely delicious version. And you could definitely use this extra big yarn single-stranded! If you haven’t felt either yarn yet, it’s incredibly soft – especially the Big Stitch Alpaca. Come by and hug a bundle soon, before it’s all gone!