Farm & Fiber Knits · Pattern
| Type | Pattern |
|---|---|
| From | Farm & Fiber Knits |
| Author | Tressa Weidenaar |
| Published | September 9, 2025 |
| Format |
This versatile cowl, inspired by Navajo weaving and New Mexico landscapes, provides warmth and protection while featuring meaningful motifs and colors that connect the wearer to home.
This pattern is part of the Farm & Fiber Knits subscription. Sign in to check your access.
When Tressa was designing this cowl, she kept thinking about its function. The final size and length made her picture it around the neck of someone on horseback, chasing cows or sheep around a field. Where Tressa lives in New Mexico, the spring winds are often harsh and pow erful. Cowls are very useful to help keep dust and cold air out of one’s shirt and jacket. This cowl can also serve like a mini poncho and add an extra layer of warmth for the shoulders.
The motifs in this design reflect patterns you might see in Navajo weaving. Crosses are used to respect and remind us of Spider Woman, who taught the first people how to weave. Diamonds have four sides, which can honor the four directions or the four sacred mountains of the Navajo people. Tressa chose to make the diamonds turquoise because it is a color of protection. Many of her designs reflect elements of her home so that she can take them with her wherever she goes.
These patterns and colors are comforting to Tressa and help her remember the land and the people that she comes from. Her hope is that knitters will find ways to make this design their own by incorporating colors that remind them of their own homes and where they come from.
YARN Peace Fleece Worsted (50% Navajo Rambouillet, 30% domestic fine wool, 20% mohair; 200 yd [183 m]/4 oz [113 g]): Wild Mustard (MC), 2 skeins; Amaranth (CC1), Antarctic White (CC2), and Baltic Blue (CC3), 1 skein each.
NEEDLES Size 8 (5 mm) 24" (60 cm) and 32" (80 cm) circular (cir). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
NOTIONS 5 Markers (m); tapestry needle.
GAUGE 14 sts and 20 rnds = about 4" (10 cm) in patt and St st, blocked. 15 sts and 23 rnds = 4" in Twisted Rib.
FINISHED SIZE 23½" (60 cm) height, 20" (51 cm) neck opening, 40" (102 cm) bottom circumference.
Visit farmfiberknits.com/abbreviations for terms you don’t know.
Learn more about the designer in “Tressa Weidenaar on Inspiration, Stash, and Cultural Connections”.
Add these colorwork tips to your toolbox—from knitters who know it best.
This top-down pullover features thoughtful details like short rows for a better fit, charted repeats for easy tracking, and a provisional cast-on for neat underarm shaping.
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
Explore color + texture using marls, gradients, and more with 4 knitting patterns and all the resources and tutorials you need.
In the countryside, on campus, or on the slopes, this beanie is a quick knit in worsted-weight yarn with clever crown shaping and a band of graphic colorwork.
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
This classic Fair Isle vest is knit in one piece with steeks for shaping, secured by needlefelting, and worked in DK-weight Shetland wool for a faster, colorful project.
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
This relaxed, bottom-up pullover features Twisted Rib vertical lines, oversized drop shoulders, and short-row shaping for cozy, weather-ready style.
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
The Pole vest draws on a traditional Faroese motif, offering a lighter take on the classic fisherman’s sweaters.
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
Have fun with a long gradient in this colorful knit.
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
Add a cozy slightly oversized sweater with colorwork to your wardrobe.
eBook · Farm & Fiber Knits
Pattern · Farm & Fiber Knits
