Cowl Girls: The Neck's Big Thing to Knit [Paperback]

Cathy Carron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2010

Forget tired scarves and bulky turtlenecks-funky, chunky, hip and happening cowls are where it's at! Following up her hit book Hattitude, author and designer Cathy Carron weaves a fashion statement that puts in-the-know women head and shoulders above the rest. Among the more than 35 patterns provided here are a cozy neck wrap featuring a built-in iPod holder, a lacy drawstring hood, and a woven necklace sparkling with Swarovski crystals.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cathy Carron is a knitwear designer, whose designs have been published in many knitting magazines, including Vogue Knitting, Knit.1, Knit Simple, Interweave Knits and knitscene. She is the author of Hip Knit Hats (9781579906443), Knitting Sweaters From the Top Down (9781600595547) and the hit title Hattitude.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Sixth&Spring Books (October 5, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1936096048
• ISBN-13: 978-1936096046
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,943 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Knitwear designer, Cathy Carron's latest work or collection is 'Short Story'. Her work is regularly published in magazines such as Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits and the online magazine, The Twist Collective. Updates on her most recent work can be seen on Ravelry.com and her website www.pondedge.net. Other bestsellers include Cowlgirls (2011), Hattitude (Fall 2009) & Hip Knit Hats (2005). Her designs have appeared in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, knit simple, Knit.1, knitscene, The Twist Collective, Vogue Knits-On-the-Go (Gifts, Bags Book II), Rowan International Vol. #42, Vogue's The Ultimate Sock Book, One Skein Wonder: Designers(2007), and the upcoming, One Skein Wonder: Luxury Yarns(2008); Joy of Sox (2009).

See more of Cathy Carron's work @ www.pondedge.net

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

87 of 89 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars fun but limited November 4, 2010

By M. Gordon

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was chomping at the bit for this book to come out because I love knitting and wearing neck warmers. But I don't know about the rest of you knitters but I'm frustrated when a knit designer who publishes is tied to the yarn manufacturer's that she uses and doesn't even list the weight of the yarn used in the pattern for substitutions. Really now, how many of us can find all of this yarn locally or even want to use the same yarn called for in patterns? By the time you add up the cost of one bulky to super bulky cowl in this book you have spent over $50.00 in yarn and that seems like alot for a cowl. The majority of these patterns are gorgeous but in high priced bulky yarns, very few in worsted weight. The formatting is confusing but tolerable and it is inspiring eye candy. Never-the-less, I'm determined to make several of the patterns because they are simply smashing designs.

86 of 94 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous designs, not very helpful instructions October 15, 2010

By P. Mitchell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just came back to knitting after a multi-year hiatus and was excited to get this book. It's fall, and cowls are the perfect thing to knit for the season. I had to pre-order it because it wasn't available in stores, and now that I've received it and checked it out, I'm returning it.

It is a lovely book with incredibly gorgeous designs. The models were so young and beautiful, I felt like I was leafing through an issue of Vogue magazine! But the big problem-- for me, anyway-- is that the instructions were written at the level of the advanced knitter.

Stitches & specialty detail instructions are presented first, followed by a condensed knitting pattern. You need to have a LOT of knowledge to decipher these, which I don't. As a newer knitter I didn't expect to be able to do every pattern, but I did expect there to be a progression from simple to difficult. The author even says in her introduction that there are designs for every level of knitter. The problem is that she gives NO direction to the newer knitter to let them know which ones are for them. Even basic categorizations-- this pattern is easy, this pattern for intermediate knitters, this pattern for advanced-- are missing. So you're pretty much left to fend for yourself.

Intermediate to advanced knitters will love this book. It's too bad that the author left out the newbies when planning the instructional design of this book, since the cowl is the perfect project to learn with.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Runs circles around knitted scarves --a lot of fun knitting here January 31, 2011

By Joanna Daneman #1 HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Cowls are the new knit accessory craze; warm as a scarf but without the floppy, draggly ends to deal with. I agree with this craze! I knitted a simple cowl recently, basically I knit a flat piece on the bias and then grafted to make a seamless tube. It's easy to pull on over a sweater and it pulls up like a hood if need be. Versatile, comfortable and stylish. Yep, I like cowls!

Cowlgirls has 41 patterns, from plain jane to colorwork and there will probably be one that appeals to your fashion sensibilities. I happened to really like four in particular: the "wrapture" which covers the shoulders like a shawlette-cowl combo, "Seed Stitch" which is simple and elegant, Cabled Cowl which has elegant textures and pleases the eye, and Neverending Story, a looped scarf that can be wrapped as a cowl and has attractive colorwork.

There were not a lot of lacy cowls in finer gauge yarn, so if you are a lace knitter, you might not like the thicker yarns used. On the other hand, if you are a handspinner of worsted-weight yarns or dk yarns, you might like the book a lot; cowls are relatively yarn-sparing compared to long scarves and sweaters or shawls and can adapt to unique handspuns.

Here's an issue; the weight of the yarns that are used was not given, just the name of the yarn. But using sleuthing on the web from various sites such as wiseneedle or ravelry, you can figure out the gauge/weight/yardage requirements and sub your own yarns. And, because cowls are mostly not as gauge-sensitive as a sweater, you should have some ability to adjust without a lot of worry.

I like this book and I am sure it will give you a lot of knitting pleasure as well as ideas for cowls of your own. It's a good book and worth owning.