You spend so much time driving kids to soccer practice (and soccer games in which your kid never even touches the damn ball) that it feels like your part–time job. You might as well knit yourself a cowl to keep you warm.

The Soccer Practice Cowl is knit in the round with some basic striping and slipped stitches. The project requires two colors, but you only use one color at a time, making this pattern look more difficult than it actually is. You can follow the written directions or the chart. If you’ve never used a chart, this is a great way to learn.

Finished size: Circumference—21.6” (55cm), height—6.75” (17cm), but easily customizable.

Yarn: Total of 160 yds (146 m) of worsted weight yarn. 120 yds (110 m) in MC (main color) and 40 yds (37 m) in CC (contrast color). Cowl pictured with Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Black (MC) and White (CC).

Skill Level: Advanced beginner to intermediate. Project requires knowledge of (or willingness to learn) knitting in the round and simple striping. This is a good “first colorwork” and/or “first chart” project.

If you like to add beads to your knitting, you might enjoy this modification (see the pictures of the red cowl on the left). Thank you, iowaknitter!