the super simple cowl is created like so:
get your optim top, and strip it into 8 pieces lengthwise (that is, pull it in half, then pull that half in half, then pull that half in half. repeat until you have your eight balls of roughly little finger width combed top). cast on for the width that you want (i cast on around 25 stitches). knit for the length that you want (try as you go - you want it to wrap around your neck with a bit extra to cope with buttonholes).
then, it’s buttonhole time! total number of stitches, and divide by 4 (or number of buttonholes that you want).
so, every 5th stitch, i’d knit 2 together, and yarn over to create the hole, then finish the cowl by knitting 3 rows and casting off. massive wooden buttons sewn on, and done!