There’s something especially satisfying about finding just the right project for two skeins of yarn—and Truly Truly Madly: A Free Mosaic Cowl Knitting Pattern
There’s something especially satisfying about finding just the right project for two skeins of yarn—and Truly Madly was designed for exactly that.
Originally released in 2022, Truly Madly is a two-color mosaic cowl that looks far more complicated than it actually is. Today, I’m giving this pattern a new home here on the Nurture Knitwear blog, where Truly Madly will now be available permanently as a free mosaic cowl knitting pattern.
If you prefer a beautifully formatted, printable version, the PDF will still be available on Ravelry at a discounted price.
This new version of Truly Madly started at the Fresh Coast Fiber Festival in Traverse City, Michigan, where I met Laura of Created 4 U by Laura.
Laura has a real love for playing with color, and her booth was filled with combinations that were interesting, unexpected, and a little different from what I see every day. We started talking about working together, looked through several of my designs, and Truly Madly was the one that immediately caught her attention.
And honestly, it was a great choice.
Mosaic knitting is such a fun way to let two colors interact, so the same free mosaic cowl knitting pattern can look completely different depending on the yarns you put together.
Laura generously provided the Crystal DK for this collaboration, and then we each knit our own Truly Madly—which means you get to see two very different approaches to exactly the same pattern.
Yarn Support Note: I requested and received yarn support for this design, which means the yarn company provided the yarn at no cost to me. For a small independent designer, yarn support makes a huge difference—it helps offset the considerable cost of creating and publishing new patterns and allows me to keep bringing new designs to your needles. I’m so grateful to the yarn companies that choose to support my work!
Two Cowls, Two Completely Different Looks
For my version, I went a little more traditional with a deep blue paired with a light, speckled color.
Yarn: Created 4 U by Laura Crystal DK Colors: [BLUE COLOR INFO] + [WHITE/SPECKLED COLOR INFO]
I also chose the Möbius construction. That little half twist gives the finished cowl some extra movement and means it naturally settles into different folds every time you put it on.
Laura went in a completely different direction with an aqua and variegated green combination.
Yarn: Created 4 U by Laura Crystal DK Colors: [AQUA COLOR INFO] + [GREEN COLOR INFO]
Her sample uses the standard, untwisted construction—the same style I used for the original Truly Madly.
I love seeing the two side by side because they show just how much personality yarn choice can bring to a relatively simple mosaic motif. Mine feels a little more classic and speckled, while Laura’s has that playful, unexpected color combination that is very much her style.
If choosing colors is your favorite part of a project, you may also enjoy my post on using color in an easy cowl knitting pattern, which gets into some approachable color theory for knitters.
The first thing I noticed was the shine. This yarn is glossy, and the mosaic pattern really catches that sheen.
The other big difference is drape.
My original Truly Madly was knit in 100% merino and has a much crisper feel. Crystal DK has a fuller, fluid drape, so the finished cowl falls and folds around the neck very differently.
In fact, I decided not to block my finished sample at all. I already loved the way the fabric was behaving straight off the needles, and because I chose the Möbius construction, I didn’t want to risk creating strange folds or creases while trying to lay that twisted loop out for blocking.
I just let the yarn do what it wanted to do—and for this version, that worked beautifully.
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Why Mosaic Knitting?
If you’ve looked at mosaic knitting and assumed it meant juggling multiple strands of yarn across every round, Truly Madly is a very friendly place to start.
Although you’re creating a two-color design, you work with only one color at a time. The pattern is created by knitting some stitches and slipping others, which makes the technique much more approachable than the finished fabric might suggest.
Truly Madly is knit in the round, so the floats stay tucked away on the inside of the cowl. Even better, the floats in this motif are never more than one stitch long, which makes managing your tension considerably easier.
It’s one of those projects that gives you plenty to pay attention to without requiring complicated knitting on every stitch.
If you want another mosaic project after Truly Madly, my Viva La Rose mosaic cowl is another fun way to play with slipped stitches and contrasting DK yarns.
Choose Your Construction
Truly Madly gives you a few finishing options, but the two samples in this collaboration also show the biggest visual choice beautifully: straight or Möbius.
Laura’s aqua-and-green cowl is worked as a traditional continuous loop.
My blue-and-white version has a half twist, creating a Möbius cowl. It’s a small construction change that gives the finished accessory a little extra movement and personality.
In the meantime, join in the conversation at Nurtured Knitters, our Facebook group! Ask questions, share photos, and join a community made to lift you up!
Make Your Own Truly Madly Cowl
One of my favorite things about this free mosaic cowl knitting pattern is choosing the yarn.
You need just one skein of DK-weight yarn in each of two colors, which makes Truly Madly perfect for that pair of skeins you love individually but haven’t quite known how to put together.
You can go high contrast and graphic. Choose two softly related colors. Pair a solid with a speckle. Or take a page from Laura’s book and put together two colors you might never have thought to combine.
And if you happen to see Created 4 U by Laura at a fiber festival over the coming year, keep an eye out for these two samples—Laura will be taking both versions of Truly Madly along with her so you can see them in person.
Concentration Level: Medium-High — you just have to pay a bit of attention to what you’re stitching where to make sure motif stays aligned! So leave this one behind for the football game 😉
Techniques to Indulge In: Provisional cast on (optional) Knitting in the round Slipping stitches Mosaic knitting Two-color knitting Kitchener stitch (optional) Three-needle bind off (optional)Finished Measurements: Circumference: 25 (27)”/64 (69) cm Height: 6.5”/17 cm
Yarn: MC – 190 (210) yds/175 (190) m CC – 165 (180) yds/150 (165) m
Suggested Yarn: Madeline Tosh Tosh DK (100% Superwash Merino) 225 yds/205 m, 4 oz/115 g – 1 skein in Onyx (MC) & 1 skein in Peppercorn (CC)
Gauge: 25 sts & 39 rounds = 4”/10 cm in mosaic stockinette, after blocking 1 motif = 1.5”/4 cm wide & 2”/5 cm high
Suggested Needles: US 7/4.50 mm – 16”/40 cm or preferred method of small circumference knitting (or needles needed to obtain gauge!)
Concentration Level: Medium-High — you just have to pay a bit of attention to what you’re stitching where to make sure motif stays aligned! So leave this one behind for the football game 😉
Techniques to Indulge In: Provisional cast on (optional) Knitting in the round Slipping stitches Mosaic knitting Two-color knitting Kitchener stitch (optional) Three-needle bind off (optional)
Glossary for the Free Mosaic Cowl Knitting Pattern
BO – bind off
CC – contrast color (this is the background color or color “behind” the motif)
CO – cast on
k – knit
MC – main color (this forward color or color that defines the motif)
p – purl
sl – slip stitch purlwise with yarn in back
Special Techniques
Provisional CO
Creates a round of live stitches, secured by waste yarn or a cable. For a step-by-step
written, photo, and video tutorial of how to create a Provisional CO four different ways, check
out my blog post Ultimate Guide to Provisional Cast On: 4 Easy Methods at
NurtureKnitwear.com.
Kitchener Stitch
Mimics the knit stitch and is used to invisibly join one piece of stockinette to another. For a
step-by-step written, photo, and video tutorial of how to work the Kitchener Stitch, check out
my blog post The Ultimate Kitchener Stitch How To for Beginners at NurtureKnitwear.com.
Duplicate Stitch
Is a stitch sewn over the top of an existing stitch for color work purposes. For a step-by-step
written, photo, and video tutorial of how to work the Duplicate Stitch, out my blog post The
Ultimate Kitchener Stitch How To for Beginners at NurtureKnitwear.com.
3-Needle BO
Knits a stitch from the front needle together with a stitch from the back needle then pass the
previously knit stitch over the top of the current knit stitch to bind off.
Your free pattern is on its way!
In the meantime, join in the conversation at Nurtured Knitters, our Facebook group! Ask questions, share photos, and join a community made to lift you up!
Pattern Notes
Set Up/Bind Off Options
There are 3 options for your bind off/finish, but here’s the catch—you need to decide which you’re going to choose before you begin. The 3 options are listed from fiddly and completely invisible to very visible and super simple.
Option 1 — Kitchener Bind Off in 2 colors. This will exactly match the pattern and be completely invisible. (This is the one I chose because I’m totally Type A like that, lol.) I’m not going to lie, it’s pretty fiddly, but it’s totally doable and I’ve got a Kitchener stitch tutorial and video to help!
Option 2 — Kitchener Bind Off in 1 color. This will occur on a row where only 2 out of the 10 stitches are the CC, so you will be able to see that the row is different, but it won’t be super noticeable. It’s the middle-of-the-road option: minimal visibility and minimal fiddliness. You could use Duplicate Stitch to complete its invisibility.
Option 3 — 3-Needle Bind Off. This will occur on a row where only 2 out of the 10 stitches are the CC, but the bind off will be raised above the other stitches and be quite visible. But it’s also the quickest and simplest option, so it’s totally cool to shift that around to the back and be done!
Option 1 will have a different set up than Options 2 & 3, so pick your poison and let’s begin!
Get the Truly Madly Pattern
The full Truly Madly pattern is available free right here on the blog.
But if you want an easy-to-print version to keep in your pattern library? You can also purchase the professionally formatted PDF at a reduced price on Ravelry.
A Quick Note on Free Patterns
This pattern is free to use here on the Nurture Knitwear website, but please don’t copy, paste, repost, or reproduce the pattern elsewhere. The ads on this site are what allow me to keep offering patterns like this for free. Between website costs, yarn, photography, tech editing, and the many hours that go into designing and writing a pattern, I earn very little for the time involved. If you enjoy having access to free patterns, the kindest thing you can do is read and use them here rather than copying them elsewhere. And if you hate ads/website use, I always offer the patterns for just a few dollars on Ravelry & Etsy. Thank you for supporting my work and helping me continue to create free knitting patterns.
Set Up
Read the Set Up/Bind Off section of the notes for this free mosaic cowl knitting pattern to decide which set up to use.
Option 1
Using a Provisional CO and waste yarn, cast on 80 sts. Join in the round, taking care not to twist the stitches.
Set Up: *K1 in CC, k1 in MC, rep from * around.
Note: This can be done at the same time using the stranded color work technique or in 2 separate rows using mosaic techniques. DO NOT remove the waste yarn or place the stitches on needles.
Proceed to Row 3.
Options 2 & 3
Using a Provisional CO and MC, cast on 80 sts. Join in the round, taking care not to twist the stitches.
If using a Provisional CO that does not work the first round of sts (Option 1 on the blog), knit 1 round. If using a Provisional CO that works the first round of sts in MC (Options 2, 3, & 4 on the blog), do not knit around.
Repeat Rows 1–20 ten (eleven) more times—Option 1 ending on a Row 20, Options 2 & 3 ending on a Row 19.
Bind Off Prep
You have one last choice to make before you begin binding off! Do you want the cowl fully circular or biased (with a twist)?
For Circular
Option 1: Cut MC & CC, leaving 4 times the circumference of your cowl. Place yarn onto 2 separate tapestry needles.
Option 2: Cut MC, leaving 4 times the circumference of your cowl. Cut CC, leaving just enough yarn to weave in ends. Place MC on tapestry needle.
Option 3: Cut CC, leaving just enough yarn to weave in ends.
For Bias
Option 1: Cut MC & CC, leaving just enough yarn to weave in ends. Slip the first 40 sts. Cut lengths of MC & CC that are 4 times the circumference of your cowl. Place new lengths of MC & CC onto 2 separate tapestry needles.
Option 2: Cut MC & CC, leaving just enough yarn to weave in ends. Slip the first 40 sts. Cut a length of MC that is 4 times the circumference of your cowl. Place new length of MC on tapestry needle.
Option 3: Cut MC & CC, leaving just enough yarn to weave in ends. Slip the first 40 sts. Attach MC.
For All
Weave in all ends not used for seaming or knitting.
Bind Off
Option 1
Do not take stitches off the waste yarn. You’ll work the Kitchener stitch into the 2 legs of the stitch above the waste yarn and then you’ll pick the waste yarn out from behind the finished seam. The yarn will not unravel like you’re used to with a provisional cast on because of the 2 colors, so you’ll have to pull the stitches free (trimming the waste yarn occasionally makes this much easier).
Align the first stitch on your needles with the first stitch of the Provisional CO (you’ll be able to see the knot from your slipknot).
Bind Off: *Using needle with CC, insert the needle purlwise into the first st on your knitting needle, then insert the needle behind the 2 CC legs above the waste yarn from right to left, finally insert knitwise onto the first st and slide off. Lay down CC, making sure the yarn falls behind the sts. Using the needle with MC, insert the needle purlwise into the first st on your knitting needle, then insert the needle behind the 2 MC legs above the waste yarn from right to left, finally insert knitwise onto the first st and slide off. Lay down MC, making sure the yarn falls behind the sts. Rep from * around.
Your free pattern is on its way!
In the meantime, join in the conversation at Nurtured Knitters, our Facebook group! Ask questions, share photos, and join a community made to lift you up!
Option 2
Place your Provisional CO onto spare needles (back) and align with the working needles (front).
Bind Off: Place the first st on the front and back needle on locking stitch markers. *Insert tapestry needle through first st on front needle as if to knit and slide off, and then insert tapestry needle into the next st on front needle as if to purl and pull through. Then insert tapestry needle through the first st on the back needle as if to purl and pull and slide off, and then insert tapestry needle into the next st on the back needle as if to knit and pull through. Rep from * around.
Place the 2 sts on locking st markers back on the front and back needles. Insert needle into front st as if to purl and pull through; insert needle into back st as if to knit and pull through.
Option 3
Place your Provisional CO onto spare needles (back) and align with the working needles (front).
Bind Off: Knit st on front needle together with st on back needle, around.
Finishing Your Free Mosaic Cowl Knitting Pattern
Woo hoo! You did it! You are a champion.
Weave in your last end(s) by creating a shadow stitch (tracing the path of a stitch) for a couple sts and then pull inside the tube of knitting. Give it a light blocking to even out your stitches and you’re done!
If you share photos of your Nurture Knitwear projects, please be sure to tag me @nurtureknitwear on Instagram and use the hashtags #nurtureknitwear and #trulymadlycowl.
However you choose to knit yours, I hope Truly Madly gives you an excuse to pull two beautiful skeins from your stash—or choose two completely new ones—and see what happens when you put them together.
