When I'm not running Bed and Breakfast Academy, I love to knit. It’s my ultimate way to relax, unwind, and spark creativity. Over the years, I’ve discovered the joy of knitting shawls, cowls, and scarves—projects that don’t require the stress of swatching, sewing up seams, or worrying about fit.

Alongside running Bed and Breakfast Academy, I’ve started an Etsy shop as a side hustle. It’s a way for me to learn new skills, explore my artistic side, and share my love of planning and organization with fellow knitters. I’ve created printable, digital (for Goodnotes), and Notion planners to help keep knitting projects neat and structured. You can check them out on my Etsy shop here.

If You’re New to Knitting

Ravelry is an amazing resource where you can find patterns and see how other knitters have used different yarns, colorways, and needles to create their projects. You can find me on Ravelry as KJT1966, and here’s a link to my project page.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. This helps support my yarn-buying habit and allows me to keep sharing my favorite knitting projects with you!

Nightshift Shawl

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed knitting this shawl! The rich, vibrant colors and the joy of working with Malabrigo Rios made it an unforgettable project. One of the best things about this shawl is the endless potential for color combinations. It’s a simple knit that uses knit, purl, M1R, M1L, and slip stitches.

• Pattern available here → Buy Nightshift Shawl pattern

• Yarn available here → Buy Malabrigo Rios

• Track your progress with my Knitting Planner! Get yours on Etsy

Shift Cowl

I love the Shift Cowl for its stylish and wearable design. It’s a smaller version of the Nightshift Shawl, featuring a seamless look with a clever slip-stitch technique. This cowl is seamed at the back, making it easy to wear and a great option for those who prefer accessories that stay in place.

I’ve knitted it quite a few times now, experimenting with different yarns. While the original yarn, Spincycle – Dyed in the Wool ( the centre image ), is a bit of a splurge, you can achieve a beautiful result using more affordable alternatives. The blue/green version I made was with Malabrigo Rastita, but unfortunately the yarn is no longer available. Additionally, the Drops Delight ( the pink version ), which I’ve also used for this project, has been discontinued.

• Pattern available here → Buy Shift Cowl pattern

• Alternative yarn options: Malabrigo Arroyo, Cascade 220 Sport, and other gradient or color-changing yarns

• Knitting Planner Tip: Planning out your color choices before starting can save you time! Check out my Notion Knitting Planner here.

Groovy Shawl

One of my favourite things to do when travelling is to hunt down local yarn stores and spend time discovering yarns I can’t get in the UK. In Portland, Oregon, I came across a lovely shop called Knit Purl, where I spotted this shawl made up in the shop. The yarn is a pure alpaca, Galler Yarns Prime Alpaca, which comes in a generous 227g skein. The shop kindly wound it into a cake for me, so I was able to start knitting straight away for the rest of my trip. With just knits, purls, and increases, it was the perfect travel knit!

• Pattern available here → Buy on Ravelry
• Yarn details → Galler Yarns Prime Alpaca (pure alpaca, 227g skein). 
• Substitutes → Any alpaca DK or Aran/worsted weight yarn would work well
• Keep track of your yarn stash with my Knitting Planner! → Get yours on Etsy

Passeggiata Shawl

This is another beautifully simple knitted shawl that looks impressive but is incredibly easy—just lots of knit rows and increases. It was the perfect project for our long drive down to Devon, and it’s just as ideal for a Netflix binge. I originally knitted it in Malabrigo Rastita, the same yarn I used for my Shift Cowl, but since that’s no longer available, Malabrigo Sock or Arroyo would work just as well.

This lightweight shawl is perfect for summer evenings or even as a delicate wrap for weddings.

• Pattern available here → Buy on from the designer
• Yarn details → Originally Malabrigo Rastita (discontinued), but Malabrigo Sock or Arroyo are great substitutes
• Substitutes → Any soft merino sock or sport weight yarn would work well
• Keep track of your yarn stash with my Knitting Planner! Get yours on Etsy

Guernsey Wrap

I’ve knitted this wrap four times now in three different yarns, and it’s one of those patterns I keep coming back to. It’s beautifully simple, made up of just knits and purls, but the texture makes it look really effective. As a shawl, it’s incredibly wearable—perfect as a big, chunky scarf or draped over your shoulders on a cool evening.

My favourite version has to be in WYS Croft, especially in this glorious orange shade.

• Pattern available here → Buy from the designer
• Yarn details → WYS Croft in a stunning orange shade
• Substitutes → Any wool or wool-blend DK or worsted weight yarn would work well. The Purple is Brooklyn Tweed Shelter and the Grey is Drops Nepal.
• Keep track of your yarn stash with my Knitting Planner! → Get yours on Etsy

Garter Ridge Cowl ( Free Pattern)

OK, I’m up to six favourite patterns now, not five—and yes, this is a cowl, not a shawl—but I had to include my absolute favourite recent knitting project, the Garter Ridge Cowl from Purl Soho.

As soon as it landed in my inbox, I knew I had to make it. It was perfect car knitting for our long trip to Cornwall, where we spent a few days of R&R. Just make sure to cast on and knit the first couple of rows somewhere quiet so you don’t accidentally twist your stitches when joining in the round. I always lay my needle flat on a table to check that all the stitches are facing the right way before I start.

I would have loved to use the recommended yarn, but since it’s not easy to get in the UK, I went with Drops Lima, a lovely soft wool/alpaca blend. I used three balls of each colour, but I was definitely playing yarn chicken with the blue towards the end! Since I’m quite a tight knitter, it might be worth getting four of each just in case.

For the bind-off, I originally did a loose bind-off I found on YouTube, but I wish I’d gone with an iCord bind-off instead, using both colours. If you fancy trying it, the method is: knit 2, knit next 2 stitches through the back loop, slip the 3 stitches back to the right needle, and repeat, alternating colours if you’re using two yarns.

• Pattern available here → Free pattern – Garter Ridge Cowl
• Yarn details → Drops Lima – a soft wool/alpaca blend
• Substitutes → Any DK-weight wool/alpaca blend would work well. I also made it in Cascade 220.
• Keep track of your yarn stash with my Knitting Planner! Get yours on Etsy