Arm Knitting an Infinity Scarf or Cowl- Video Tutorial

by on in Knitting

arm knitting video tutorial infinity scarf cowl

I know. I know. Arm knitting is so last year. But surprisingly enough I still get dozens of emails from viewers asking me to do a video tutorial. It seems they want the “Crafty Gemini” version. So, after hundreds of requests. Here it is! I hope I didn’t let you down. It’s really easy once you know what you’re doing. So, I will let you know now. The video is long. But it is thorough. It is repetitive. But it is necessary. My goal was to make this tutorial be your go-to guide when you want to whip up an arm knit infinity scarf or cowl. I hope you will bookmark this post, pin it and share it with your friends. Send it especially to those who have tried to learn from watching other videos and still can’t get it. Maybe those who want to work with yarn but can’t get the hang of a crochet hook or knitting needles. This is for them {ahem, you.} You DON’T NEED TO KNOW HOW TO CROCHET OR KNIT to make this cowl!!

The only supplies you’ll need  are two skeins of Lion Brand Yarn’s Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn (affiliate link) and a pair of scissors. That’s it. The pattern I (somewhat) used is this free one from Lion Brand’s website called Quick Arm Knit Cowl.

arm knitting tutorial for cowl and infinity scarf

As you can see from the pictures I made quite a variety of cowls. Long, short, wide and narrow. You can make your cowl any size you want using the exact same techniques I show you in this video tutorial. My personal preference is the chunkiest of them all. That cream colored yarn (called Oatmeal) (affiliate link) that some said on my Facebook page that looks like a mop. HA! I happen to love it! I never thought of a mop when I saw this yarn. Maybe it’s because I grew up mopping the floors with an old towel? #Dominicankidproblems

If you find yourself with an hour or so this week give this project a try. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy these cowls are to whip up once you get going. I can make a smaller one in about 15 minutes and the big chunky one in about 35 minutes. Your first time will take you the longest. After that I bet you can make a few in an hour. They make awesome gifts, too!

Make sure to watch my video tutorial to learn about customizing the pattern to create a long or short cowl, how to make it wider or narrower, how to finish off the ends, and I even talk about how many scarves you can get out of the two skeins, etc. I cover a lot of info in this tutorial and I hope you enjoy it! Click to watch the tutorial if it doesn’t show up below. 

And click here to sign up for email updates!

Now for the giveaway! My friends at Lion Brand Yarn have been generous enough to offer up some free yarn for two lucky viewers! Two of you will receive two skeins each of Wool-Ease Thick and Quick (in Fig) (affiliate links) for you to make your own arm knit cowls/scarves with. The giveaway is open to all my worldwide viewers because I’m covering shipping costs myself. Please read the details and enter to win below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

143 replies on “Arm Knitting an Infinity Scarf or Cowl- Video Tutorial“

  • Julie

    ooooh, i love it! i have to make it right now, so i can wear it at the new year’s eve party tomorrow! 🙂 greetings from Germany, you’re doing fantastic work!
    Julie

    Reply

    • Char rees

      My birthday was yesterday and I got yarn for a self gift and looked up you video for arm knitting and made my first scarf…thank you so much for the very easy to follow step by step tutorial!

      Reply

    • Thea

      Hi I loved your video on arm knitting it’s really inspired me to make one for my friends birthday I have a ball of yarn which is 219yrds so would I be able to use each end and join it together to make a scarf or would that not work

      Reply

  • Kara

    This is excellent, thank you! I have a massive ball of yarn that I’ve stashed away because I don’t have the hands for knitting but this will be super for me! 🙂

    Reply

  • Robyn

    What a neat gift idea. And it doesn’t even take too long to make… I see everyone in the family getting one of these by May for winter. Happy new year and blessings from New Zealand.

    Reply

  • Sharon Scott

    Will be making many of these! Love this (and all of your) tutorial/s! Can see how this will definitely help learn crocheting/knitting by seeing the stitches made on a larger scale! Thanks again for another chance to learn from you!

    Reply

  • Elizabeth Martinez

    Thanks for clearing up alot of things I was confused on. Your a great teacher and love your videos. Easy for me to understand and have alot of “aha” moments. LOL I gonna arm knit a cowl for my dance leader at church. She really is into cowls and scarves. Thanks!! ;O)

    Reply

  • Qlt812

    I always wanted to knit but it was just to teagious for me to do and I wasn’t getting the videos I watched… But with you I try it all with great success so I will be Arm Knitting coming into 2015

    Reply

  • Jaclynn Pali Jaramillo

    I can’t wait to try this tutorial out for my daughter and myself! Quick and easy, exactly my type of early morning relaxing.

    Reply

  • nellie1951

    I going to make this cool idea for my daughter and daughter in laws and my grand daugthers , plus some for me .what a great tutorial thank you I love it happy new year everyone

    Reply

  • Erika

    I love and many times you explained and and how slowly you went. You are a wonderful teacher. I’m doing a waldorf curriclum for my first grader and I was looking for some more fun projects and she will love this one. We’ve knited a ton of wash wrags and finger knitting project.. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Connie Rodriguez

    I am thinking I could make one for my granddaughter, she could make one for her mom, and her mom could make one for her sister, and her sister etc,, etc,

    Reply

  • Marianne Myrick

    Wish I had seen this before Christmas – each year I make gifts for 6 women in the family. I would love to do this next year.

    Reply

  • Brenda Howard

    OH wow so cool I would make this for me. I have trouble staying warm I am in a wheelchair and when I drive my chair fast I get a big cool front. This is perfect

    Reply

  • Steph

    I would definitely make one for myself and my little ones. But I would have my older ones make their own but my older girls love to crochet so this is right up their alley.

    Reply

  • Steph

    And… this is so last year? Where have I been? This is great! My daughter watched this with me and says it looks so easy. Can’t wait to try this for a Friday night project with the kids.

    Reply

  • Breanna Gilbert

    It’s too late for the craft store to be open!! Tomorrow I am running out to try this! i have wanted to do some arm knitting for awhile, but never did. This tutorial is awesome, thanks vanessa!!!

    Reply

  • teresa

    My oldest has been in love with infinity scarves for the past couple of years. when I saw your tutorial on this today, I had to make one right away. I didn’t have the bulky yarn so I took 3 skeins of worsted weight (pink, light grey, and white) that I had left over from an afghan. It took about 45 minutes to make and now *I* have an infinity scarf. Sorry daughter, you’re just going to have to wait 🙂

    Reply

  • Oriana

    You are truly inspirational and such a great teacher. I am a beginner and have already made a cowl from following your video I am determined to watch every video you post so that I may one day win your give aways ❤️

    Reply

  • Amy D.

    I love this tutorial. I’ll definitely make this for my mom. She’ll love it and living in Colorado she’ll get a lot of use out of it.

    Reply

  • Vikie

    Incredible, really interesting, I have two yarn that I didn’t have idea what to make… thank you i have an idea …. yet ^^
    Really cool and thank you for the giveaway…. and open internationally….. it’s so lovely ^^

    Reply

  • Tess Miller

    Wonderful video & explanation! I’ve always wanted to try arm knitting, but could never find a tutorial that made sense — until yours! Will be giving this a try and making them for my daughters. Do you recall the color of the yarn you used in the video? Not the “mop” color (HA!) or the Fig, but the one that was actually knitted in the video (sort of a raspberry?). Thanks!

    Reply

  • Sonya Kostner

    This is a GREAT video. I have watched several others trying to figure this out because I want to make some of these so bad but could never figure this out. This is so well done I am more confident to try it. Thank you for an awesome video!

    Reply

  • Tanya F

    These are fantastic. I’m going to make a bunch of these! For myself, my daughter and the ladies at church. They are perfect for the fridged tempatures we have right now (it’s below zero).

    Reply

  • Nora Jones

    Totally enjoy watching your tutorials, Vanessa! Your projects are well-presented, including this great looking cowl. Off to the yarn department today! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  • Xia

    Watching your video as I make a scarf for my Dad. ^________^ His is the first of the scarves I am making for my family. I am making ones for my son and my sister as well and I am also going to make something for my daughter that is going to be born later this January. <3 ^_________^

    Reply

  • Karen Nicholson

    I’d like to make one for my adult daughter and myself. They would also be handy as quick gifts. Thanks for the awesome video tutorial.

    Reply

  • Lisa Ruybal

    Thank you for the video. This was an easy tutorial for someone that has never knitted the traditional way (or the arm 🙂 ). I will be trying this very soon. Thank you.

    Reply

  • Paula

    Another amazing tutorial. Thank you Vanessa! Would love to make a couple of these for my daughter and myself. I’m going to try with some chunky wool I have here but would Love to try with some Lion brand. I can’t buy lion brand wool in the stores over here. I wish spotlight or lincraft sold it but they don’t, which is a shame because I always read so many American patterns using Lion brand.

    Reply

  • Thais

    I definitely want to make these for my friends and I. They would love them and I know my mother would love to get a few haha

    Reply

  • Sara Kennedy

    Love these. You could teach a kangaroo how to craft, your teaching style is just what I needed. Thank you. I would make one for my mother in law if I won.

    Reply

  • Denise

    i made two of the big chunky ones today. It was so easy. Thank you. The on,y thing is at the end of your video you go real quick on the weaving the ends together that I wasn’t sure I was doing it right.

    Reply

    • Vanessa Vargas Wilson

      Glad to hear you made a few! At the end there is no right or wrong way to do it. The key is just to get the ends even and sewn together. It doesn’t matter where you weave the ends in through. 🙂

      Reply

      • blanca rosales

        I just arm knitted a scarf for my mom. It was super fun!
        I will definitely make another arm knitted scarf for my mom and maybe one for me

        Reply

      • blanca rosales

        I just arm knitted a scarf for my mom. It was super fun! Thanks for the video!
        I will definitely make another arm knitted scarf for my mom and maybe one for me

        Reply

  • beck

    I would LOVE to make one of these for my mum!!! I love that your giveaways aren’t just for people in the US, we get a little unlucky here in Australia, missing out on so many of the awesome giveaways available. Thank you for the amazing tutorials!

    Reply

  • Holly

    I’m actually really excited to try this! You are really inspirational and make everything look easy! I have a lot more confidence in sewing since starting to watch your videos and follow your pages. Thanks!

    Reply

  • Taz

    Hey, greetings from the UK 🙂 I’m going to make one for one of my friends in London I think. She’s crafty and I think she’ll love this technique. I wonder if it’s possible to make a matching hat? would love to nail the winter set…:) I’ve been watching your tutorials now for nearly two years. thank you for sharing and inspiring me.

    Reply

  • Natisha

    this is wonderful. I have never had any interest in knitting or crocheting but you make it look so easy. I think I will give this a try. thanks for the easy to follow video.

    Reply

  • Jennifer Aragon

    I’ve never tried arm knitting before, but it looks fun and easy. I’d make one for myself. Thanks for the tutorial and this opportunity!

    Reply

  • Whitney

    I’m going to make this scarf for my youngest sister. She’ll need it while walking across campus during the winter. Thanks for the great tutorial!!!

    Reply

  • Kelli

    Love all of your tutorials! I appreciate the step by step, easy to follow steps you provide with all the details and helpful hints! Thank you!

    Reply

  • Jeri

    Thank you so much for a wonderful tutorial! It is blowing snow in the midwest tonight and this as just the thing to cozy up in front of the fire and make! I think all my coworkers would love one of these chunky scarves:) I look forward to checking out some more of your videos soon! God bless!

    Reply

  • Shawna

    Thank you so much for the tutorial. I am so excited to try this with my daughters so they can make them for there teachers for teacher appreciation week. I just found your videos and I’m so excited to learn so many more new things and dive deeper into crafting with my kid.

    Reply

  • Zee

    Thank you Vanessa!

    I will put the skeins to good use and email you when I’m done.

    One question though. Do you think I would be able to bind off the beginning, when I’m done, if I were to leave a long-enough allowance when starting?

    XOCO

    Reply
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  • Mary Jo Marick

    Dear Vanessa,

    I don’t know why you named this “…Best Tutorial,” but I am so glad you did. That “Best” caught my eye after trying, at least, six other video tutorials, getting frustrated and giving up. You prefaced each action with just the right amount of instruction, and repeated each instruction enough times for me to actually, finally get it!! I especially appreciated your “slo mo” instructions, as well as showing how much yarn you had left at the end.
    I have been wanting to learn how to Arm Knit for some time now, and now I feel like I can really do this with confidence – after LOTS of practice, of course!!
    So, a big THANK YOU and hugs for a great tutorial. <3

    Reply

    • Vanessa Vargas Wilson

      Mary Jo: I’m glad you enjoyed it! I used those keywords because I wanted more people to find my tutorial. I personally think it’s the best arm knitting tutorial on YouTube so I thought is was fitting to name it that. LOL. I, too, struggled to learn how to arm knit about a year ago. All the videos were not very clear, the camera angles were opposite of what I needed to see to “get it” and I knew I could do a better job once I got the hang of it. So, I’m glad it helped you! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply

      • Mary Jo Marick

        Vanessa,

        I am definitely glad that you named your Arm Knitting tutorial “Best,” because it really is the best one I’ve found, bar none. I agree with your comment that “….it’s the best arm knitting tutorial on YouTube.”

        Since watching, practicing, watching, practicing, watching, practicing, I now feel capable of actually showing my friends how to Arm Knit! Several neighbors here get together once a week to work on some sort of craft, and a couple of them have expressed an interest in learning how to Arm Knit. Imagine how proud it makes me to say, “I can do that, and I can teach you how, too!”

        What else can I say? I had a great teacher!! 🙂

        Reply

  • Zoraida Casaverde

    You are an amazing teacher! I’ve seen other arm knitting tutorials, but couldn’t figure it out. In thirty minutes I made my infinity scarf. I’m so excited! Thank you so much!

    Reply

  • Michelle Reed

    This is super easy! I loved making it. I made two the first time and oddly enough the second one was done in 11 minutes… I will definitely be watching more of your videos. Thank you! My daughter loves it!

    Reply

  • Elizabeth

    thank you so much for the boomerang reference! made it much easier to understand by far. I don’t consider myself stupid but I really was in a blunder with this one. after watching several youtube videos I came across yours and got it the first try. thanks again I love my scarf!

    Reply

  • Michelle

    hi from Australia, thank you so much for a wonderful and easy tutorial. My friends and I are making scarves and beanies for the homeless and this is going to be so quick to do, we will be able to get more done in a short space of time.

    Thanks again,
    Michelle

    Reply

  • nn

    this really is the best tutorial i have found for arm knitting – thank you
    I do have a question though – you, and most of the other videos I’ve watched, leave a huge long tail at the beginning, and then never seem to use it…what is the purpose of this tail other than to waste yarn LOL?

    Reply

  • Deborah

    WOW! You are just THE BEST! Excellent video tutorial, I just got addicted to arm knitting and made several cowls. I was wondering if there’s anything else you can do with arm knitting. I have seen blankets and cowls, but apparently not much more around….. Any hint?
    I would recommend your video tutorials to anyone, they are just super easy to follow even for someone like me!!!! THE BEST!!!

    Reply

  • Savannah

    I was looking at the yarn you suggested and they seem to all contain acrylic, which I am allergic to. Do you have any suggestions of acrylic-free yarn I could use?

    Reply

    • Vanessa Vargas Wilson

      I would suggest a wool yarn or even a cotton jersey fabric yarn. The scarves look really cute made in that stuff too. You can find it under the name Fettuccini made by Lion Brand Yarn or you can make it yourself too! Good luck!

      Reply

  • Diana

    I have Lupus but I love making clothes and crafting. I’ve seen the tutorial for the infinity scarf by arm knitting and I was wondering when my hands get tired how can I come to a pause point? Meaning a point I can pause and pick up when I am able to resume my scarf. Also is it possible to use this same technique to make this style wrap scarf meaning leaving it free flowing? Thx Diana

    Reply

  • jane leary

    hi! i watched your tutorial on arm knitting today for the first time, You are very creative. What will be next, it’s amazing how far the craft world has come, Hope to watch you again, jane leary

    Reply

  • B. Ann

    Did this with a group of friends… and had a blast… A few of us used the 2 skeins, but each one was of a different colour or tone, so it ended up as an interesting multi-colour or multi-tone product. Thank you! Your instructions and slo-mo was very effective – for non-knitters too.

    Reply

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