Thank you to Lion Brand Yarn for supplying the yarn for this sample!

I know, I know. This one looks familiar. I already used this stitch on a cowl, so what am I doing releasing the same pattern again?

But it’s not the same pattern!

I’ve said it many times — when I find a stitch I love, I get really fixated on it. This has been one of those stitches. So far I’ve made that other cowl, boot cuffs, and a gorgeous rustic-modern blanket.

So for this cowl, I decided that I really wanted it in a color-blocked style. I had my eye on some yarn from Lion Brand’s LB Collection, called 100% Superwash Merino, that I wanted to use. The problem with that other cowl is that I worked it in vertical rows instead of horizontal, so I couldn’t have achieved the color-blocked look with that pattern. So, I decided to write up a similar-but-different pattern, working it in horizontal rows this time. I love how it turned out!

About the Yarn

I don’t wear a lot of bright colors; I’m most comfortable in blacks and grays. (I’m not a sad person, I promise. I just find gray very cozy.) But I have been trying to inject a little color into my wardrobe lately, and my favorite color to pair with classic gray is deep purple. 100% Superwash Merino Yarn from the LB Collection is a really pretty lightweight (#3) yarn that has a nice array of colors to choose from. I chose Wisteria, Charcoal, and Purple for my cowl. The yarn itself was a pleasure to work with. There was virtually no splitting (yay!) and it showed of the stitches really nicely. LB Collection Yarn is only available online at lionbrand.com, their studio in NYC, their outlet in New Jersey, or in the Lion Design catalog. (In other words, you won’t find it at the big craft stores or in your local yarn shop.)

If you’re thinking about using 100% Superwash Merino from Lion Brand in your own cowl, here are a few color schemes I put together that you might like:

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COMFY SQUARES COLOR BLOCK COWL

Level: Easy

Size: Cowl measures 28″ wide by 14.5″ tall before seaming.*
*It should probably be noted here that while most of my patterns are modeled on real people, this one is staged on a standard sized jewelry bust that you find at craft stores, which is only about 10″ wide at the shoulders. Keep this in mind when you decide whether or not to adjust the pattern, because if you want it to look as full on you as it does in the photo, you’ll want to increase your starting chain (just keep it an odd number). The good news is, if you use the recommended yarn, you’ll have plenty of yarn in your skeins to do it.

Hook:  H (5.00mm)

Yarn: LB Collection 100% Superwash Merino (#3 light yarn) in 3 colors. You will need 170 yards each of the bottom two colors, and 205 yards of the top color (it uses more because of the ribbing at the top).

You’ll also need: Yarn needle

Gauge: A row of 18SC = about 4″ in length.

Abbreviations Used:
   ST (stitch)
SL ST (slip stitch)
SK (skip)
CH (chain)
SC (single crochet)
HDC (half double crochet)
   SC+HDC (this just means to put a single crochet and a half double crochet in the same stitch)
FPDC (front post double crochet)
BPDC (back post double crochet)

Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard Terms.
(2) Starting CHs do not count as stitches.
(3) To adjust the width of your cowl, add or subtract from your starting CH (just begin with an odd number of CHs). To adjust the length of your blanket, add or subtract an even number of rows to/from each color block.
(4) Cowl is worked from the bottom up, so keep this in mind when choosing the order of colors you work with.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

To begin:
With first color, CH125.

Row 1: SC in 2nd CH from hook. SC across. (124)

Rows 2-21: CH1, turn. HDC in 1st ST. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) across until 1 ST remains. SC in remaining ST. (124)

Row 22: CH1, turn. SC in each ST across. (124)

Helpful tip: The SCs in Rows 22 & 23 help us to create a nice straight line where color blocks come together. If we didn’t add it, the color changes would have a more jagged edge.

Switch to a new color; fasten off previous color, leaving a long tail for seaming.

Row 23: CH1, turn. SC in each ST across. (124)

Rows 24-43: CH1, turn. HDC in 1st ST. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) across until 1 ST remains. SC in remaining ST. (124)

Row 44: CH1, turn. SC in each ST across. (124)

Switch to a new color; fasten off previous color, leaving a long tail for seaming.

Row 45: CH1, turn. SC in each ST across. (124)

Rows 46-59: CH1, turn. HDC in 1st ST. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) across until 1 ST remains. SC in remaining ST. (124)

Row 60: CH1, turn. SC in each ST across. (124)

Row 61: CH1, turn. HDC in each ST across. (124)

Rows 62-67: CH1, turn. FPDC in first ST, BPDC in next ST. (FPDC in next ST, BPDC in next ST) across.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming.

Leaving your 3 long tails alone (there should be one of each color), weave in all other tails to get them out of the way.

Seaming
Lay your cowl flat, then bring the sides together and match up the color blocks. Use a yarn needle to sew each color block closed with its matching yarn tail. Weave in all ends.

© Photography by Kindred Photo & Design

I have received so many requests for a scarf or cowl pattern to match the Macchiato Slouch Hat. I didn’t bother with it because the reality of that hat is that it’s actually incredibly simple (just rounds of HDCs), and it was the Scarfie yarn that made it so unique-looking. So a matching cowl would be, simply, rounds of HDC.

I’ve realized though, after being asked for a matching pattern so many times, that not everyone can make something without a pattern to follow.

And that’s ok!

I think improvising simply comes naturally to some people and not to others. So, I went ahead and whipped up the easiest-ever cowl to match. I wrote out the pattern, which is at the bottom of this post!

About the Yarn

Each skein of Scarfie has very gradual color changes between two colors. I immediately gravitated to the Cream/Taupe, because, well, I’m a sucker for a good taupe color. Each skein has 312 yards of bulky weight yarn, so you’ve got plenty to make a beautiful, ombre-style accessory.

The Matching Slouch Hat

Click here to view the Macchiato Slouch Hat pattern.

–

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THE MACCHIATO COWL

Level: Easy

Size:
Cowl measures 30″ around and is 12″ tall.

Hook: N (9.00mm)
Yarn: About 250 yards of #5 chunky weight yarn; I used Lion Brand Scarfie Yarn in Cream/Taupe.
You’ll also need: Yarn needle

Gauge:
A row of 5HDC = about 2” long

Abbreviations Used:
   ST (stitch)
SL ST (slip stitch)
CH (chain)
HDC (double crochet)
FHDC (foundation half double crochet — optional, but recommended. View tutorial here.)

Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard Terms.
(2) This pattern is worked in a seamless round. Only join or chain when instructed to do so. Use a stitch marker to keep track of the first ST of each round.
(3) Finding knots in your yarn is just an annoying and unavoidable reality of crocheting, and with a gradual-change yarn like this one, it’s especially aggravating when the knot joins yarn from two completely different parts of the color change pattern. This happened to me while making this cowl, and all I did to fix the situation was cut the yarn just before the knot, then pull the yarn from the skein until I got back to the point in the pattern where I had left off, and joined the new yarn there.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Round 1:
FHDC 72. Join ends together with a SL ST into the first FHDC, being careful not to twist the round. (72)

Optional start:
CH73. HDC in 2^nd CH from hook and in each remaining CH. Join with a SL ST to the top of the first HDC, being careful not to twist the round. (72)

Round 2: DO NOT CHAIN. HDC in first ST and in each ST around. DO NOT JOIN.

Rounds 3-26 (or until cowl measures about 12” tall): HDC in each ST around.

SL ST into the next 3 STS to smooth down the round. Fasten off; weave in all ends. If you used the Foundation HDC method, use your starting tail to sew together the gap between your first and last FHDC, then weave in to finish.

I came up with this pattern totally out of curiosity. I’ve done so much with the “SC+DC in next, SK next” combo (like here, here and here), and one night I was sitting on the couch with a partial skein of Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn – Sport” and a G hook, trying to make up some boot cuffs with the same stitch and an added ribbed band, but it just wasn’t working. The double crochet stitch was making the rows too tall for the single crochet banding, and the fabric was getting warped instead of laying flat.

So, wondering what it would look like if I exchanged the SC+DC for SC+HDC, I frogged what I had and gave it a try.

I loved the result!

I love those stitches that look like one thing while you’re making them, and then quite a few rows in when you look at everything together, they look different. Case in point: the SC+HDC combo looked pretty similar to the SC+DC combo as I was making it, but after I had a few inches of fabric done, I noticed that as a whole, it looked like a nice, neat pattern of little textured squares. I thought it was really beautiful against the contrast of the ribbed band, too. So, I went with it — and created a brand new cowl pattern!

This cowl could be pretty easily created with worsted weight yarn as well — you would just want to adjust your stitch counts to match the cowl’s intended measurements (listed in the pattern). But I just love the look and feel of the #3 lightweight yarn. It has this beautiful drape that makes wearing it totally effortless. Anything that is “throw it on and go” is a winner in my book.

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COMFY SQUARES TEXTURED COWL

Size:
 Cowl measures 30″ around and is 12″ tall.
Gauge:
 With H hook, 5SC = 1” in length
Hook: H (5.0mm)
Yarn: 420-430 yards of #3 (light) yarn (such as Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn Sport)
You’ll also need: Yarn needle

Abbreviations Used:
CH (chain)
SL ST (slip stitch)
SK (skip)
SC (single crochet)
HDC (half double crochet)
SC+HDC (this just means to put a single crochet and a half double crochet in the same stitch)
BLO (back loop only)

Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard terms.
(2) It is crocheted as a flat piece, then seamed at the end.
(3) CH1 at the beginning of rounds does not count as a stitch.
(4) The phrase “(SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) 21 times” means 21 times total.
(5) Only crochet in BLO (back loops only) when specifically instructed. So for instance, here is Row 2, with only the BLO stitches in purple:

Row 2: CH1, turn. SC in first ST. SC in BLO of each of the next 3 STS. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) 21 times. SC in BLO of each of the next 7 STS. SC in last ST. (54)

(The reason we don’t put the very first and last STS of the row in BLO is because it helps keep the edge nice and neat-looking.)

PATTERN

To begin:
CH55.

Row 1:  SC in 2nd CH from hook. SC in each of the next 7 STS. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) 21 times. SC in each of the last 4 STS. (54)

Row 2: CH1, turn. SC in first ST. SC in BLO of each of the next 3 STS. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) 21 times. SC in BLO of each of the next 7 STS. SC in last ST. (54)

Row 3: CH1, turn. SC in first ST. SC in BLO of each of the next 7 STS. (SK next ST, SC+HDC in next ST) 21 times. SC in BLO of each of the next 3 STS. SC in last ST. (54)

Rows 4-113 (or until piece measures 30″ in length): Repeat rows 2-3. (54)

Fasten off, leaving a 36″ tail. Use your yarn needle and finishing tail to seam both ends of the cowl together. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Fall is HERE! It’s time for sweaters, hayrides, pumpkins and apple-pie-scented-candles. This has always been my favorite time of the year, and I do my best to indulge in as many fall-related activities as I possibly can. Because as we all know (well, at least those of us who live in the Midwest, USA), this season goes waaaaaaaaaaay too fast.

My little monkeys and I have a tradition that actually goes back to before they were born. On the first day of fall, I always celebrate by making apple crisp. Now that they’re old enough, my boys have joined in on this little ritual.

Click here to view my Homemade Apple Crisp recipe!

This year is the first year that my oldest monkey is in school all day, and also the first year that my youngest monkey is in preschool for the mornings. So while I wait for them to get home for our apple-crisp-making party, I’m celebrating the first day of fall in another way, too… with a new pattern release!

The Apple Crisp Cowl is actually a mixture of two other patterns: the Sparkly Buttoned Cowl, and the Maribel Cowl. I love my Sparkly Buttoned Cowl, but it’s pretty fancy-looking, especially with the metallic yarn I used. I love the way it’s shaped though, so I wanted to come up with a more casual version of the same cowl style. I also love the ribbing on the Maribel Cowl, so I started there. And the Apple Crisp Cowl was born.

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APPLE CRISP COWL

Level: Easy

Size:
Approximately 30″ long by 11″ tall

Materials:

• I hook (5.50mm) and K hook (6.50mm)
• Yarn needle
• Approximately 350-360 yards of your favorite worsted weight yarn – such as Vanna’s Choice
• Two buttons, approximately 1″

Gauge:
With I hook, 4HDC = 1″

Stitches Used:
CH (chain)
SC (single crochet)
HDC (half double crochet)
FHDC (Foundation Half Double Crochet; view tutorial here)
RibHDC (also known as Camel Stitch or 3rd Loop HDC; view tutorial here)
SK (Skip)

Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard terms.
(2) This pattern calls for two different sizes of crochet hooks. A larger hook is used on the top edge to keep it from pulling, because of the way that the cowl is constructed. Hook change is noted in the pattern.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Using I hook:

Row 1:  FHDC 38. (View a tutorial here… or if Foundation Stitches are not your cup o’ cider, you can also CH39, then HDC in 2nd CH from hook and in each remaining CH.)

Row 2: CH1, turn. RibHDC across. (38)

Rows 3-83 (or until it measures about 30″ in length): Repeat Row 2. (38)

Switch to K hook.

Row 84: CH1, DO NOT TURN. SC in same ST (the last ST from Row 83). SC evenly down the long edge of your project. (83)

Rows 85-87: CH1, turn. SC across. (83)

Row 88 (buttonhole): CH1, turn. SC in each of the first 2 STS. CH2, SK 2 STS, SC in next. SC the rest of the way across. (83, counting CH2)

Row 89: CH1, turn. SC across, putting 2SC in the CH2 buttonhole space from the previous row.

Rows 90-91: CH1, turn. SC across.

Edging: CH1, do not turn. SC around the entire piece, putting (SC, CH1, SC) in each corner.

Buttons: Lay your scarf flat, with the buttonhole at the top left corner. Your first button should be sewn 1 inch (both sides) from the bottom right corner; your second button should be sewn 6 inches from the right edge, 1 inch from the bottom edge (in line with the first button).

TO WEAR:

It can feel a bit tricky at first! Start by putting it around your neck with the buttonhole on your left, and the SC rows at the top. The button that is NOT in the corner is the button that will go through the buttonhole. Once you’ve joined those together, you can slip the corner button through whichever part of the scarf you want to achieve your desired look. If you need a little extra help, watch this video of the Sparkly Buttoned Cowl (it’s the same type of cowl):

Last winter, I had the privilege of designing a cowl for All Free Crochet’s blog, Stitch & Unwind. I had a lot of fun doing it, and I am loving the final result. Now, the full pattern is available right here on my blog!

This cowl is made with Lion Brand’s Heartland in “Grand Canyon”, and I highly recommend using it because it makes the detailing and drape sooo pretty. I also made a matching slouch hat pattern!

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SANDY COWL

Size: 30” around x 10” tall
Gauge: With I hook, 6 SC = 2”
Stitches Used: CH, SC, DC, SL ST

You Will Need:

• Approx. 280 yards of your favorite worsted weight yarn (I used Lion Brand’s Heartland)
• Hook Size I (5.50mm)
• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker

Notes:
(1) Pattern is written in American standard terms.
(2) Pattern is begun in turned rounds, then switches to a seamless round and back again. These changes are noted in the pattern. Use a stitch marker during the seamless round to keep track of your rounds.

INSTRUCTIONS

To begin:
CH 91.

Round 1: SC in 2nd CH from hook and in each ST across. Join with a SL ST to top of first SC, being careful not to twist the round. (90)

Round 2: CH1; turn. SC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to top of first SC. (90)

Rounds 3-7: Repeat Round 2. (90)

You will now work in a seamless round. Do not join, chain or turn until instructed to do so.

Round 8: SC+DC in first ST, SK next ST. (SC+DC in next ST, SK next ST) around. (90)

Round 9: (SC+DC in next ST, SK next ST) around. (90)

(Wondering if your placement is correct? Your SC+DC combos should be completed in the tops of each SC from previous row, with each DC from previous row being left empty.)

Rounds 10-26: (SC+DC in next ST, SK next ST) around. (90)

Round 27: (SC+DC in next ST, SK next ST) around, substituting a (SC+SL ST) for the last (SC+DC) combination. (90)

Round 28: CH1. SC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to top of first SC. (90)

You will now work in turned rounds.

Round 29: CH1; turn. SC in each ST around. Join with a SL ST to to of first SC. (90)

Rounds 30-34: Repeat Round 29. (90)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

I never publish a pattern I’m not excited about. But sometimes, when a certain idea comes along, what I see in my head translates to what I create with my hands… and I totally fall in love with the finished product. This is one of those patterns! I just love it.

The Maribel Cowl (along with its matching Boot Cuffs) is possibly one of my favorite personal designs of my first year in business (which wraps up in January, believe it or not!). It’s not that spectacular; it’s actually really simple. But it’s a stitch that I don’t often see being used, and the result is a gorgeously textured, almost faux-knit accessory that will keep you stylish all winter long.

This pattern would look great in any color, but I am almost always partial to natural, neutral colors, so I chose Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in “linen.” I love how it came out. If you follow my lead, you’re going to need 2 skeins, so be sure to check your dye lots! It’s always a good thing to do, but I’ve noticed that this particular color of ILTY tends to vary greatly and can often take on an almost pinkish hue. Just a tip.

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MARIBEL COWL

Hook: K (6.50mm)
Yarn: Worsted (I used about 500 yards, or less than 2 skeins, of Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in “linen”)
Difficulty: Easy
Gauge: Not crucial, but a row of 10 HDC = about 3″
Finished Size: Approximately 34″ around, 15″ tall

Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard Terms.
(2) This pattern uses a stitch I call RibHDC, in which you complete your half double crochet stitch in the single loop just below the loops you usually use. This is what gives the cowl a faux-knit, ribbed look. For a visual explanation, you can view this photo tutorial.
(3) HELPFUL HINT: When RibHDC-ing, sometimes it’s easy to miss the last stitch of the row because it ends up at a bit of an angle. So, if your cowl is getting skinnier and skinnier, you’re probably neglecting it. Counting your stitches will solve this problem. 🙂
(4) Starting Ch does not count as an HDC.

THE PATTERN

To begin: Ch 54.

Row 1: HDC in 2nd Ch from hook, and in each St across. (53 HDC not counting the Ch)

Row 2: Ch1; turn. RibHDC across. (53 RibHDC)

Rows 3-88 (or until cowl is about 34″ long): Ch1; turn. RibHDC across. (53 RibHDC)

Fasten off, leaving a long finishing tail. Use the tail to whip stitch the last row to the first row, joining the piece into a cowl. Fasten off and weave in all ends.

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THICK ‘N COZY RIBBED COWL

Hook: P (11.50mm)
Yarn: Super Bulky (I used 3 skeins of Lion Brand’s “Hometown USA”)
Buttons: 4 large. I used 1″ wooden buttons.
Difficulty: Easy
Gauge: Not crucial, but a row of 10 HDC = about 6″
Finished Size: Approximately 27″ around, 13″ tall

Notes:
(1) This pattern is written in American Standard Terms.
(2) This pattern is worked in rows, then sewn together at the end. The buttons are optional, and you may choose to use them as functioning buttons, but I decided to sew the cowl together and add the buttons to be decorative. (In other words, in my finished cowl, the sewing is holding it together, not the buttons; although, it appears as though the buttons are functional.) If you choose to not sew your cowl together and instead rely on functioning buttons or toggles, be sure to use large enough buttons that they will not slip through the large spaces created by using such a bulky yarn and large hook.
(3) As noted above, this pattern uses a stitch I call RibHDC, in which you complete your half double crochet stitch in the single loop just below the loops you usually use. This is what gives the cowl a faux-knit, ribbed look. For a visual explanation, you can view this photo tutorial.
(4) HELPFUL HINT: When RibHDC-ing, sometimes it’s easy to miss the last stitch of the row because it ends up at a bit of an angle. So, if your cowl is getting skinnier and skinnier, you’re probably neglecting it. Counting your stitches will solve this problem. 🙂

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

THE PATTERN

To begin: Ch 43.

Row 1: HDC in 2nd Ch from hook, and in each St across. (42 HDC not counting the Ch)

Row 2: Ch1; turn. RibHDC across. (42 RibHDC)

Rows 3-19 (or until scarf is about 12″ tall): Ch1; turn. RibHDC across. (42 RibHDC)

Row 20: Ch1; turn. SC evenly around the entire cowl.

Fasten off, leaving a long finishing tail. Weave in your starting tail only, then choose one of the following options for finishing.

Finishing Option 1: Decorative Buttons or Toggles
Fold your cowl so that the ends meet. Overlap one edge about 1″ over the other edge, then use your long finishing tail to sew them together, going up and down through both edges of the cowl with small stitches. Fasten off and weave in. Attach 4 large buttons or toggles in even increments down the seam so that it appears as though the cowl has been “buttoned up.”

Finishing Option 2: Functional Buttons or Toggles
Weave in your finishing tail (you won’t need it for this option). Sew 4 large buttons or toggles evenly down one side. To wear, slip the buttons or toggles through the stitches of the other end of the cowl.