This cowl is thick and warm, due to the lovely shell stitch I learned from My Picot. It is abundant in puff stitches, texture, and is just a blast to work. You’ll love the way the pattern changes with each row and how it builds on itself. This quick project is a perfect gift as well! Wow your friends and family with this deceptively fancy-looking stitch – in reality it is as simple as can be!
Though this cowl does not have a lovely fringe like its sister scarf pattern, it does have the iconic border stitch: the twisted single crochet stitch, a high-flying, karate-kicking, gem of a stitch that you will LOVE.
Fall is still here in the Southwest and it is SUNNY! It is definitely chilly enough for scarves though, and this one is perfect for the weather. I love how the variegated yarn goes with whatever I am wearing and the border row gives it that pop!
Want to try out the long sister scarf that inspired this cowl?! Click HERE
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Looking for more crochet patterns? Check out my favorites below!
- Southwest Winter Beanie Pattern 2. Serenity Beanie Pattern 3. Ripple Rainforest Scarf Pattern 4. Chuckanut Sweater Pattern
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DESCRIPTION
Because my Ripple Rainforest Scarf Pattern has been so popular, I was inspired to create a similar cowl pattern! It is perfect for bundling up as the weather begins to change. This cozy but chic cowl is made with 100% wool yarn from Malabrigo. The cowl is ~30 inches around and ~15 inches tall. The cowl is crocheted with the shell stitch and is outlined in a contrasting yarn color using the twisted single crochet stitch. This pattern works up quickly! Once you get the hang of the shell stitch you will finish up in no time, a couple of hours at most. This perfect, fast make is just right for the holiday season and gift-giving.
MATERIALS
- Malabrigo Rios Yarn (Weight: 4/medium 3.5 oz/210 yd): size small: ~350 yards, size medium: ~400 yards, size large: ~450 yards
- Vanna’s Choice Lion Brand Yarn (Weight: 4/medium – 3.5 oz/186 yd): ~50 yd needed for border
- Size I (5.5 mm) crochet hook and Size H (5 mm) crochet hook – I have recently begun using Furls Crochet hooks and have seen immediate relief from the hand pain that used to bother me. I am an affiliate of Furls Crochet and am so proud to represent their quality products.
ABBREVIATIONS
- ch: chain
- st: stitch
- sk: skip stitch
- blo: back loops only
- fsc: foundation single crochet (tutorial)
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- puff st: yarn over, insert hook into ch-1 sp and pull a loop up. Repeat 3 times until you have 9 loops on your hook. yarn over and pull through 8 loops. yarn over and pull through last two loops. ch 1. (All puff st end with a ch 1.)
- twisted sc: twisted single crochet (tutorial)
SIZING
This cowl comes in three sizes: youth large/adult small: ~22 inches around and ~15 inches tall, adult medium: ~27 inches around and ~15 inches tall, and adult large: ~32 inches around and ~15 inches tall. Measurements are for finished cowl, the diameter of the cowl will shrink considerably after the initial foundation chain due to the texture of the shell stitch.
GAUGE
4” by 4” square = 12 st by 8 rows of dc with size I (5.5 mm) crochet hook
Do you prefer stitch charts for your crochet patterns? Purchase the pattern pdf at Etsy or Ravelry and get one free with your pattern!
DIRECTIONS
Stitch and row counts are given for size small; stitch and row counts for medium and large are listed in the parentheses, in that order.
This piece is worked in the round with joining. YOU WILL TURN at the end of each row and work back the other direction – this gives the back loop only rows their texture.
Stitch chart available with paid pdfs on Ravelry and Etsy.
If you are using a variegated yarn that might show when you change skeins, consider switching between skeins every other row.
Pictured above are the first three rows worked up.
fsc 91 (109, 127). sl st into a ring without twisting.
(Wondering what the checkboxes are for? Check out this tutorial and make online patterns easier to follow!)
Repeat Rows 1-12 until row 48; or until cowl is desired length.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
ASSEMBLY
To create the border fasten on with your contrasting yarn and work the twisted single crochet stitch along both edges (tutorial video below). Switch to a size H (5 mm) hook to complete the border, more easily and keep your tension loose!
Your cowl is finished! Throw it on and keep out the winter chill.
If you loved this pattern, check out the scarf pattern that started it all! The Ripple Rainforest Scarf Pattern inspired this cowl and remains my most popular pattern!
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Hello! I’d love to make this for my MIL for Christmas! I’m looking at the yarn and I can’t figure out what color you used!? Could you let me know?!
Thanks so much!
Charity
Hi Charity! I don’t see the exact variegated colorway I used on their site, but Camaleon is very close: https://malabrigoyarn.com/yarns/rios
Hope this helps!
That does help! Also, did you make yourself a small, med, or large?
I made the medium!
Hi again, in row 2, how many “sc blo” are in between each shell? At the beginning of the * it says “sc blo in 3 st” but at the end of the * it says “sc blo in 2” and then repeat from the *. Which would make 5 sc blo in between, but it looks like I’m your photo there are only 3. Please help! Thanks! I’m enjoying learning!
Or, is 5 st in between correct? However I’m still only getting 6 shells with a medium and I’m sure I’m starting with 109 st. Is 6 shells for a medium correct?
Hi Charity, there should be 7 shells if you are making the medium and yes there are 5 blo st between the shells!
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong then. I’ve got the pattern down, I count every row and it’s always 109 st. And I only have 6 puffs.
Thank you for pointing this out Charity, I have updated the pattern to reflect the typo in shell counts. Small=5 shells, medium=6 shells, and large=7 shells.