Sweet Nothings Crochet: LADDERED COWL

Saturday 26 June 2021

LADDERED COWL

I have been given a third bag of yarn and requested to make beanies & / or scarves for the homeless. I'm hoping that there's going to be even more yarn - which also means there will be more patterns discovered and written.

Today's project is completely reversible - so yaay! This is probably also the simplest cowl you've ever made.

The beauty of this pattern is using 2 colors of yarn that either complement one another or contrast. I think this will look lovely with a self striped / multi colored chunky yarn too.

Read through to the end to see how you can make this into a scarf (with tassels) or a wrap.

I've made a matching beanie and a pair of fingerless gloves - and you can find the patterns at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/linen-beanie-2.html & https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/linen-beanie-1.html.

and https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/linen-fingerless-gloves.html

Using these patterns, and 2 colors of yarn, the pattern looks so different, doesn't it?

Thanks for joining me. Come along, let’s create something beautiful

In case you have just joined me, know that you can access all of my earlier creations by checking under ‘categories’ on the right hand side of this blog under “Labels”. Then, for your convenience, follow me here or on Facebook, You Tube, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

Check out all my social media handles at the bottom of this blog

Oh, and may I add that the fastest way to find any of my blogs is via Pinterest.

All my blogs can be printed. Find the printer friendly (green) link on the right side of this blog. You can also hit Control P (or Command P for Mac) on your keyboard, and the blog will go directly to the connected printer.

Remember that you only print if absolutely essential. Save paper – Save Our Earth.

Do remember to add my blog URL when you make and show off your creation.

Just copy the link on the search bar above - that's the blog URL.

To purchase this or similar yarn online, click the highlighted links below to buy your yarns online via Amazon. While you will still pay the same, I may get paid by Amazon as well.

This is a free blog - so do pay it forward for me. Cheers.

Materials used : Today I’ve used ~ 150 gms unbranded 4-ply acrylic yarn (with 2 colors) with a 7 mm crochet hook ; embroidery needle ; fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers

For Indians : The yarn I’ve used is similar in thickness to our Vardhaman / Oswal acrylic yarns or Laura knitting cotton. I've held 2 strands of 2 different colors together.

You could use Anchor , Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

but I think you could also use Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn

Difficulty level : Easy

Size made : 48" x 8.25"

Size only given for yarn estimation. You can make this project to any size you want.

Stitches used : Using U.S. terminology

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

Magic circle : https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps. One sc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3kFirst stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_MDouble Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Abbreviations used :

sc : single crochet hdc : Half Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

hk : hook lp (s) : loop(s)

yo : yarn over sl-st : slip stitch

Instructions using U.S terminology

Please note that I start all my rounds with a ch 1 turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for video tutorials of all the stitches used in today’s pattern.

Please note that I take a lot of trouble to give loads of tips through my pattern sheet, so please read through the full sheet before you pick up your hook n yarn.

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA

What is a slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

I think the beauty of this pattern is using 2 colors of thread. Both my yarns are 3-ply yarns and the colors make it look magically complicated, when it isn't.

The stitch count for our project is in uneven or odd numbers

Start Round 1 : with fsc in as many uneven or odd number of sts as you need for the length you need for your cowl.

Keeping your fsc row flat, join with a sl-st to the 1st fsc.

We now have a large circle and we will work in rounds for the full cowl till we get the width we need for our project.

From now on, we will work in e-sc or extended single crochet.

Extended single crochet (e-sc) : https://youtu.be/ZeXQ3NLVjPU

Round 2 : e-sc in the 1st st ;

(ch 1, sk next st, e-sc in the next st) ;

rep (to) till end ;

ch 1, and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Now we will work the linen stitch using e-sc.

Check the video link below to see what a linen stitch is. The Linen stitch is usually worked with a sc. So we do the same stitch but with e-sc instead.

Linen Stitch : https://youtu.be/ui2s0V-dGPg

From now on, you will work only in the ch-1 sps all through.

I think that (if you can) work in the chain stitch and not go around the ch-sp as we usually do. This gives a different feature to the pattern. Try it

going into the ch-sp and around the st

not going around the ch-sp, but into the chain / stitch - gives this line effect

Round 3 : sl-st into the 1st ch-sp ; e-sc in the same 1st ch-sp ;

(ch 1, sk next st, e-sc in the next ch-sp) ;

rep (to) till end ;

ch 1, and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

and that's our pattern done !

Rep Row 3 for the width you want for your cowl

To finish and get the las row the same as the 1st, we just need a round of sc

Last Round : dc in the 1st st ;

(sc in the next ch-sp ; sc in the next st) ;

rep (to) till end ;

and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Ensure that you have the same number of stitches that you started with.

Use one of the joining methods below to join the shorter (8.25") sides.

You will end up with a cowl

Whipstitch to join : https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

If you want to make this a wrap

Start Row 1: with fsc in as many uneven or odd number of sts as you need for the length you need for your of your wrap. At the end of your row, Turn.

Work pattern rounds 2 & 3 above but Turn at the end of each row.

Finish with the last round, but again you will work it as a row and not join at the end, but turn.

I'd say 15 - 20" is the width I'd use for my wrap.

If you want to make this a scarf

Start Row 1 : with fsc in as many uneven or odd number of sts as you need for the length you need for your scarf. At the end of your row, Turn.

Work pattern rounds 2 & 3 above but Turn at the end of each row.

Finish with the last round, but again you will work it as a row and not join at the end, but turn.

I'd say 8 - 9"" is the width I'd use for my scarf.

Attach tassels to the end to make it a soft scarf.

Check out the two videos below for tassels

As mentioned before, I've made a matching beanie and a pair of fingerless gloves - and you can find the patterns at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/linen-beanie-2.html and https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/linen-fingerless-gloves.html

Enjoyed this ?? I sure did.. Come back right here for more freebie patterns

Remember to share this blog post when you share your photos with me on Facebook. I’d love to feature your photos on my FB page. Cheers.

If you're visiting me here for the first time, and have liked the experience, do add me to your mailing list (for your convenience) , and all my future free patterns will come straight to your mail box.