Sweet Nothings Crochet: VIKARNA COWL

VIKARNA COWL

I have been given a second 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.

Using this same pattern,I've made a matching beanie, which is at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/vikarna-beanie.html

I've used this stitch before to make a top - that's a beautiful project too.. and you can find that at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2018/11/vikarna-3_7.html

Today's project is completely reversible - so yaay!

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Materials used : Today I’ve used ~ 150 gms Stallion 8-ply acrylic yarn with a 4.5 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 .

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

You may just have to tweak the gauge a bit.

Difficulty level : Easy to Intermediate.

Size made : 8" x 45"

Size only given for yarn estimation.

Stitches used :

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

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

Crab Stitch or Reverse Single Crochet stitch : https://youtu.be/cG3crwyHPnk

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.

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

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

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

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

Vikarna means diagonal in Hindi - & now the name makes sense I'm sure.

For today's pattern, we make a rectangle - the width of the rectangle is the width of your cowl / scarf ; and the length is how long you want it.

I'm making a cowl - and my rectangle will be 45" x 8"

I've used this pattern before to make a top. Get the top pattern at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2018/11/vikarna-3_7.html

Start Row 1 : with a magic circle

and work (1 dc ; ch 1, 3 dc ; ch 1, dc) all in the magic circle.

Pull lightly to close. Do not join. Turn.

(one 3-dc set)

Row 2 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

ch 1, sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

ch 1, dc in the last dc. Turn.

(two 3-dc sets)

Row 3 : dc in the 1^st dc ;

ch 1, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp ;

[ch 1, sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the next ch-1 sp] ;

rep [to] till the last ch-1 sp ;

3 dc in that last ch-1 sp ;

ch 1, dc in the last dc. Turn.

(At the end of Row 3, you will have three 3-dc sets)

Take a look at the video below that shows you , in brief, how we're working on or pattern. Even though the video was for the top, it's the same principle.

In case video does not come on, please go to https://youtu.be/CJiBlXLeztk

I worked till I had 8" along one side (my width for the cowl) and then decreased along that side, and continued increasing the length till I had 45".

I then joined the two ends to make a cowl.

This cowl has a great stretch - and adding with the tension of your work as well a stretch of yarn, its a great pattern.

With every row, you will increase one 3-dc set.

Rep Row 3 till you have the width you need for your cowl (8" in my case)

When you reach that point, you will work a decrease along this end (which as I mentioned before is going to be your right hand side bottom edge)

The decrease idea works for both the height and length.

So when you reach the height for your cowl, you'll only decrease on the right end of your work to start with.

Once you get the length for your cowl, as well, you'll be decreasing on both the right and left ends of your work. At the end, you will get a rectangle that will then be fashioned into the cowl.

To decrease, we will be working a dc 2-tog but we will be working it over 2 sts that are not next to one another.

So let’s look at the last few stitches.

You have a dc, then a ch-1 and the 1^st set of 3-dc. Right?

So you will work the 1^st leg of your dc 2-tog on that 1^st dc, then skip the next 2 dc of your 3-dc set, and work the 2^nd leg of your dc 2-tog over the next dc.

So your dc 2-tog will be over these four stitches, skipping 2 sts in between. Got it?

Double crochet 2-tog : dc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 2 times (3 lps on hk) ;

{yo, draw through 2 lps on hk} 2 times. One dc 2-tog made.

This video tutorial at https://youtu.be/1_oPlUfN5eg shows you how to use the dc 2-tog to decrease.

Sometimes we work the dc 2-tog in the same stitch, to use as a decorative stitch. Visit this video tutorial at https://youtu.be/lLUXOJ1sY9w

Decrease Row (only right end of work) :

dc 2-tog over the 1^st dc and 4^th dc, skipping 2 dc and the ch-1 sp in between ;

ch 1, 3 dc in the space between the next 2 dc ;

[sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the space between the next 2 dc] ;

rep [to] till the last ch-1 sp ;

3 dc in that last ch-1 sp ;

ch 1, dc in the last dc. Turn.

(you have reduced one 3-dc set and have this edge flat)

Now that dc 2-tog at the end becomes the 1^st dc.

With every row, you will continue increases along one edge (the left hand side of your work) and decrease along the other edge (right hand side of your work) to keep this edge flat and straight.

You will continue this till you have the length needed for your cowl.

Once you have the length needed, you need to decrease along both edges.

The decrease along the right hand side of your work is as before – and it’s “a mirror image” for the left hand side of your work.

So here’s how the mirror image will look.

Decrease Row (right & left end of work) :

dc 2-tog over the 1^st dc and 4^th dc, skipping 2 dc and the ch-1 sp in between ;

ch 1, 3 dc in the space between the next 2 dc ;

[sk next 3 dc, 3 dc in the space between the next 2 dc] ;

rep [to] till the last 3 dc set ;

ch 1, dc 2-tog over the next dc (of that last 3-dc set) and the last dc, skipping 2 dc and the ch-1 sp in between. Turn.

(you have reduced two 3-dc sets and have this edge flat)

Now the dc 2-tog at both ends is the 1^st dc.

You will continue reducing at both ends till you have just one 3-dc set ;

two ch-1 sps and 2 dc left.

We will work a dc 3-tog but once again an ‘odd’ stitch, worked over these 3 sts and 2 ch-sps, skipping 2 dc and two ch-sps in between.

For the last triangular corner, work a dc 3-tog over the 1^st dc, sk the next ch-1 sp and dc of the 3-dc set ; dc in the next dc of the 3-dc set ; sk the next dc of the 3-dc set and ch-1 sp and dc in the 3^rd dc.

Fasten off and leave a tail for attachment. Use one of the joining methods below to join the shorter (8") sides first. 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

To make a scarf, continue till you have the length you need, and then attch tassels

to the ends. Check out the two videos below for tassels

In case this video does not come on, please go to https://youtu.be/Ct84H8iBa9s

In case this video does not come on, please go to https://youtu.be/Pt5BMW_OlAg

As I told you, there's a matching beanie with this creation ... which is at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/vikarna-beanie.html

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Here are some of my earlier neckwear creations. Have fun with these free patterns too

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/07/coffee-bean-cowl.html

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/vikarna-cowl.html