Sweet Nothings Crochet: EASY REVERSIBLE COWL

Friday 6 August 2021

EASY REVERSIBLE COWL

As the name suggests, the Easy reversible Cowl looks great from both sides. You can make a cowl, scarf or wrap using these instructions.

This project has a matching beanie at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/easy-reversible-beanie.html

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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.

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Materials used : Today I’ve used ~ 150 gms unbranded 4-ply acrylic yarn with a 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

Difficulty level : Advanced

Size made : 45" x 8.25"

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

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.

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

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

Chainless start for Double Crochet : dc : 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

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

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-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M

You can make a cowl, scarf or wrap with this pattern.

I'd say you work about 8 - 9" (width) for a cowl or scarf and about 18 - 20" (width) for a wrap. Length for the project depends on you - but I'd say about 45 - 48" for a medium sized cowl (that will wrap at least twice around the neck)

Our stitch count for the pattern is in uneven or odd numbers

I started with 23 fsc = 8.25"

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

Foundation half double crochet (fhdc) :This is an easy way to start a row of hdc without the starting chain row.

Here is an easy video tutorial https://youtu.be/SEG2UCRfypA

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

Half double crochet 2-tog : hdc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp] (3 lps on hk) ; insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp (4 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all 4 lps on hk. One hdc 2-tog made.

Check the video tutorial at https://youtu.be/jdaXTr7Lcig

Start Row 1 : with fhdc (foundation half double crochet) with an uneven or odd number for the width you need for your cowl or scarf

Note : I started with 27 fhdc = 8.5"

There's a small twist in the way we work the hdc 2-tog.

We will work it over 2 sts, but also work it over the previous st and the next st.

What does this mean?

So first hdc 2-tog is over sts 1 & 2 ;

second hdc 2-tog is over sts 2 & 3 ;

third hdc 2-tog is over sts 3 & 4 ;

so you work over the previous st and the next st all around. Got it?

Now the hdc 2-tog rows will be plump & soft but they also add to the width - so for all the non hdc 2-tog rows, work with a looser tension to give the yarn space to stretch and fill the space.

If you have a tight tension, then the hdc 2-tog rows will stick out and the non hdc 2-tog rows will shrink.

detail of hdc 2-tog stitch on the Easy Reversible Cowl

Detail of hdc 2-tog rows as well as ch-sp rows

Row 2 : hdc in the 1st st ;

hdc 2-tog is over the 1st & 2nd st ;

(hdc 2-tog is over the previous st & the next st) ;

rep (to) all around till the last st ;

hdc in the last st. Turn.

Row 3 : hdc in the 1st st and in each st till end. Turn

Note : Work this row with a loose tension

Rows 4 - 7 : Rep rows 2 - 3

Note : Work Row 3 reps with a loose tension

Row 8 : hdc in the 1st st ;

(ch 1, sk next st ; hdc in the next st) ;

rep (to) last 2 sts ;

ch 1, sk the 2nd last st and hdc in the last st. Turn

Note : Work this row with a loose tension

Row 9 : hdc in the 1st st ; hdc in the 1st ch-sp ;

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

rep (to) last ch-sp ;

hdc in the last st. Turn

Note : Work this row with a loose tension

Row 10 : hdc in the 1st st ;

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

rep (to) last ch-sp ;

ch 1, sk the next st and hdc in the last st. Turn

Note : Work this row with a loose tension

Rows 11 - 12 : Rep Rows 9 - 10

Note : Work these rows with a loose tension

Row 13 : hdc in the 1st st ;

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

rep (to) till the end. Turn

Note : Work this row with a loose tension

Quick count check : You should have the same number of sts you started with.

..and that's our pattern 12 rows.. but pretty easy going, right?

Rep Rows 2 - 13 for the length you want for your cowl or scarf.

If you are making a cowl, end with Row 13.

Use one of the joining methods given below to join the two ends of your cowl

If you are making a scarf or wrap, end with Row 7

I worked till I had about 48" in length.

I then joined the two ends to make 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

You could attach tassels to the end of your scarf.

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 at the start, this cowl has a matching beanie at https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/easy-reversible-beanie.html

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