Forest Fog Cowl – Free Pattern

My blog hit 500.000 views today in the night!! Thank you so much for staying with me, reading and supporting. As a "thank you" I would like to share a new free pattern with you today. Here it is - a Forest Fog Cowl! This project is very quick and easy. It uses only two basic crochet stitches (chain and single crochet – US terms), and even if you are a complete beginner in crochet – you will handle it. This cowl is ideal to practice basic crochet skills on and to learn how to keep the gauge under control. Using bulky (thick) yarn you will make a new cowl for yourself or your friends in no time. You can find more pictures HERE.

 Copyright LillaBjornCrochet 2015. All rights reserved. This pattern is for unlimited personal use only. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern. The pattern may not be copied in any way (print or digitally), in part or in full. Items may be sold that are made from this pattern as long as the designer is credited. Shop owners, if you wish to make a kit with yarn using this pattern, please request permission and copyright details from me before offering any kits for sale. Please, read Copyright page for more information.

You will need:

 • 1 skein of Maxima yarn (shade 15) and 2 skeins of Stone washed XL (shade 842) by Scheepjes. Maxima is available for purchase in the Netherlands only but it can be replaced by Vinci. You can find these yarns HERE on Deramores (on sale at the moment! international shipping), on Scheepjeswol.com (NL) or HERE on Wool Warehouse (international shipping) and Paradise Fibers* (US).
• 4 mm (or bigger) crochet hook needed to obtain the gauge.
• Tapestry needle to weave yarn tails in.

You can use leftovers of bulky yarn to make this cowl. But to obtain a striped effect with slight color changes and nice nuances, I would recommend to take one yarn in solid color and one yarn with long print.

 

Stitch guide and Abbreviations

US standard abbreviations are used in this pattern. But if you are used to other terms, please check this Crochet Translation Project which might be helpful in translation to your native language.

st(s) - stitch(es)
ch - chain
yo - yarn over
lp(s) - loop(s)
BLO - back loop(s) only
*…* *crochet following directions* as many times as indicated
sl st (slip stitch) – insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw yarn up and pull 2nd lp through the 1st lp on hook.
sc (single crochet) – insert hook in indicated stitch, yo, draw up a lp, yo and pull through both lps on hook.

 

Gauge

 Using sc stitches (US Terms) and row crocheted in BLO (after blocking):
15 stitches and 14 rows per 10 cm (4”) square.

 

Size

Using 2 skeins of Stone washed XL and 1 skein of Maxima (or Vinci) you can make one cowl 24 cm x 114 cm (to wear with two layers) OR 2 cowls 24 cm x 57 cm (one-layerd).

Notes

• I used hook 4 mm and crocheted loosely because this is the biggest size I have at the moment. But you may want to try bigger hooks. The crochet fabric should not be too stiff.
• This cowl is made with simple crochet rib. All rows are crocheted in back loops only. Please, read THIS POST about how to find back and front loops of the stitches.
• Ch1 in the beginning of every row doesn’t count as sc. So 1st sc of every new row is made in the last sc of the previous row.
• Maxima yarn doesn’t have the same thickness in different parts and its weight varies from worsted to sport/fingering. But you should keep the same gauge all the time. It means when you are crocheting with the thinnest parts of the yarn – try to make your stitches loose to keep a rectangle shape of the cowl. Otherwise it will be deformed. 
• To avoid big amount of yarn tails which should be woven in, I didn’t break the yarn as I was crocheting. To change the color insert the hook in the last stitch of the row, yo both yarns (the working and yarn in new color) (Pic 2), draw up a loop with both yarns (Pic 3), yo both yarns again and pull them through both loops on the hook (Pic 4). You may find the edge to be not very elegant, but in fact it suites the style of the cowl in a good way (in my opinion) and it will also save you lots of time as you will not need to weave yarn tails in.

Instructions

Add this Pattern to your Ravelry Queue

To begin make as many chains with Stone washed XL (C1) as wide cowl you want to make. I made ch36.

Row 1. Make 1sc in 2nd ch from the hook and each chain across for a total of 25 sc (initial ch1 doesn’t count as sc). Turn. (=35 sc)

Row 2. Continue with yarn C1. Ch1 (doesn’t count as sc), 35 sc in BLO. Change to C2 (Maxima) while making the last sc. Turn. (=35sc)

Row 3. With yarn C2. Ch1, 35 sc in BLO. Turn. (=35 sc)

Row 4. With yarn C2. Ch1, 35 sc in BLO. Change to C1 while making the last sc. Turn. (=35sc)

Continue crocheting with sc in BLO and change color after every 2 rows till you get the desired length. I made 146 rows when I run out of C1. Now you should change to yarn C2 while making the last sc. Drop loop of the hook (don’t fasten off!) and block your cowl.

Joining 

Fold your blocked cowl and line up the edges. I used slip stitches to join my cowl but you can do it in the way you prefer. Please, read more information about how to make surface slip stitches HERE.
Holding the edge with unbroken yarn behind the beginning edge, insert the hook in 1st chain of the beginning (chain) row and then under back loop of 1st sc on the edge with unbroken yarn, yo and draw up a loop through both layers. *Insert the hook in next ch of the beginning row and under back loop of next sc on the edge with unbroken yarn, yo, draw up a loop, yo, pull 2nd loop on the hook through the 1st one. Repeat from * till the end of the row, fasten off and weave yarn tails in.

Congratulations! Your Forest Fog Cowl is not finished!

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