This bold rendition of the Sweet Gum Cowl makes an excellent gift for the holidays for those who love a pop of vibrant color. Designed with rows of herringbone half double crochets that are worked in back loops on one row, then turned and worked in front loops of the following row, this cozy cowl can be adjusted to fit tightly or loosely around your neck with just a few adjustments.
Time: Weekend project
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: Finished and blocked; circumference at neck = 26”, circumference at bottom = 52”, overall width, including all trim work = 15”
Gauge: 7 Hbhdc and, 5 rows Hbhdc = 2”
Materials
Yarn: The Unique Sheep, Super Wool, Dk weight, 100% Super Wash Merino Wool, 235 yds /100 gr/3.5 oz. Colorway; Hope #l.09.19, (2) skeins
Hook/Needles: 8/H/5mm, or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions: 7 each, 7/8” coordinating buttons, large tapestry needle, removable stitch markers, scissors, gauge measure.
Abbreviations
ch Chain
sl st slip stitch
sc Single crochet
hdc half double crochet
dc double crochet
tr treble crochet
hbhdc herringbone half double crochet
sk skip
flp front loop
blp back loop
rep repeat
RS Right Side of Cowl
pic picot
dec decrease
inc increase
Special Stitches
Herringbone half double crochet (hbhdc). *Wrap yarn over hook, place hook in stitch, yarn over hook and pull through stitch and first loop on hook, as though to slip stitch*, yarn over hook again and pull through 2 loops on hook.
Herringbone half double crochet decrease, rep from* over 2 stitches, yo and pull through 3 loops on hook.
Chain 4 picot (ch 4 pic) chain 4, slip stitch in top of stitch made just below the picot
Pattern Notes
Cowl is worked vertically across from one side of button band to next side of button hole band. Upper neck band is worked across horizontally and finished on picot edge. Work lower edge horizontally, and finish along bottom trim. All even numbered rows are the right side of the main body of the cowl. Please remember, if you use a blended or acrylic yarn, your gauge will be very different. Animal fibers shrink and expand depending on the humidity. Please check your gauge by making a sample swatch before beginning the project.
Pattern
Main Body of Cowl
Row 1: Ch 37, turn, sc in each back hump of ch across. (36 sc)
Row 2: (RS) Ch 1, turn, work hbhdc (see special notes and abbreviations), in blp of each sc across. (36 hbhdc)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn,work hbhdc in flp of each st across. (36 hbhdc)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, work hbhdc in blp of each st across.
Row 5: Ch I, turn, sk first st, work through both lps in each st, *(sc,dc) in next st, sk next st*, rep * across, end with (sc,dc) in last st. (36 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, work through both lps in each st, sk first dc, *(sc, dc) in next sc, sk next dc,* rep from * across. (36 sts)
Row 7: Ch 1, turn, work through both lps in each st, tr in each of next 9 sts, dc in each of next 9 sts, hdc in each of next 9 sts, sc in each of last 9 sts. ( 9 tr, 9 dc, 9 hdc, 9sc)
Row 8: Ch 1, turn, work through both lps in each st, sc in each of next 9 sts,hdc in each of next 9 sts, dc in each of next 9 sts, tr in each of last 9 sts. ( 9 sc, 9 hdc, 9 dc, 9 tr) (36 sts)
Row 9: Rep row 7
Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sl st in each of next 9 sts, sc in each of next 9 sts, hbhdc in each of last 18 sts. (36 sts)
Row 11: Ch 1, turn, work through both lps of each st, hbhdc in each of next 18 sts, sc in each of next 9 sts, sl st in each of last 9 sts. (36 sts)
Row 12: Rep row 10.
Row 13: Rep row 11.
Row 14: Ch 1, turn, work through both lps, hbhdc in each st across. (36 sts)
Row 15: Rep row 3.
Row 16: Rep row 4.
Row 17: Rep row 3
Row 18: Rep row 5.
Row 19: Rep row 6.
Row 20: Rep row 8.
Row 21: Rep row 7.
Row 22: Rep row 8.
Row 23: Rep row 11.
Row 24: Rep row 10.
Row 25: Rep row 5.
Row 26: Rep row 6
Row 27: rep row 7
Row 28: Rep row 8.
Row 29: Rep row 7.
Row 30: rep row 10.
Row 31: rep row 11.
Row 32- 39: Rep in pattern for the following rows : 5, 6, 8, 7, 8, 11, 10, 5
Row 40- 43: Rep in pattern for the following rows: 8, 7, 10, 11
Row 44: Rep row 5
Row 45: Rep row 7.
Row 46: Rep row 8.
Row 47: Rep row 7.
Row 48: Rep row 10.
Row 49: Rep row 11.
Row 50: Rep row 10.
Row 51: Rep row 11.
Row 52: Rep row 14.
Row 53-56: Rep pattern rows 3,4,5,6.
Row 57-64: Rep pattern for the following rows: 7, 8, 7, 10, 11, 10, 11, 14
Row 65: Rep row 7.
Row 66: Rep row 8.
Row 67: Rep row 11.
Row 68: Rep row 10.
Row 69-76: Rep pattern for the following rows: 7, 8, 7, 10, 11, 10, 11, 14
Row 77-80: Rep pattern rows 3,4,5,6.
Row 81: Rep row 7.
Row 82: Rep row 8.
Row 83: Rep row 7.
Row 84: Rep row 14. Do not fasten off
Button Hole Band
Row 85: Ch 1, turn, work in flp of each st, hbhdc in each of next 2 sts, ch 1, sk 1,*work hbhdc in each of next 5 sts, ch 1, sk 1* for button hole, rep from * across to last 3 sts, hbhdc in each of these. (6 each, ch 1 sps for button holes, 30 hbhdc)
Row 86: Ch 1, turn, work in blps, hbhdc in each st and ch 1 space across. (36 hbhdc)
Row 87: Rep row 3.
Neck Band/ Cowl Collar
Row 1: Ch 1, turn, work 80 sc evenly across upper collar portion of cowl across to next corner.
Row 2: (RS) Ch 1, turn, *sc in each of next 8 sts, sc dec in next 2 scs* rep from* across to end. (72 scs)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, work in flps, sc in each of next 3 sts, sc dec in next 2 sts, *sc in each of next 6 sts, sc dec in next 2 sts*, rep from* across, end with sc in each of last 3 sts. (63 sc)
Row 4: Ch 1, turn, work in blps, sc in each st across.
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, work in flps, sc in each st across
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, work in both lps, hbhdc in each of next 59 sts, across to the last 4 sts, ch 1, sk 1 for button hole, hbhdc in last 3 sts. (62 hbhdc, 1 ch 1 sp)
Row 7: Ch 1, turn, work through both lps, hbhdc in each st and ch 1 sp across. ( 63 hbhdc)
Row 8: (RS) Ch 1, turn, work in blps, hbhdc in each of nest 31 sts, hbhdc dec (see special stitches) in next 2 sts, hbhdc in each of next 31 sts across. (62 hbhdc)
Edge Trim
Rnd 1: (RS) Ch 1, turn, work 3 sc in corner st, place stitch marker in center sc of corner, work 42 sc evenly across short edge of collar and main body of cowl, to bottom corner of cowl, work 3 more sc in corner, place stitch marker in center sc of corner. Work 126 sc evenly across bottom edge to the next corner, work 3 more sc in corner st, and place marker in center sc of corner. Work 42 sc up short edge of main body, to top row of collar, work 3 more sc in corner st, and place marker in same place as previous corners.
Upper Collar Trim (RS) Facing
*Work sc in each of next 3 sts, ch 4 pic, (see special notes), rep from * across, end with sc in each of last 3 sts, work 3 more sc in marked corner st, remove marker. (43 ch 4 pic)
Bottom Trim of Cowl
Work 44 sc down short edge of cowl along button band to bottom corner, work 3 more sc in marked corner st, turn to work along 126 sts on bottom edge in pattern rep *sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next st, ( tr, ch 4 pic, tr) in next st, dc in next st, hdc in next st, sc in next st*,rep from * across to next corner, sl st in marked corner, fasten off. Weave in all loose ends.
Finishing
Hand wash in tepid water and block. Align button band with button hole band and mark placement of 7 buttons from collar to bottom edge of cowl. Sew these in place.