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How to Design Your Own Crochet Cowl

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy for details. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

By amanda

Learn just how easy it is to design your own crochet cowl with this comprehensive post. From choosing yarn to picking a stitch pattern, we have you covered.

I designed this cowl for Crochet World magazine.

Also check out these amazing FREE crochet cowl patterns!

 
 

In our first design your own post, we discussed how to design your own crochet scarf.  Cowls and scarves are very similar, and to create a cowl you can always crochet a simple scarf and either seam it at the ends or put buttons on it, like the cowl seen in the picture, but you can also create a cowl in the round, which is preferred by a lot of people because they don’t want a seam in the back.  The process of designing a cowl is not really much more difficult than a simple scarf.


When designing your own cowl you really still need to know just three things: what stitch pattern you want to use, what yarn you’d like to use, and how big you want it to be (wide and long).  Once you know these three things you can easily create your own cowl in no time.

 

In this article...

  • How To Design A Crochet Cowl:
    • 1. Choose your yarn.
    • 2. Decide on stitch pattern and swatch.
    • 3. Decide on length and chain.
    • 4. Work until desired width and add edging, if desired.
    • Conclusion

How To Design A Crochet Cowl:

1. Choose your yarn.

 
 

The first step is the same as most projects.  Once you have something in mind you have to find a yarn to go with it.  The yarn you use has a big impact on your finished cowl.  If you are just starting out, choose a yarn that is lighter in color and is smooth.  

Don’t use textured yarns or darker colors, as these could make it harder to see your stitches.  If you’ve been crocheting for a while and seeing your stitches isn’t a problem, well, the sky’s the limit!  


I love color changing yarns for scarves and cowls because you get so much beauty for no more work.  If I had decided on a single color yarn for the Unforgettable One Skein Scarf, I’m sure it wouldn’t be nearly as popular (it’s my most popular pattern on Ravelry). Although, a single color yarn can be interesting if it has unique details, such as the Berroco Elements yarn I used in the Elements Cowl (the most popular cowl pattern on this site!).

Free Pattern - Elements Cowl by Amanda Saladin
Whatever you choose, keep the end result in mind when selecting your yarn.  You don’t want a thick, super bulky yarn for a summer cowl and if you choose a sock yarn it will take forever to make a wide, long winter cowl.  (Unless you are a super fast crocheter!)  
 
I usually use worsted weight unless I am going for a bulky look, then I use the thicker yarns.  I rarely make summery scarves or cowls so I don’t find myself working with the thinner yarns often.

 

2. Decide on stitch pattern and swatch.

Most stitch patterns are a multiple of several stitches, which will help you decide how many chains you will need. For example, a stitch pattern could be a multiple of three, so you could make a scarf that is 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, etc stitches wide.  If you have a stitch pattern that is a multiple of three plus 2, then chain your multiple of three and add two to the end.

If you are making a cowl in the round, you have to swatch to know how long it is going to end up.  If you are seaming or buttoning the ends, you can follow the instructions for the basic scarf.


Make your swatch at least 4″ x 4″ to get a good idea of the stitch count.  Then, use a ruler to figure out how many stitches and rows per inch.  With some stitch patterns this can be hard to see, so sometimes I will figure out how wide/tall the swatch is and use that as my guide. (Example, my 4″ x 4″ swatch is 20 sts wide and 16 rows tall.  
 
This would give me 5 sts per inch and 4 rows per inch.)  It is not quite as accurate and I wouldn’t use that as my guide for a sweater pattern, but it is acceptable for a cowl.
 

3. Decide on length and chain.

 
 
 
There are many different lengths that can be used for cowls, depending upon the look you are going for.  I like to make thinner cowls that wrap at least twice, so I make mine 60-65″ around.  This length is great for wrapping two or three times, as seen in the photo of the Elements Cowl.  It’s really up to you.  Just chain until it is the length you want – you can hold it up to get an idea of how long it will be.  I chose a shorter length for the Simple Versatile Cowl, seen above, that can be worn in a variety of ways with the simple addition of one button.
 
Don’t forget your stitch pattern when chaining.  If you are using one that is in multiples, be sure to chain a multiple of that stitch as mentioned above.  One thing about working in the round is that you don’t have to add the extra stitches in a pattern (such as multiples of 3 plus 2).  These are usually just the edge stitches, and we won’t have edges when working in the round so you will just keep repeating the pattern.
 
Join your chain with a slip stitch and make sure the chain is not twisted.

4. Work until desired width and add edging, if desired.

Free Crochet Pattern - Floral Granny Cowl

 
 

Work in your desired stitch pattern until it is as wide as you like.  Most stitch patterns require you to join with a slip stitch at the end of each round, and some patterns you will have to turn each time.  Most of the stitch patterns I’ve used don’t require you to turn and you just work round and round until you are happy with the result.


I usually make mine 4-6″ wide since they wrap more than once, but it’s really up to you.  The best thing is that you can easily try it on as you go and decide if you want to work any more rows.  When you are done, decide if you want to add an edging.  Sometimes I like a little something on the edge to add interest, as in the Soft and Swanky Cowl.  A picot edge, fringe, or anything else you would like really makes your cowl unique.


Conclusion

This cowl combines
a turtleneck and an edging
It was in Crochet World
October 2014

That’s it!  It really is that simple.  I love to create scarves and cowls because they are simple to design and work up so quickly with crochet (knitting is another story for me…).

 
An important tip to remember is that if you are ever planning on making this again, or want to share it with anyone, write everything down as you are making it.  Trust me, you cannot rely on your memory for this!!  I have a great memory and can’t remember certain details of projects if I put them aside too long, especially since I always have so many projects in the works.  (Am I the only one?)
 

Today we have learned how to crochet your own cowl and I hope you will be inspired to try your hand at designing your own!

So what will your next project be?  Leave a comment below and share pictures if you decide to design your own crochet cowl!

Filed Under: Design Your Own Tagged With: scarves and cowls

Previous Post: « How to Design Your Own Crochet Scarf
Next Post: Free Pattern – Tunisian Cuff with Video Tutorial »

Bloggers: Seeking designs for your upcoming roundup? I’d love for you to feature my work! You have my permission to use one photo in your roundup post as long as a link is provided back to the associated pattern page. Please let me know when your post is published so I can share it on my social media, too. Thank you!

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