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| This cowl uses a button to secure the ends. Find it in Crochet World February 2016 |
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.
How To Design A Crochet Cowl:
1. Choose your yarn.
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| This cowl uses two yarns held together |
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. No 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 pattern on this site!).
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.
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| The stitch pattern for the Soft and Swanky Cowl |
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.
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.
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| This cowl isn’t very long |
4. Work until desired width and add edging, if desired.
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| This cowl is approx. 4 1/2″ wide and 60″ long. It can wrap two or three times |
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
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| 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…).
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