Free pattern! Riffles and Runs Cowl

I promised it would be coming, and here it is! The endlessly squishy cowl pattern with texture for days.

You know, before I started crocheting, I had no idea what a cowl was. I knew about infinity scarves, and when I wrote my first pattern that's what I called it. The Riding the Rails Infinity Scarf. But one of my pattern testers let me know that infinity scarves technically have a twist in them. Like a figure 8. An infinity scarf with no twist is a cowl. Who knew! Since then I've written a slew of cowl patterns because I love how simple and cozy they are. Slip one over your head and you're instantly warm and look put together.

I love this pattern because it whips up in just a couple of hours, works best with super squishy yarn, and slips over the head easily to warm you up endlessly. I worked up the pattern while on a flight - I figured out the stitch pattern on the way there, and then finished the cowl on the way back. I love crochet on airplanes ~ the time flies by and I can ignore the turbulence by focusing on whatever lovely thing I have in the works. Of course, there are always the inevitable dropped hooks and yarn balls that roll under the seat. I suppose I should invest in some project bags...

Just look at the texture on that! 💝 The key is to keep your tension quite loose so that lovely horizontal bar from the dc3tog puffs out a bit. Practice on a swatch, and if you don't get the puffed bar, move up a hook size. Another key to making a soft and squishy cowl - use really soft an squishy yarn! I used Bernat Alpaca for this, which has sadly been discontinued, but as long as your bulky yarn is of the soft and squishy variety, you should be fine.

Here is the free pattern! And of course, don't forget about the free matching beanie pattern!

If you prefer a version formatted for printing, you can get a printable pdf for $1.99 at my Ravelry shop, The Ivy Killers Ravelry Store, too. This helps offset my expenses for pattern development and helps me keep offering free patterns!

RIFFLES and RUNS COWL

by 

Brooke A. Cassell @ The Ivy Killers

Supplies and Specs

Yarn:  Bulky(5) yarn -  200 yards (183 meters)

Tools:    Size M/ (9.00mm) crochet hook OR Size N/P (10.00 mm)

              Darning needle (for weaving in ends)

              Scissors

Completed Size: Circumference: 25” (64 cm), Height: 11” (28 cm)

Gauge: Gauge isn’t really important, because you’ll be squishing this cowl on when you wear it anyhow, but to achieve the above size, gauge is approximately 2.5” for a single set of 3dc/dc3tog and 2 rounds in 2”.

SKILL LEVEL: Beginner/Intermediate

TIME TO COMPLETE:   3 - 5 hours

Stitches and abbreviations (All instructions use American terms):

Stitch/es (st/sts)

Chain (ch)

Slip Stitch (ss)

Double Crochet (dc)

Half Double Crochet (hdc)

Special Stitches – See Special Stitches section for instructions

Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc)

Double Crochet 3 Together (dc3tog)

Special Stitches

Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc)

• Make a slip knot on your hook. Chain 3. Yarn over and insert hook into the 1^st ch (3^rd ch from hook), yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through one loop. This has created your next ch (you may want to put a chain marker in it or hold it with the thumb and forefinger of your left hand to keep track of it. It looks a little different than a normal ch (more like a figure 8 than a V). 

• Yarn over and pull through all three loops. You have created your first fhcd!

• Yarn over and insert hook into the new ch you created in the first part of the last st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through one loop. Yarn over and pull through all three loops.

*** Note about hook size *** Depending on your tension, the round of FDC may be a bit looser than the subsequent rounds. If that seems to be the case for you, adjust the tension of the FDC round or use a smaller hook.

Double Crochet 3 Together (dc3tog)

• Yarn over and insert your hook into the 1st st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. You now have 2 loops on your hook.

• Yarn over and insert your hook into the 2^nd st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. You now have 3 loops on your hook. 

• Yarn over and insert your hook into the 3^rd st. Yarn over and draw up a loop. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops. Yarn over and pull through all 4 remaining loops.

Pattern Notes

• This pattern is crocheted in the round.
• To create a more seamless look, this pattern does not use a ch 3 at the beginning of rounds. Instead, you will use a sc + a ch1, and throughout the pattern this is called a [sc + ch1].
• You will NOT ch1 before the sc. This might feel a little awkward at first, but trust me, it looks good! 
• The [sc + ch1] at the beginning of each round DOES NOT count as a stitch.
• At the end of each round, you’ll skip over the [sc + ch1] and join to the 1^st st of the round. You may want to mark the [sc + ch1] with a stitch marker so you can easily spot which st to skip, and move the marker up each round as you go.
• Dc3tog counts as 1 st.

Pattern

Round 1: fhdc 48 (not including initial ch3). Join to the 1^st st (not the ch3) with a ss to form a circle, being careful not to twist. (48)

Round 2: [sc + ch1] in the same st. If using, place a st marker in the ch. 3dc in same st. dc3tog. *3dc in next st. dc3tog*. Repeat from * to * around. Join. (48)

Round 3:  [sc + ch1] in the same st. *dc3tog. 3dc in next st*. Repeat from * to * around. Join. (48)

Rounds 4 - 13: Repeat Rounds 2-3.

Round 14: [sc + ch1] in the same st. HDC in same st and around. (48)

Fasten off and weave in tail. Close the small gap in Round 1 with the starting tail, and weave in.

Resizing Cowl

To size the cowl up or down, just modify the number of initial fhdc by a multiple of 4 (for instance, 32, 36, 40 for smaller or 52, 56, 60 for larger)

For pattern support, please contact Brooke at theivykillers@gmail.com. This pattern is copyrighted (2017). Do not copy, sell, distribute or alter this pattern. You have permission to sell any items made from this pattern, and please credit the original pattern “Riffles and Runs Cowl” at www.theivykillers.etsy.com.

If you’re on Instagram, post a photo with #rifflesandrunscowl and tag @theivykillerscrochet for a feature on my page!

Enjoy the pattern and all the lovely cowls you make!