I didn't have to bribe *E* to model the cowl in the end... but I am one cowl down, as she announced 'this cowl is so warm and cosy, I'm claiming it!' We have been slow to catch on to the cowl craze but I plan to make up for lost time. There's more superchunky calling me from the wool cupboard!
The yarn above is Paton's Fab Big (shade 02352) which comes in a 200g ball with a pattern for a knitted loop scarf on the ball band (it takes just one 200g ball to complete this pattern). At about £4-£5 per ball you could have one in every colour in the range and not break the bank!
Using a 15mm crochet hook I started with a foundation chain of 38 stitches. After joining, I alternated between dc rows and treble rows (sc and dc in us terms). At the end of each round I slip stitched to join and used a chain of 1 for a dc (sc) row and a chain of 3 for a treble (dc) row. I carried on until the wool ran out, trying it on now and then to make sure it was working out ok.
There's enough height to this cowl to pull up over your nose if you so wish - which is what I had in mind for those nippy dog walks. I wanted it fairly snug to the neck but you could adjust this by using a longer or shorter foundation chain.
Beginners who don't like joining into the round could easily crochet this as a flat rectangle and whip stitch it together afterwards; it's what I would have done not so long ago.
oooh it's lovely. I want one, except I class myself as a beginner and I'm a bit baffled..... (and I know I have 15mm knitting needles but not a crochet hook, better find a knitting pattern.....)
ReplyDeleteActually when I think about it, these would be even easier with circular needles (I think my largest circulars are 12mm). I know of a knitting pattern for a superchunky cowl that suggests a cast on of 48 stitches with 10mm needles and knitting until you reach a height of 21cms. Could be done in the round or as a rectangle and seamed afterwards. J :-)
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