Relief Crochet Cowl
You’ll need:
Sublime Yarns Extra Fine Merino Wool 4 ply (shades 173 and 006; 175m/191yds grey and 150m/164yds purple);
Crochet hook 3,5 mm.
Instructions
Each row of circles actually consists of three rows. Hence, if you change colours every three rows, you end up with two loose ends at each colour change. However, don’t fret! You won’t need to sew them all in one by one, you can work them into the edging stitches later. Along both sides as you work, you will have semicircles.
FC: Chain multiples of 7 plus 5. E.g. 21+5 ch will give you 2 circles and 2 semicircles either side; 28+5ch = 3 circles with 2 semicircles either side, and so on. Chain 49+5 for 6 circles and 2 semicircles (24 cm/ 9.5 ins wide in fingering yarn).
Row 1: 3 dc in 4th ch from hook, ch 2, sk nxt 6 ch, *(3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in nxt ch, ch 2, sk nxt 6 ch*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 3 dc in next to last ch, dc in last ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc), sk 1st dc, 3 dc in nxt dc, ch 2, sk nxt ch-2 sp, *(3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in nxt ch-1 sp, ch 2, sk nxt ch-2 sp*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 3 dc in the last dc before the turning chs, dc in top of turning ch, turn.
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), sk 1st dc, 3 dc in nxt dc, ch 1, slst over nxt 2 ch-2 spaces in 2 rows below, ch 1, *(3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in nxt ch-1 sp; ch 1, slst over nxt 2 ch-2 spaces in 2 rows below, ch 1*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 3 dc in the last dc before the turning chs, dc in top of turning ch, turn.
Row 4: Ch 3 (counts as dc), sk 1st dc, 3 dc in nxt dc, ch 2, sk nxt 2 ch-1 spaces, *(3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc) in nxt ch-1 sp, ch 2, sk nxt 2 ch-1 spaces*; repeat from * to * across, ending with 3 dc in the last dc before the turning chs, dc in top of turning ch, turn.
Repeat rows 2-4 until you are happy with the size of your cowl.
Join
With the same colour you worked the FC and first row, slip stitch the cowl together, joining the FC to your final worked row. Work loosley, as slsts have less ‘give’ than other stitches – change to a larger hook if necessary. Match up the circles of your first and last row, wrong sides together. Where the tops of the circles meet, work 3 slsts through the top 3 sts of the circles of the final row (purple in picture below) and through the FC (grey). In the gaps between the circles, work 4 slsts into the FC. The exactness of the join is irrelevant – do what you think looks best, this is just a suggestion!
Scarf
If you wish to make a scarf or a stole, omit the join and work one more row
Finishing & Edging
Work two rounds of edging around each side to tidy up, hide and secure all those loose ends. The edging is worked into the sides of the semicircles, in rows back-and-forth on a scarf/ stole or in joined rounds on a cowl. To make a scarf or stole, omit the join on the previous page and instead, replicate the FC across the top edge of the scarf/ stole to get both ends to look the same. Do this by working one more row after your final pattern row, as follows.
Scarf/stole final row: Ch 1, sk 1st dc, slst in nxt dc, ch 5, sk nxt 2 ch-1 spaces, *slst into nxt ch-1 sp (at the top of the circle), ch 6, sk nxt 2 ch-1 spaces*; repeat * to * across, ending with ch 5, slst in last dc, slst in top of turning chains. Create a fringed scarf by tying strands of yarn into the chain spaces at the ends.
Edging rnd 1: Simply sc all along the side of the cowl/ scarf/ stole, working your loose ends into the stitches as you go. Work approx. 2 sc around the stem of each dc along the side (i.e. 6 sc into each semicircle). Join (or turn). The exact number of sc in this rnd (or row) doesn’t matter – the important thing is that the fabric doesn’t pucker and that the scs are evenly spaced out.
Edging rnd 2: Hdc into each sc along/around. Join. Fasten off and weave in remaining ends and tidy up any ends that may be sticking out of, or showing through, the edging rounds.