Cowl crochet patterns are so fun to stitch and the projects are easy to wear. The Breezy Buttoned Crochet Cowl is so easy to make and works up quickly – it’s made as a rectangle and then buttoned together.
This makes it a great project for a newer crocheter who isn’t ready to tackle crocheting in the round, or it just makes for a nice, easy, meditative piece of crochet for someone at any skill level.
What is a Crocheted Cowl?
A cowl is a type of scarf that is shorter and worn close to the neck.
A regular scarf is usually made of a long piece of material that you can wrap around your neck at least once. It is usually rectangular in shape and can be lacy, thick, knitted or crocheted. Scarves can have fringes, buttons, and even pockets!
If you connect the two ends of your regular scarf to make a circle, you get an infinity scarf. Infinity scarves are called such because it is now a “never ending” circle, and also because you usually twist it to make the shape of the infinity symbol before putting both loops around your neck.
A cowl is typically shorter and fits closer around the neck – think infinity scarf, but shorter. Or you can think of it as a long collar. Cowls are often just big enough to fit over your head, and are perfect accessories for anyone who does not like the fuss that comes with scarves.
If you think crocheting a jacket or a sweater is too intimidating, try crocheting a cowl to add a touch of uniqueness to your winter wardrobe. Cowls also make a great gift for your favorite people any time of year.
If you enjoy crocheting simple shapes like rectangles, you may want to check out our Crochet Anything with Rectangles class where you’ll take the basic shape you already have down pat and turn it into useful, practical, and beautifully professional projects.
How Do You Crochet a Cowl for Beginners?
Crocheting a cowl is a great project for a beginning crocheter. Cowls are usually crocheted in a rectangular shape using repeated stitch patterns. They also work up quickly if you are using a bulky weight yarn or super bulky yarn and a large crochet hook.
This particular cowl uses worsted weight yarn, or number 4, which is a little thinner than bulky or super bulky but is a nice choice for beginners because it’s easy to work with and to see your stitches.
Of course you can use any yarn weight you like, just be sure to check your gauge and adjust the stitch pattern as needed to make sure your project comes out the size you want. Whether you like chunky yarn or fine, you are sure to be able to find some free crochet cowl patterns to suit your style and the kind of yarn you want to use.
The yarn used in this project, Ella Rae Cozy Alpaca, is a wonderful, cozy and soft yarn. And let me tell you, if you ever decide to splurge on a skein of yarn, this is the one you’ll want, especially when it’s wrapped around your neck. This acrylic and alpaca blend yarn is the softest, coziest and most luxurious yarn to have against your skin – seriously, I can’t stop touching it!
A cowl can be made with just about any crochet stitch pattern out there, but if you’re new to crochet it’s great to stick to basic stitches like single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet or combinations of these simple stitches.
The Easy Breezy Buttoned Cowl, for example, is made using the primrose stitch, an easy two-row repeating pattern that uses single crochet, double crochet and chain stitches. It has great texture and is easy to stitch with just a little practice!
If you need help with the basics, from simple stitches to how to hold your hook, the Crochet Fundamentals workshop is a great place to start. It’s a full crochet tutorial library to have for your reference!
If you’re looking for a fun crochet project that looks great with just about any outfit, this easy crochet pattern is perfect for you. You might even find yourself making a few cowls for your friends too!
Easy Breezy Buttoned Cowl Crochet Pattern
Skill Level: Easy
Yarn: 260 yds worsted weight yarn
Materials:
- Hook: Size K/10 ½ 6.5mm crochet hook Scissors
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch marker
- 3 buttons that are 1” each
Size: Length 30” x Width 8.5”
Gauge:
4” = 4.5 repeats of Primrose stitch pattern* x 4.5 rows
Rows 2 & 3 of cowl establish Primrose stitch pattern. For a 6” gauge swatch, ch 22, then work rows 1-7 of pattern. Exact gauge is not critical for this project.
| ABBREVIATIONS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| ch | Chain |
| dc | Double crochet |
| hdc | Half double crochet |
| sc | Single crochet |
| st(s) | Stitch(es) |
Pattern instructions
Ch 91
Row 1: (Sc, ch 2, sc) in 3rd ch from the hook. [Skip next 2 chs, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch] across to last ch, hdc in last ch, turn. (Turning ch-2, 60 sc, 30 ch-2 sps, 1 hdc)
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as dc throughout), sk all sc and 3 dc in each ch-2 sp across, dc in top of turning ch, turn. (Turning ch-3, 91 dc)
Row 3: Ch 2, [sk next dc, (sc, ch 2, sc), sk next dc] across, hdc in the top of the turning ch, turn. (Turning ch-2, 60 sc, 30 ch-2 sps, 1 hdc)
Rows 4-20: Repeat rows 2-3 8 times more, then repeat row 2 once more.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Fringe:
Cut 90 strands of yarn approximately 9” in length. (To make it easier, I wrapped my yarn widthwise around a box of kraft dinner 90 times and then cut along one edge.)
Attach fringe into each ch sp along the bottom of the scarf as follows:
- Hold 3 strands of yarn together and fold in half to make a loop.
- Insert crochet hook into the ch sp and pull loop halfway through.
- With crochet hook, pull the ends through the loop, over the edge of the scarf. Pull ends to tighten.
Trim ends of fringe to an even length.
Buttons:
Lay scarf flat with right side facing up. Sew a button onto the scarf, centered along row 2, approximately 1.5” from the right-hand edge of the scarf. Sew 2 more buttons along row 2 so that the three buttons are spaced about 2 inches apart from each other. See picture below for clarity.
Weave in any remaining ends.
Check out more free crochet patterns for cowls and scarves: Button Up Squares Cowl Neck Warmer, Easy Breezy Buttoned Cowl, Big Chunky Scarf, Winter Wonderland Scarf, Hooded Crochet Scarf
