The Chasing Rabbits Cowl – A free crochet pattern

The Chasing Rabbits Cowl is the perfect way to add some color to your fall and winter wardrobe. Each cowl is made using a color gradient yarn, where two are never exactly the same. Using a variety of textured stitches gives this cowl lots of fun character while the light-weight wool blend yarn allows for plenty of gorgeous drape.

The Chasing Rabbits Cowl consists of an easy 3 row repeat in the round. It’s made up of simple half double crochets, half double crochets in the back bar and bead stitches. This cowl is a great pattern for a confident beginner ready to learn a new stitch or an easy make for an advanced beginner.

The fun fall accessory is easy to adapt to your own preferences. Add or subtract from your starting chain to adjust the width. Add or subtract repeat rows to adjust the height. This cowl was designed with flexibility in mind and is truly a one skein project. Average dimensions are approximately 12-13″ wide x 18-21″ tall. The best part- gauge is entirely up to you.

• • Scroll down to the bottom to see my worsted weight version • •

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Materials Needed:

One cake Mandala Wool-ease by LionBrand (590 yards): This is a light category 3 yarn. Substitute the original Mandala or another weight 3 yarn of your choice. I’ve used almost the entire 590 yards of my cake.

Size I (5.5 mm) crochet hook: I’m using my favorite Clover Amour

Scissors

Yarn needle

Gauge: gauge is not important for this pattern. Just adjust the number of stitches to maintain the size you prefer. I try to keep my tension loose so that my finished cowl keeps its nice drape.

Abbreviations/Stitches:

ch- chain

sl st- slip stitch

sc- single crochet

hdc- half double crochet

Bst- bead stitch: for a quick picture tutorial on the bead stitch jump over here – The Bead Stitch – A free how to crochet tutorial

Notes:

back bump- For a cleaner, more finished edge, I start my first row in the back bump of the chain. For a quick tutorial head over here – The Back Bump – A Crochet Tutorial

hdc in the back bar: remember that hdc in the back bar is NOT the same as the back loop. When you turn your work towards you, you will see the back bar, behind and just below the V that you would typically work in.

Bst- remember when working bead stitches, each bead ends with a skipped stitch. The following row will have 2 stitches worked for each bead st.

Watch your yarn as you get closer to the end. This pattern is written for a total of 15 bead stitch repeat rows but if you only have enough for 13, no big deal. Just jump to your finishing row. If you still have quite a bit, feel free to add more repeats until you’ve almost finished the cake.

The Pattern:

Start with a ch of 95. (If you are adjusting your width, be sure your starting ch is an odd number)

Row 1. Working in the back bump, sc in the 2nd ch from hook and each ch across.

Without twisting your row, join to the top of the 1st sc, from front to back, with a sl st. You will use the starting tail to connect the bottom of the cowl when you weave in ends after your cowl is completed.

Round 1. ch 1, starting in the same st hdc in each st around. Join to first hdc with a sl st.

2. ch 1, starting in the same st and working in the back bar hdc in each st across. Join to first hdc with a sl st.

3. ch 2, Bst in same st and all the way across (remember a Bst includes a sk st in the previous row). Join to the 2nd part of the 1st Bst with a sl st (see photo)

4. ch 1, starting in the same st hdc in each st around (remember you will be working 2 st per Bst). Join to the first hdc with a sl st.

5. ch1, starting in the same st and working in the back bar, hdc in each st around. Join to the first hdc with a sl st.

From here- repeat rounds 3-5 until you reach your desired length. I typically get a total of 15 rounds of bead stitches.

Finishing round: ch 1, sc in the same st and each st around. Join to the first sc with a sl st.

Fasten off. Weave in ends. Remember to join your bottom together with your starting tail.

And you’re finished!! I think I’ll make one in as many Mandala colorways as I can get my hands on, how about you?

I made this worsted weight version using one skein of I Love This Yarn and a J hook. I followed the same starting chain and have a total of 8 bead stitch rows.