Learn to Crochet, Project 3: Three Color Tonal Cowl

Welcome back to the Learn to Crochet series! Today we’ll be making our third project, the Three Color Tonal Cowl.

Last week, we covered how to crochet in the round. There are a few methods for doing so, but we focused on the using a slip stitch to attach the end of a round to its beginning. We also discussed how this week’s project alters that method by making the slip stitch, then working back in the opposite direction instead of continuing in the round.

Have You been practicing? Working in the round isn’t too difficult, but it can take some getting used to.

The Tonal Cowl

Supplies

For the Three Color Tonal Cowl, you need three skeins of Wool-Ease® Tonal, one each of three different colors. I like the gradient feel of using three similar shades, so I went with Cabernet, Raspberry, and Fuchsia. You could do something similar or make it your own. This would look lovely in three shades of gray (Charcoal, Smoke, and Grey Marble) or with some unrelated brights (Fuchsia, Aqua, and Lime). It’s up to you!

You use a size N-13 (9.0 mm) hook for this. With that size and the chunky yarn, this is actually a pretty quick project.

The Process

This cowl is made up of chains and double crochet stitches. That’s it! Do them in sequence to get the nice open pattern you see.

It starts with a ch of 74, which you join with a sl st. Make sure you don’t twist the chain when you join it, which is something that took me a few tries.

After you ch 3 to make the first stitch, you’ll dc into the chain all the way around. This shouldn’t increase or decrease at all, so make sure you’ve still got 74 stitches at the end. I find that the first row is the easiest place to inexplicably gain or lose things.

At the end of each round, you’ll sl st into the first stitch, make your turning ch, and turn the piece to work back in the direction you came from.

On this second round, the turning ch is 4, because it counts as the first dc as well as one ch. You’ll only be working into every other stitch, so it goes sk 1 st, dc 1, ch 1. That means you skip over a stitch, dc into the following stitch, and ch 1. The chain stitch makes up for the one you skipped over, so you should have the same size piece at the end of the round.  The next round is all dc, so you work into every stitch and chain from the round before. Don’t forget to work back the way you came after your turning ch!

Changing Yarn

After doing the two pattern rows a few times, you’ll switch colors. We’ve done this before, in the hat, so you should be able to do it without trouble. Do the sl st in the color you’ve been working with, then use the new color for your turning ch.

You’ll repeat the same pattern with the new color, then change again. Repeat the pattern with the third color, fasten off, and you’re done!

Of all the projects we’re doing for this series, the Tonal Cowl is the one I’ve gotten the most use out of. I love both the look and feel of Wool-Ease® Tonal, and it’s a warm piece to wear on windy winter days in New York. It’s tall enough to cover the face, but the open stitching means you won’t feel like you’re suffocating (and you won’t fog your glasses as much). Depending on what else I’m wearing, I can either put the bright Fuchsia side up or the darker Cabernet side. Both look great!

While making it, I discovered I’m not the only one who likes it. Beware adorable animals who steal your cozy craft projects.

Up Next

Next week is our last (!) lesson. We’ll be working on increases and decreases, so get your practice yarn and hooks ready! After that we’ll be making the Crochet Level 3 Ripple Cowl, which requires two skeins (one in each color) of Heartland®.

Can you believe we’re so close to being done? You’re almost a crochet expert!