Window on the World Cowl | Premium Crochet Pattern

Cowls are a handy women’s accessory item when you need to add a pop of color to a neutral outfit, or dress up a casual outfit, or just step out into the cool weather with a light jacket.

Fall, and the transition of seasons, is my favorite time to pull out cowls. They provide just enough warmth for the cool weather without being heavy. They feel so cozy, snuggly against my neck.

Inspiration for the cowl

I bought the yarn for this design a few years ago. I was away on a business trip when my daughter sent me an Instagram post from MadelineTosh yarn.

In season 3, episode 2 of Stranger Things, Hopper gets dressed up to go to a nice restaurant with Joyce. The outfit he wore was a bit ridiculous but the shirt was an instant social media sensation.

When MadelineTosh created this limited edition color called “Hopper’s Shirt” on their stunning Silk Merino, I bought enough of the yarn for both me AND my daughter. I knew from the start I wanted to use it to make a cowl for each of us.

Design specifics

This cowl design features alternating sections of solid half double crochet and a stitch pattern called the “boxed block stitch”.

I love using the half double crochet because it offers some of the drape and flexibility of the double crochet with a bit of the density of the single crochet. It creates a solid fabric that’s perfectly in between the single and double crochet.

The “boxed block stitch” is much the same construction as the block stitch I used in my Blissful Blocks Baby Blanket crochet pattern. In the traditional block stitch, single crochets serve as the anchor stitches for the every-other-row foundation chain, whereas the boxed block stitch uses double crochets. The added height creates the illusion of openwork boxes. The boxed block stitch creates a slightly denser fabric than traditional block stitch because of the additional double crochets that fill each chain space of the stitch pattern.

What’s great about the Window on the World cowl crochet pattern?

• The pattern is beginner friendly, quick and easy to make and finish.
• It’s an easy to remember pattern, great for relaxing crochet.
• The cowl is lightweight with great drape, yet it’s warm when the weather gets cooler.

The Yarn

Any DK weight will do for this cowl. I mentioned MadelineTosh “Silk Merino” which is what I originally designed this pattern for. Since the first one, I’ve made 2 more – one in Scheepjes “Stone Washed” and another in Black Cat Fibers “Essential DK”.

As you can tell, I love using indie-dyed yarn. There’s just something so luxurious and decadent about making a wearable with yarn from one of my favorite indie-dyers.

The cowl takes on a completely different look using Scheepjes “Stone Washed”. It looks and feels even cosier with this brushed finish yarn. Because I live in the US, I buy mine from the Wool Warehouse out of Great Britain. They offer super service and have a great selection of yarns across many brands.

More information about the pattern

The only other thing you’ll need to make this cowl is a US size H-8 (5mm) hook. You might want a tapestry needle to weave in ends when you’re finished but that’s it!

The pattern comes with suggestions about how to customize your cowl. You can make it either wider or bigger around using the included instructions. Plus, the pattern has a crochet chart for the boxed block section just in case.

Where can I buy the pattern?

Purchase the ad-free, beautifully formatted PDF in any one of my pattern shops.

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