Introduction: Baby Girl Cowl Sweater

This cozy sweater was adapted from a pattern I created in order to make my toddler nieces cowl sweaters that match my own.
For my sweater I used a super bulky yarn (Wool-Ease Thick and Quick) and a Q hook, but for theirs I opted for a much finer yarn, thus allowing me to pretty much keep the pattern the same (so you can use the pattern with the larger yarn and make an adult size too!)

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

2 skiens Lion Pride Woolspun (or comparable cat 5 yarn, approximately 209 yards)
K - 10.5 crochet hook
H - 8 crochet hook (used for weaving in ends, more for convenience than anything else.)
Stitch markers

Step 2: Create Your Chain

Chain 101

Step 3: Row 1

Turn your chain and single crochet (sc) into the back loops only of your chain. (100)
Ch 1, turn.

Step 4: Row 2: Increase

This row is very important because it begins an increase through part of the pattern.
Sc once in first stitch (st), sc twice in next stitch. Repeat until 20th stitch (there will now be thirty stitches, or ten increases).
Mark this stitch
Finish row with one sc in each st. Ch 1, turn. (110)

Step 5: Rows 3-4

One sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (110)

This with add length to the piece, and will not advance the increase further. This will cause the piece to look like a J when laid flat.
I also advise that you place another marker 30 st from the beginning of the fourth row. The fifth row will be an increase row and it is much easier to do this now.

Step 6: Row 5: Increase

Sc in first 80 stitches of row, this will bring you to the stitch marker at the beginning of your "J"

Sc once in first two stitches, sc twice in next one stitch. Repeat until the end of the row. Ch 1, turn. (120)

Please note, we are increasing in different stitches each time to keep the curve as natural as possible. The increase in this row will not line up with the increase in the 3rd row.

Step 7: Row 6-9

Sc in each stitch across. Ch 1, turn. (120)

There will be no increases in any of these row, and the last row will bring you to the end of the hook part of the "J" so you will be starting row 10 with your increases.

Step 8: Row 10: Increase

Sc once in first three stitches, sc twice in the fourth stitch. Repeat this until the 40th stitch (so there are 50 stitches so far in this row, again 10 increases).

Complete the row with one sc in each st. Ch 1, turn. (130)

Step 9: Row 11-17

Sc once in each st to complete, ch 1, turn.

Step 10: Row 18

Sc once in each st, until last st.

At the end of the row, sc 3 times in last stitch, and turn the piece so that you are looking at the side of the stitches. Sc down the side of the piece, and finish with a slip stitch into first st of the corner.

This should create a nice finished side at the "J" end of your work, which will make it easier to join to the back of your piece.

Step 11: Join

On the first row (your chain row) mark the 20th stitch from the beginning of the "J" end. This stitch is the end of your increase portion of the piece, and will be where you join the other end to create the cowl.

Take your safety pin and temporarily pin the non "J" end to the stitch directly following your marker.

Count 25 stitches from the non "J" end of the piece and mark this stitch.

Now turn the piece inside out.

Using a slip stitch join the "J" end of the piece to the stitch immediately following the second marker. To create a more aesthetically pleasing stitch, I put my hook through both loops of the "J" end, and only through the front loop of the main piece, and slip stitched through there. This keeps the piece from getting bulky at the seam.

At the end of the "J" end tie off, snip, and weave in ends.

Now move yourself to the other "end" where we have our temporary seam with the safety pin.

With the piece still inside out, join your yarn and slip stitch starting at the stitch after the marker the same way you did for the first seam. It is important that if you decide to use the front loop only method on one end that you do the same on the other for continuity.

Step 12: Congratulations!

You have finished your cowl!

The best part is that there is no defined front or back, so you can put your little one in it either way!

The other awesome thing about this particular pattern is that it can be easily altered. I am currently making a second cowl for my younger niece, and I decided that rather than fiddling with the stitches I would just use a cat 4 yarn and a size H hook, and it is turning out just as beautiful as this one.

I am hoping to give these to the girls for Christmas, but who knows if I can wait that long, so keep in touch for properly modeled photos.

And if you decide to make one of your own let me know! I'd love to see how it comes out for you!

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