Often, beginning crocheters are given a traditional, simple scarf pattern to follow as their first project. Maybe teachers think a scarf gives the crocheter LOTS of practice; they do seem to go on forever. I've found that making a scarf can be quite frustrating to beginners for a couple of reasons: it's hard for beginners to always make even edges, and scarves don't give that sense of completion and accomplishment that new crocheters need since they take some time to complete.
Enter cowls! A cowl is the perfect thing to rescue a new crocheter. Because it can be done in a spiraled round, there are no edges to worry about. It also is nearly as fast to make as a hat, but requires no shaping. Here's a simple cowl recipe you can use the next time you're teaching a friend to crochet:
Step 1: Make a chain between 24 and 28" long depending on how loose you want your cowl.
Step 2: Work in spiraled single crochet or half-double crocheted rounds until the cowl is the height you want: 12" works well, but taller is nice too. [Variation: work in the back loop to get a smoother, drapier fabric].
Fasten off, weave in your ends, and you're done!
[The cowl shown above is my Cosmopolitan Cowl pattern.]
being a wannabe crocheter that's great advice thanks!
ReplyDelete