Jean Leinhauser in Loving Memory

It has been a long while since I wrote a blog post, life has a habit of getting in the way. Some things that we think are very important, take over and we let them consume us. Yesterday, I opened my email to the sad news that Jean Leinhauser had unexpectedly passed away. So many emotions flashed through my mind. I could not believe this news, it was not registering in my brain. This cannot be true, didn't I just get an email from Jean 2 days ago? When Jean's great friend and business partner, Rita Weiss confirmed Jean's death, I was devastated.

I cannot remember the year that I actually met Jean, but I remember the meeting. I introduced myself, so happy to finally meet her, and she took my hand and said "Margaret, I know who you are". I was so blown away by this that I was speechless. A few years ago, Jean and Rita presented me with a sparkly, rhinestone pin that says "Old Broads Rule" and officially inducted me into the OBC (Old broads club). It has been a running joke and great fun at conferences when we wear our pins.

Jean was to be honored next month at the Crochet Conference in Minnesota for being voted in as the first member of the Crochet Hall of Fame. Her lifelong achievements in designing and publishing are so numerous that it would take a book to list all her books. Now in addition to honoring Jean, we will be remembering her and all the great things that she accomplished.

Jean was a legend in the world of crochet and she will be sorely missed. So many wonderful things have been written about Jean, she touched so many lives, I for one will feel her presence every time I attend a conference. I know that she will be with us and making sure that I am wearing my pin, and encouraging all the OBIT's (Old Broad's in Training) to keep on trying for excellence in their work, and to keep on submitting their designs.

Margaret

New Lacy Crochet Cowl for Spring

Trellis: Tonal DK-weight yarn version

I've got crochet lace cowl scarves & wraps on the brain. I can't think of anything more beautiful to drape around one's head, shoulders (or dare I say décolletage) at this time of year! And they're so easy to crochet.

I just added a new downloadable Doris Chan crochet pattern to the DesigningVashti.com crochet site. Trellis has turned out to be one of those make-it-now-and-get-addicted-to-making-more lace patterns. That's what happened to Doris, according to the story she blogged about it. So, the pattern PDF includes THREE shapes of Trellis to crochet, and in a whole range of yarn types. 

I like what Doris said about using color-changing yarn for this design: "Inexplicably, Trellis is also happy in tonal shaded yarns and in long-repeat colorways, which hardly ever happens with crocheted lace." 

It's true, all bets are off if the stitches are lacy, so it's one of those pleasant discoveries about a design. 

Trellis: Color-Changing Worsted Wt. Version

I love self published crochet patterns! Not only does the designer choose the yarn, s/he is also free to play with other yarns for the same design, and then share the results! 

One of the highs of independent crochet designing for me is discovering how a design turns out to have special versatility and hidden strengths. 

Indie crochet designers are free to "run with it," and explore intriguing parts of a design. How are related variations (in yarns and shapes) not going to happen? Why shouldn't a designer include them in the pattern PDF and share the excitement? So I love to see it happen for Doris too.

Easy Style: Crochet "Brioche" Stitch Cowl (free pattern)

Sometimes a crochet stitch pattern like this one is just so perfect, and a cowl is the perfect way to show it off. 

Cami has a blog called Art, Like Bread. I love this from her blog: 

In the Winter 2011 issue of the free online magazine, Tangled, editor and professional designer Tracy St. John offers a crochet cowl pattern called Radicowl. 

It features a reversible crochet "brioche stitch" pattern that is one is one of my personal favorites. Not only is it fast and easy, it's super fun to see what happens when you change colors! 

I agree with Tracy, it has the charm of knit brioche with all the added benefits of being crocheted. 

I've met new crochetin' friends in Twitter, and Cami (aka Caissa McClinton) is one of them. Check out her completed Radicowl: 

"The world is beautiful and art, like bread is for everyone."

You can also see her portfolio and website here: http://artlikebread.com/home.html . If you're in Ravelry (it's free to join) clicking here will take you to Cami's project page for the Radicowl. 

Versatile Cabled Cowl by Mary Jane Hall

As a Neck Warmer

As a Hood

I have always been the kind of designer who says, “What else can I do with this?” I love playing around with a crocheted piece and sometimes my mind just goes crazy. It all started with a design in Crochet That Fits, where I have 6 designs all from the same exact shape. 

As a Capelet

As a Skirt

I didn’t start out planning to do the same with this cowl, but after it was finished, I was not satisfied with just one way to wear it!

As a hood

My model, 24 yr old Mihaela Vaduva from Romania, so patiently allowed me to manipulate this cowl all over her body.

There are several ways you can wear this cowl, so it's really 7 patterns in one!

They are:
1. As a Cowl - neck warmer
2. As a Hood - over your head
3. As a Capelet - around the shoulders
4. As a Skirt
5. As a Tube Top - to wear under a jacket
6. As a Tote Bag
7. As a Throw Pillow 

 Of course, if you wear this piece as a skirt, you may need to weave in a chain tie through the waist to help keep it on your hips. And if you use the pattern as a tote bag, you'd need to crochet a rectangle shaped bottom, sew on handles, and add lining and a stabilizer to help keep its shape.

For those of you who are fairly new to crochet, you may look at the stitch pattern and think it looks complicated. But it’s not at all. Believe me, I try not to do real difficult patterns.

If I can’t figure out a stitch pattern in a few minutes, I’m done with that one, and go on to try another. I am known to design easy patterns, and this textured cable and aran stitch won’t disappoint you. It’s not the quickest pattern, but well worth your time.  The stunning texture resembles knitting from afar. BTW, I would never advise anyone to wear a crochet sweater, such as this, (at left) with the crochet cowl. I had been taking pictures of Mihaela in crochet pieces I found at the thrift store and was in a hurry! A post called "Thrift Store Finds" can be found on my blog here.

This cowl pattern is now available for sale on my blog here.
                                        

As a Tube Top

As a Tote Bag

As a pillow

Each piece you see in the photos is the exact same piece. (the original cowl) My model is a size 4-5, but as a skirt this would also fit a size 1-2.

If you need to make a larger size skirt or capelet, all you'd have to do is add more rows.
For the pillow at right, I sewed up one end, put a pillow form inside, then sewed up the other end on the outside.
Maybe you have another idea of how this pattern can be used, and if so, I'd love to hear about it! Details of the pattern (price - shipping options) is here. Please let me know if you have any questions!

The Loken Cowl

I am so pleased to be able to talk about the Loken cowl that I designed for Berroco yarn company, as part of their eBook of patterns featuring their new Flicker yarn.

The brief I was given, was basically, to design an oversized cowl featuring crochet motifs.  I wanted the motifs to be unique, and I achieved this in the way that they are joined together.  This cowl is completely seamless and begins by crocheting 2 strips of motifs.  Then, the top and center motifs are made separately and incorporated into the spaces in the cowl by crocheting around edges of the previously joined motifs and into loops of the center or top motifs, simultaneously.  This creates bold thicker areas around the motifs which gives them an interesting texture, because the edges stand up and away from their centers.

When the bottom portion of the cowl is complete, you are rewarded the fun of crocheting the lovely shaped cowl neck in rounds above the motifs.  Working these chain stitch rounds is something I could do for hours on end!  It grows quickly and it is easily shaped by increasing or decreasing the number of chains.

It can be worn either loose around the neck or pulled down to cover the shoulders as in the photo above. It could also be made into a larger or smaller size by adding to or subtracting from the motif repeats, and altering the number of chains in the neck to fit.

There is more about my design process and some additional photos of the cowl here, on my blog, if you are interested!

Two Crochet Cowls by Kristine Mullen

Kristine is the crochet designer of Ambassador Crochet, an Etsy shop based in Connecticut (northeast USA). She contacted me a few months back to let me know that her Yin Yang Contrast Cowl pattern was available in her shop. I can't believe how behind I got in posting about new crochet cowls! In the meantime, Kristine has designed another crochet cowl (both are pictured below). I can post about both of them together. 

The Yin Yang Contrast Cowl looks like a quick and fun cowl to crochet right now for instant warmth if you live where the winds are still wintry blasts. It uses super bulky yarn. (As I write this, I hear that a big new nasty storm is expected from Louisiana to New York.)

In contrast, the Elegant Infinity Cowl crochet pattern is a bit lighter and still plenty warm for these months of variable winter-to-spring temperatures. Kristine says it's a suitable pattern for a beginner. I've only shown one image here, but be sure to click on its name to see the other four photos of how she has draped and styled it. The one shown here reminds me of a dollop of whipped cream. 


If you visit Kristine's Ambassador Crochet Etsy shop you'll also see a stylin' array of beanies for kids! She states in her shop that you can sell any items made from her patterns for profit. (Please link to her if you do.)

The Fanfare Cowl

I am so thrilled to be able to share my cowl here, and be a part of the design team!

This cowl was designed for the UK magazine, Inside Crochet, issue #8.  It is made up of simple stitches, and finished up with a little surface crochet  to define the "pleats".  I think this detail is its crowning glory.  Surface crochet is one of my favorite crochet techniques, and I use it often in my designs and freeform work.  This pattern is a great introduction to this technique if you have never tried it.

It is a versatile pattern that could be used to make a belt, by adjusting the length and width of the cowl and the tie.  You could also weave satin ribbon or a skinny silk scarf through the cowl, instead of the crocheted tie, for an instant transformation to match a particular outfit.

Skill level:  Intermediate

(Written in US crochet terms)

MATERIALS:

Yarn:  Berroco Inca Gold, 80% 

merino wool, 20% silk, 50g/ 113m/ 

122yds, WPI 9. 

Color A: Verde Azulado, #6418 

(one skein). 

Color B: Purpura, #6409 (one 

skein). 

Hook size:  (G) 4mm, or size to 

obtain gauge. 


Price:  $2.95

The Transitional Mobius Cowl According to Doris Chan

Snow Day as Snood (Hood)

Snow Day as Loop Scarf

A Doris J. Chan Cowl

Ms. Doris caught the cowl-crocheting bug and check out the result: it's the perfect transitional neckwarmer-shoulderwarmer-snood/hood, as practical in a wintry cold snap as it is pleasurable during a Spring thaw. Read about her inspiration for it here.

True or False: Möbius?

Moebius geeks purists connoisseurs please note: it's a true möbius (deserving of the umlaut ö). 

Snow Day is the newest addition to DJC, the new indie crochet patterns designed by Doris Chan. She also has another pattern line just for girls called DJC2, and will be adding a new design in a week or two. I'm proud to be able to offer both of Doris' indie pattern lines at my own online shop for downloadable crochet pattern pdf's.


One of the things I personally like about Doris' style of pattern publishing is how she builds in a lot of choices and swatch results in fibers and yarn textures so that you can make informed choices about the yarn you use. 

Stay in the Doris Chan Loop

Snow Day as Mobius Wrap

Keep up with all new Doris Chan crochet pattern releases three ways: 


1. Check Doris' blog Everyday Crochet


2. Check in with her Ravelry group, Doris Chan: Everyday Crochet


3. Subscribe to the DesigningVashti Crochet Inspirations Newsletter, then sit back and wait for a new issue to arrive by email every month.

Snow Day shown in a Silk-Cotton-Rayon blend yarn

"Nine to Five" Convertible Crochet Cowl

Designer Janet Brani of OneLoopShy Designs emailed me in January to let me know of a crochet cowl pattern that's available as a FREE pdf download at her Ravelry store.

Some notable details about Janet's cowl are:

• A detachable buttoned tab of Tunisian knit stitch
• Pattern includes a crochet flower than can be buttoned onto the tab as optional embellishment (see third photo below)
• A two-hour one skein project using a US G crochet hook
• Yarn shown is Silky Wool by Elsebeth Lavold, which seems to be popular--several designers have used it lately. One skein has 192 yards (175 meters), in case you wish to substitute with yarn in your stash.

Janet Brani holds the copyright to all 3 images.

I'm just now getting back into the blogging swing of things, so be looking for more blog posts soon! Thanks for visiting -- Vashti

Some really COOL cowl wrapping ideas

I know this pattern is knitting, BUT  look at some of the really NEAT ideas they have to wear one of the longer cowls.  I really like the shrug look!

Here is the pattern

Simple Tunisian Crochet Cowls in Alpaca Yarns

I found a blog today that is written in Norwegian. I wish I could read Norwegian, but Google Translate gives me a good enough sense of what the blogger, Stella Marie Tveter, has to say about her Tunisian crochet designs.














Try this link if you'd like to see what I mean. In the original language, here are all of her posts tagged with "hakkekrok," which seems to mean "Tunisian crochet."

Don't you love the beauty of the handpainted colors when worked in Tunisian Simple Stitch? And when worn as a head scarf, the alpaca yarn in this cozy gauge and stitch surely keeps ears warm.

Stella designs for Du Store Alpakka, and I found some Tunisian crochet on their blog. Here are their posts tagged with "Hakking."

Du Store Alpakka produced a wonderful book teaching a variety of crochet techniques, all shown in luscious alpaca yarns. You can see the Google-translated description here. Look at the end of the post for links to more information in Ravelry.

Child's Crochet Cowl & Wristlets, A Free Pattern

Happy Week Two of 2011! Yes, I'm slowly recovering from the holidays. How about a free crochet pattern to kick off the new year?

Kristine Mullen has designed Snow Princess Cowl & Wristlets and the full pattern can be found at her blog, Ambassador Crochet. It's sized to fit preteens and younger. Kristine notes that it's an easy enough pattern for beginning crocheters too.

Isn't this a great photo of a Snow Princess with her own crochet cowl and wristlets set?

So, as promised a little while ago...a free pattern! This is my Hairpin Lace Infinity Scarf...a type of cowl! My Christmas present to all of you! If you happen to make one, drop me a line and a pic to post on my Reader's Gallery! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

New Free Crochet Cowl Pattern Today

Fresh off the crochet hook is Carol Wolf's warm cowl with a lot of drape and luster. It's called Roli's Cowl and the pattern was posted today at her Wolf Crochet blog:

She used 300-400 yards of a sport weight bamboo blend. Nice job, Carol!
Here's the Ravelry page for Roli's Cowl.

Free Crochet Cowl Patterns!

Free crochet cowl patterns galore! Crocheting is fast, and even the smaller 1-skein cowls can be plenty warm, so there's still plenty of time to crochet cowls for Christmas gifts.

Free Indie Patterns for Small, Quick Cowls

Deb Burger's free 1-skein cowl-to-hat design

Deb Burger's free one-skein crochet cowl converts into a hat (photo by Deborah E. Burger). How cool is that? When you click on this link, please explore the free online Crochet Uncut magazine. You can see 37 or so projects here.

Newest news: Beth of Displaced Moose has a free new downloadable crochet cowl pattern!

Elizabeth Ann White offers one at her website; you can see another without fringe at its Ravelry page. (Be sure to also check out the 17 projects made from the pattern so far. Some are even smaller in size.)

Free Indie Patterns for Larger Cowls
About the more generous-sized cowls, Cheryl Brown of Purple Butterfly tweeted: "I love the cowls that cover my shoulders and b/c I also love shawls, ponchos and wraps I feel it is all in one." I agree with Cheryl--when I wear Orbit, I enjoy it like it's a wrap, only more so.

Suzana Davidovic of Croatia recently uploaded a free pattern for a larger crochet cowl to Ravelry. It uses about 400 yards of sport weight yarn and an I/5.5mm crochet hook.

Stephanie of The Crimson Owl published a free cowl pattern on her blog last year and I've seen people are talking about it again this year in online forums. Also see her follow up post about it, and its Ravelry page with 333 projects listed. Yes: 333!

Free Cowl Patterns from Yarn Companies
My crochet friend and Crochet Inspirations Newsletter subscriber Eleanor Lahn wrote to me about Lion Brand's cowl patterns: "Lion Brand’s latest newsletter has a link to all 60+ of their cowl patterns. I think Lion Brand has done as much as anyone to promote cowls in the past year -- they have lots of clever patterns." Thanks for pointing it out, Eleanor! Here's the link. (Some knit patterns are mixed in with the crochet)

Paradores

Aspen

Caron (scroll through projects to see cowls and scarflets). I especially like Aspen, designed by Kim Guzman and Tammy Hildebrand's Paradores Infinity Scarf.

Red Heart Yarns by Coats & Clark has a few free patterns for crochet cowls here.

Bernat's Cluster Cowl

Bernat has a lovely new free crochet cowl pattern called "Cluster Cowl" in an alpaca blend yarn. (Note that you have to become a member of the site (it's free) to access the free patterns.)

New Tunisian Crochet Cowl Scarf

Rimply the edgy, one-skein, big-hook neck warmer is packin' some Heat-Trapping Technology:

Worsted-weight Rimply

You're looking at familiar, by-the-book Tunisian Knit Stitch, crocheted not-so-by-the-book to fortify it with stretchy padded goodness. That violet one above is for DK-to-Worsted Weight yarn and an L (8mm) Tunisian crochet hook. The grey one below is for Aran/Heavy Worsted Weight yarn and an M (9mm)Tunisian crochet hook. (Instantly downloadable pattern is written for both options.)

One edge has extra stretch built in so that it flares comfortably....seductively, even?....at the lower neck as it widens for the shoulders.  However, check out how the grey aran weight one looks when it's worn upside down! The stretchier edge is the top edge of the scarflet now:

Chunky-weight Rimply (upside down 🔄)

More photos of both versions can be seen in Rimply's Flickr set.

Rimply is named for its thermal pockets, or "rimples"—a little used term that I like reviving.

Making it as long and as wide as you prefer is easy. In fact, I fantasize about an oversized muffler-type, or even a capelet-type wrapper. So warm and squishy-soft omg.

Some Crochet Cowls Around the Web

1) Heidi Heisl has an Etsy shop where she offers a PDF pattern for a "Mammoth Crochet Cowl." It makes the "eternity scarf"-type of cowl look very warm and fun to wear--you just coil it around as many times as you like and it would fit around the bulkiest coat collars.

ALERT - ALERT -  FREE CROCHET PATTERN  - ALERT - ALERT 

2) Go check out Angryolive's Twisted Cowl. This one's a mobius-style cowl. (In this case, that special mobius twist is created after the crocheting, when you seam it.) The pattern is right there at angryolive's livejournal page.


3) And finally, have a look at this hooded cowl for men. OK yes, it's knitted--machine knitted I'm sure. But wouldn't it be fun and easy to crochet?

Everyone keeping their necks warm? It's cold even here in Florida!

New Release: Crochet a Spiraling Orbit Cowl!

Crocheting this mesh rib stitch in a spiral sure has momentum! I really picked up speed while crocheting it: no joining, no turning, no counting stitches to slow things down.

To make it even more addictive, you only crochet into every other stitch, and this makes for an especially soft, stretchy cowl-neckscarf-capelet-hooded-shoulderwarmer-snood-wimple-thing.

The Orbit Cowl crochet pattern is fully customizable and includes the "how-tos" along the way. You can see some styling and color editing experiments in its online photo album.

I'm just now thinking that I could have written it for many yarn weights! The one shown uses an "aran-weight" (kind of "chunky weight" or heavy worsted) and a J-US10-6mm crochet hook. (Isn't it great how the self-striping yarn* looks?) The customizing how-tos in the pattern should help with substituting any yarn.

Well, dangnabbit: why not go super chunky? A big crochet hook too--probably bigger than an L, say an M or N (9mm or 10mm) crochet hook. The 'orbiting' ribs would certainly make a statement, huh?


*Crystal Palace Mochi Plus (80% merino wool, 20% nylon): 300 yards were needed for the size shown.
I also uploaded it to my Ravelry Store today.

Update

It's been 2 or 3 years since I wrote this post. It turns out that I wear Orbit more often than most of the others I've crocheted. I added a drawstring at the neck opening. I also often wear it pulled up like a hood. (When I wear a different cowl, it's when there's a fierce biting wind. That's when I turn to the wind-blocking Thaxton hood.)

Crochet a "Lariat Cowl"

What a fun idea! I was minding my own business sipping an Americano with a bit of vanilla sugar, and I received a Google Alert for "crochet cowls patterns." When I saw "Lariat of Roses" I had to click.

The designer is Emi Harrington and she has an Etsy shop called Hectanooga here. You can check out the photo and pattern particulars here. Here's what it says in the description:

"VERY EASY, BEGINNER LEVEL, LARIAT OF ROSES.
This pattern can be made up in about 45 minutes!
It is all done in one continuous strip."

This design gets poetry points for blurring distinctions between cowls, necklaces, and scarves, and also for the heady "Lariat of Roses" name :-)

Now I'm going back to getting another crochet cowl pattern of my own ready for release this week. Maybe today! And a Tunisian cowl soon.

Icelandic Cowl

Icelandic Cowl started as a beautiful ball of Madeline Tosh- Tosh Sock in the colorway Iceberg.The name of the cowl is just a play on the colorway name.
Again, this cowl showcases my love for the mobius.  It also works from the center out using a 2 row repeat and finishes with a beautiful scalloped edging. The yarn has a subtle monochromatic variegation to it which in my minds eye gives the look of sunlight rippling on ice.
This cowl is sized in Small (40 inch Bust) Medium (46 inch Bust) and Large (53 inch Bust)
Wear it as a shawl, cowl or even twist up to cover your ears.
You can purchase this shawl on Patternfish or Ravelry for $6.00