MARGUERITE COWL

The yarn used in this project is a worsted with some fuzz, so it can be considered similar in thickness to a bulky yarn, but very soft and flexible. I used a large hook and made the loops of the marguerite much larger than the hook’s shaft. You could choose an even larger hook, but note that the stitch pattern has an alternating row of half double crochet stitches, and it may be difficult to get to the proper size with a giant sized hook. Instead, practice tension control by drawing up each loop of the marguerite nice and tall, and make all the loops close to each other in size. Then work the rows of half double crochet stitches at a normal gauge. This is definitely one to practice on a swatch before embarking on the project!

If you’re new to marguerite stitch, practice flat first, following the directions for the gauge swatch, without worrying about the foundation single crochet (Fsc) start. Use the yarn you intend to use for this project and aim to get the correct gauge. Once you can get gauge, you can begin the project and be more assured of a good outcome.

If the gauge eludes you, in order to make a cowl that fits, you can redo the stitch and row counts, using the circumference of the cowl at the top as your starting point for the dimension. Adjusting a pattern for your gauge is another excellent skill to cultivate!

Making the Cowl

Finished Measurements About 20in circumference at the top, 34 in circumference at the bottom, and 9" deep

Yarn Blue Sky Techno (68% baby alpaca, 10% extra fine merino, 22% silk, 120 yds/50 g), CYC#4 medium, 2 skeins #1972 Suede

Tools US M-N/13 (9 mm) crochet hook or size needed to obtain correct gauge

Tapestry needle

Gauge 5 marguerites and 5 rows = 4.Å~ 4 (see Marguerite Gauge Swatch on next page)

Fsc (foundation single crochet) Please refer to the step-by-step instructions for foundation single crochet below. When making this stitch, the base chain is formed by the ch-1 made after inserting the hook and pulling up a loop. Make each ch-1 larger than the hook’s shaft so that the base chain is not tight. Use the size of the top loops in the hdc row on your gauge swatch as a guide to how large these stitches should be.

Rsc (reverse single crochet) Edging See the step-by-step tutorial below. When applying the edging, it’s important not to make it too tight. Because the edging stitches are dense, they may need steaming to relax them.

Notes Count stitches at end of each round. It’s easy to mistakenly make extra half double crochet stitches. If you’re short by only one and have no place to put last loop of last marguerite, work it into the chain-2 at the beginning of the round, so long as you have the correct number of marguerites at the end of round. For larger errors, better to unravel! For a traditional starting chain, chain 43 to begin and work 42 sc in round 1.

MARGUERITE GAUGE SWATCH Row 1 Draw up a loop in 2nd ch from hook, draw up a loop in each of the next 4 ch, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1 (marguerite made), *draw up a loop in ch-1 just made, draw up a loop in last loop of previous marguerite, draw up a loop in same ch as last loop of previous marguerite, draw up a loop in next 2 ch, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1 (marguerite made), rep from * across, hdc in last ch, turn. (5 marguerites)

Row 2 Ch 2 (counts as st on even rows only), * sk hdc, 2 hdc in next ch (eye of marguerite), rep from * across, hdc in top of tch, turn. (12 hdc)

Row 3 Ch 2, draw up a loop in FL of 2nd ch from hook, draw up a loop in BL of 2nd ch from hook, draw up a loop in first hdc, draw up a loop in next 2 hdc, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1 (marguerite made), *draw up a loop in ch-1 just made, draw up a loop under last loop of prev marguerite, draw up a loop in same hdc as last loop of prev marguerite, draw up a loop in each of the next 2 hdc, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1, rep from * across, hdc in same st as last loop of last marguerite, turn.

Rows 4 and 5 Rep rows 2 and 3. Swatch should measure 4.wide and 4 long.

COWL Setup Ch 2, insert hook in 2nd ch and draw up loop, ch 1, yo, draw through 2 loops (Fsc made), *insert hook in base ch of first Fsc and draw up loop, ch 1, yo, draw through 2 loops. Repeat from *across 40 more times (42 Fsc made), sl st to top of first Fsc in rnd.

Rnd 1 Ch 2, draw up a loop in 2nd ch from hook, draw up a loop in each of the next 4 fsc, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1 (marguerite made), *draw up a loop in ch-1 just made, draw up a loop in last loop of prev marguerite, draw up a loop in same fsc as last loop of prev marguerite, draw up a loop in next 2 fsc, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1 (marguerite made), rep from * across, for last marguerite in rnd, after drawing yarn through 6 loops, do not ch 1, but instead sl st to first loop of first marguerite in rnd. (21 marguerites)

Rnd 2 Ch 2, *2 hdc in eye of marguerite, rep from * across, sl st to top of ch-2. (42 hdc)

Rnd 3 Ch 2, draw up a loop in back loop only of 2nd ch from hook, draw up a loop in front loop only of 2nd ch from hook, draw up a loop in next 3 hdc, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1, *draw up a loop in ch-1 just made, draw up a loop in last loop of prev marguerite, draw up a loop in same hdc as last loop of prev marguerite, draw up a loop in next 2 hdc, yo, draw through 6 loops on hook, ch 1, rep from * across, for last marguerite in rnd, after drawing yarn through 6 loops, do not ch 1, but instead sl st to first loop of first marguerite in rnd.

Rnd 4 Rep rnd 2.

Rnds 5–8 Rep rnds 3 and 4.

Rnd 9 Rep rnd 1.

Rnd 10 (inc rnd) Ch 2, *hdc in upper loop of next marguerite, 2 hdc in eye, rep from * across, sl st to top of ch-2. (62 hdc)

Rnd 11 Ch 2, work marguerite st around, sl st to top of ch-2. (36 marguerites)

Rnd 12 1 Rsc in same st, *1 Rsc in eye, 1 Rsc in loop next to eye, rep from * around, working the last Rsc in the first st of the rnd, then sl st to the WS in any convenient strand of the first Rsc. Fasten off.

FINISHING With RS facing, join yarn in first Fsc, ch 1, 1 Rsc in same st as join, 1 Rsc in each ch around. Fasten off. Weave in all ends. Steam the bottom edge briefly to relax the fabric.

Adapted with permission from The Crocheter's Skill-Building Workshop: Essential Techniques for Becoming a More Versatile, Adventurous Crocheter