For me, a Crochet-A-Long (CAL) means everyone gets an opportunity to join in. This hooded cowl will be published for FREE on my website in three parts: the first half of the hood, the 2nd half of the hood, and then the cowl.
You also have the option of purchasing the FULL PATTERN and CHARTS on Ravelry or Etsy. The free online version will be released in stages and does not include the charts.
As per my usual, you will have the option of using the interlocking crochet technique or the overlay mosaic crochet technique. In my samples I have used a local hand-dyed alpaca yarn for my mosaic crochet version and some acrylic yarn for my interlocking crochet version.
I did a little promo on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vEjPwRzBo1k
I also switched the dark/light colors for fun. Do you prefer green trees or white trees?
When you use the interlocking crochet technique you’ll have a few more rows than the mosaic option because we need to lock the two layers of mesh together. Whichever color you start with will become the trees.
With the mosaic version, because we don’t need border lines, the first color you use will actually be the background color (the sky). I used white as the sky and as the envelope border but you could use the other color for your envelope border if you prefer.
Or, you can forever view both the interlocking pattern and the mosaic pattern FREE here on my website!
I also created a quick support video for the cowl portion of this project:
Follow this pattern for FREE here on my website!
I will have both the interlocking crochet pattern AND the overlay mosaic crochet pattern for this square here online. Charts are not included, only the written portion. Charts are available in the purchased pattern.
If you’re new to my patterns or to one of these techniques let me go over some basics.
All of my patterns can be made using interlocking crochet (also called Locked Filet Mesh or LFM) or overlay mosaic crochet (that’s the technique where you cut at the end of each row).
Interlocking crochet is two layers of mesh that get created row by row and locked together strategically to show the design. Watch my tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oku_6_hN1w4&list=PLbdEDo49IQroC7Xoj6svR0J0i0HvJU1IM
Overlay mosaic crochet uses single crochet (US terms) in the back loop only and a dropped double crochet in the front loop two rows below to create the image. My tutorial: https://youtu.be/6YwXIqKqWjI
Old patterns and a select few of my new ones will have the exact same chart for both techniques. Most of my new patterns use a chart for mosaic crochet that has been adjusted to remove the unnecessary mesh dots and extra border lines – so the image is the same but technically the charts are different. I also have added X’s onto my mosaic charts that tell you when to do a dropped double crochet.
Regardless of whether the charts are the same or adjusted, the way you read the charts is different for each technique. I always include the written pattern for each technique as well as the charts. You can use one or the other, or both.
I personally prefer to use the written pattern for both techniques. Once I create the written instructions I generally don’t look at the chart again.
Interlocking Crochet Pattern
The hood is a rectangle that gets folded in half. It starts with 53 windows in the foundation trellis.
For yardage and other important details, click here.
KEY
AC = Accent Color. Second color used. The background / sky.
MC = Main Color. First color used. The trees.
RS = right side: the side of your work that will show the finished design
WS = wrong side: the back of your project
Front = the side currently facing you
Back = the side not facing you
Ch = chain
Sp = space
Sk = skip a stitch
SC = single crochet
DC = double crochet
F = DC in front, then CH 1
B = DC behind, then CH 1
ES = DC into the last window space
EF = end stitch in front: using AC, DC into the last AC window, working in front of MC
EB = end stitch in back: using AC, DC into the last AC window, working behind MC
ACF = bring the AC yarn to the side facing you
ACB = put AC yarn to the side facing away from you
- If you chain tighter than me you may need to Ch 4 where I Ch 3
- Don’t confuse RS / WS with Front / Back
- Remember, each color is worked into itself only and there is a chain space between each DC
KEY for the Cowl portion:
BPDC = back post double crochet: yarn over, insert hook from the back around the front of the stitch and to the back again (go around the post), pull up a loop, *yarn over, pull through two loops* twice
FPDC = front post double crochet: as above, except insert hook from the front of the stitch and go around the back of the post coming out the front again.
Foundation Rows (54 MC stitches, 53 AC stitches)
STEP 1
Using MC (white in my sample, the trees) create 53 windows.
I prefer the chainless technique (chain 5, dc into first stitch, chain 1, tr into same space, *chain 1, tr into 2nd part of the previous tr* repeat as many times as needed).
Alternatively, to create 53 windows you can chain 110, then DC in 5th chain from your hook. *Ch 1, Sk 1, DC* repeat until the end. Place stitch marker so your work doesn’t unravel.
STEP 2
With your AC (teal in my sample, the sky), chain 108. Place MC windows on top of this chain (make sure the end with the stitch marker is at your left) then pull the tail of your AC through the window on the right end (see picture BELOW). DC through the back of the next window into the 5th chain from your hook.
STEP 3
Using your AC, *Ch 1, Sk 1, DC through the back* repeat to end. Place stitch marker so your work doesn’t unravel. Both stitch markers should be on the same end.
Turn your work and continue at row 4.
WS – ACB (wrong side facing you, AC to back)
4 MC – Ch3, 1B, *25F*, 1B, ES
5 AC – Ch3 in back, 1B, *2B, 1F, 14B, 3F, 5B*, EB
Row 6 will be published in section 1 on October 24, 2022.
Click here to jump to list of CAL sections
Overlay Mosaic Crochet Pattern
This chart is slightly smaller than the interlocking crochet chart because the extra border lines (that are unnecessary with this technique) have been removed. The interlocking mesh dots have also been removed, so this is a ‘solid overlay mosaic crochet’ design.
The x-marked chart can be found in the paid PDF only. Charts are not included in the free version online.
View important details like yardage and finished size by clicking here.
KEY for Mosaic Crochet
MC = Main Color: first color used, white in my sample, the sky
CC = Contrasting Color: second color used, green in my sample, the trees
Sp = space
Sk = skip a stitch
CH = chain
SC = single crochet
sc = SC into Back Loop only
FSC = foundation single crochet: chain 2, insert hook in first chain, yarn over and pull a loop through, yarn over and pull through one loop (chain made), yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops (SC made); to make the next stitch insert your hook into the chain made previously
DC = double crochet
dc = DC into Front Loop of stitch, 2 rows below
JS = Joining Stitch: insert hook under both loops, pull up a loop, slip stitch, SC in same space
ES = End Stitch: SC under both loops, CH 1, cut yarn and pull through tightly
KEY for the Cowl portion
BPDC = back post double crochet: yarn over, insert hook from the back around the front of the stitch and to the back again (go around the post), pull up a loop, *yarn over, pull through two loops* twice
FPDC = front post double crochet: as above, except insert hook from the front of the stitch and go around the back of the post coming out the front again.
Mosaic Crochet Technique
- Remember to skip the same number of stitch(es) behind your dc(s) before doing your next sc
- The front of your work is always facing you (this is the right side, the side showing the design)
- You are always working from the right to the left
- You tie on a new yarn at the beginning of each row and cut it at the end
- Tails don’t need to be longer than an inch and a half
- Yarn colors can be anything you like. They need to contrast well and be the same weight (size / thickness)
- I prefer using a Foundation Single Crochet to create my foundation row because then I have tails on both sides of my work just like all my other rows will have
- Even-numbered rows use MC; odd-numbered rows use CC
Foundation Row (Row 0): use Main Color (MC) – this will be your background / sky
Use a foundation SC technique to create 102 FSC. Or chain 103, SC in 2nd chain from hook and SC all the way back across. Cut and tie off.
Switch to Contrasting Color (CC) {Even- rows use MC; odd-numbered rows use CC}
Repeat between the asterisks (*) twice.
1 CC – JS, *sc50*, ES
2 MC – JS, *dc4, (sc1, dc1) x2, sc7, dc23, (sc1, dc1) x2, sc3, dc5*, ES
3 CC – JS, *sc4, (dc1, sc1) x2, dc1, sc29, (dc1, sc1) x2, dc1, sc7*, ES
4 MC – JS, *sc9, dc21, (sc1, dc1) x3, sc7, (dc1, sc1) x2, dc1, sc2*, ES
5 CC – JS, *sc30, (dc1, sc1) x3, dc1, sc7, dc1, sc1, dc1, sc3*, ES
Continue with row 6 in Section 1 which will be published on October 24, 2022.
Click here to jump to the list of CAL sections
Get the Pattern
For the duration of the CAL, you’ll get an automatic 40% discount. Regular price applies on Nov 10, 2022.
For Interlocking Crochet
- Chart is 57 x 59 (repeat it twice)
- Folded hood is about 17” / 44cm tall by 14” / 36cm deep, plus a 5” / 13cm cowl
- Gauge: 16 DC x 8 rows = 4”
- 5 mm hook (H-8)
- Worsted weight yarn (700-740 yards total)
- Hood Main color (MC) (black on chart, white in sample above, the trees) – 250 yards plus 40 for optional border
- Hood Accent color (AC) (teal in sample, the sky) – 250 yards
- Cowl (teal in sample) – 200 yards
For Mosaic Crochet
- Chart for hood is 50 x 53 (repeat it twice)
- Folded hood, including envelope border brim is about 12” / 30cm square, plus a 5” / 13cm cowl
- Gauge: 16 sc blo stitches x 15 rows = 4”
- 5 mm hook (H-8)
- Worsted weight yarn (655 yards total)
- Hood Main Color (White) – 250 yards
- Hood Contrasting Color (Green) – 180 yards
- Hood Envelope Border (white) – 75 yards
- Cowl (Green) – 150 yards
