Cardamom Blossoms Cowl Free Crochet Pattern

Namaste friends 🙏,

How was the National Crochet Month for you? 

Did you crochet a new project or try a new crochet technique?

I decided to do something different this time, so rather than crocheting, I organised my yarn stash. The sheer amount of yarn I had accumulated over the years was mind-boggling!!

Now I understood the frequent lamentations from the Fam "Oh God, there's yarn everywhere in this house!". I am wondering if I will ever be able to crochet through the stash...

Do you know there is a name for this condition? It is called SABLE ie: "Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy". I guess I will have to crochet even faster, shoulder pain notwithstanding. 

I have a new cowl pattern today, which I wanted to release last month but the above activity kept me busy.

* This post contains affiliate links which if you use for any purchase, may yield me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you. *

The Name:

There was a time when crochet was very popular in India, and every household had at least a couple of crochet pieces made by the Grandmother or Great Grandmother. 

The art of crochet had different names in different languages, and even the different stitches have weird names. 

For eg: In Marathi, the language spoken in my home state Maharashtra, a literal translation of Single crochet is "Mute post". 

The Puff stitch was called "Velchi" or Cardamom because it does look like a cardamom pod. 

As this pattern had a lot of puff stitches I wanted to add the word in the name. And while I was looking up some pics of the plant I saw that my pattern does resemble the actual flower, hence Cardamom Blossoms Cowl. 

Yes, I can be weird at times, and my family will vouch for that. 😁

This pattern makes a great stash buster!

Do not despair if, like me, you like in a tropical climate and will never be needing a cowl. 

This pattern is worked in the round, is seamless and would work wonderfully for a bag/purse.

If you need any help in making the bag just write to me.

So here goes the Cardamom Blossoms Cowl pattern:

Skill Level:    Easy                    

Size:  Cowl measures approximately 28 inches around and  9 inches wide 

          (71 cms by 23 cms).

Materials:

·        Yarn - DK weight yarn* around  110 gms/ approx. 3.90 oz (55 gms of each colour)  

·        Hooks - US G/6 (4.00 mm),* UK 8

Gauge:  11 rows and Two and half motifs in pattern  = 4".

     

Notes:

·        This pattern uses US terminology.

·        Ch 2 at beginning of the round counts as stitch.  

.        Ch 1 at beginning of the round does NOT count as a stitch.        

·        The pattern is worked in multiples of 8.

Abbreviations: 

beg – beginning,  

ch - chain,  

st - stitch,

sk - skip

sp - space

sl st - slip stitch

nxt - next,

sc – single crochet,

dc – double crochet,

hdc - half double crochet,

puff stitch - hdc3tog,

beg puff st - beginning puff st,

puff v-st - puff v-stitch

Shell st - (3dc, ch1, 3dc) in space indicated

beg shell st - beginning shell stitch,

rep – repeat

Pattern Stitches:

Beg Puff stitch - Into the stitch indicated work (ch2, hdc2tog).

Beg shell stitch - Into the space indicated work (ch3, 2 dc, ch 1, 3 dc).

Puff V-st - Into the stitch indicated work (puff st, ch 1, puff st).

Instructions:

Round 1: (Colour A) Ch 136, join in 1st ch with a sl st, ch2, hdc in nxt ch and each ch around (136 hdc).

Round 2: Ch 2, hdc2tog in same st, ch 1, sk 1, * puff st in nxt st, ch 1, sk 1, rep from * around ending with sl st into 1st hdc2tog.

Round 3: Ch 1, hdc in same st, hdc in ch-1 sp, * hdc in puff st, hdc in ch-1 sp, rep from * around ending with sl st in 1st hdc (136 hdc).

Round 4: (Colour B) Attach yarn with sc into 1st hdc below, * ch 1, sk 3, shell in nxt st, ch 1, sk 3, sc in nxt st, rep from * around ending with sl st in 1st sc (17 shells).

Round 5: (Colour A) Beg puff v-st in sc, ch 2, sk 1 ch, sk 3dc, sc in ch-1 sp (in centre of shell), ch 2, sk 3dc, sk ch 1, * puff v-st in sc below, ch 2, sk ch, sk 3dc, sc in ch-1 sp, ch 2, sk 3dc, sk ch 1, rep from * ending with sl st in 1st puff st.

Round 6: (Colour B) Beg shell in centre of puff v-st, ch 1, sk 2 ch, sc in sc below, ch 1, sk 2 ch, * shell in centre of puff v-st, ch 1, sk 2ch, sc in nxt st, ch 1, sk 2ch, rep from * around ending with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch 3.

Round 7: (Colour A) * sc in ch-1 sp of shell, ch 2, sk 3dc, sk ch, puff v-st in sc, ch 2, sk ch1, sk 3dc, rep from * around ending with sl st in 1st sc. 

Round 8:  Repeat Round 6.

Round 9: Repeat Round 5.

Rounds 10 to 19: Repeat Rounds 6 and 5

OR repeat Rounds 6 and 5 till you get the desired width, taking care to end with Round 5 ie the round with the puff v-sts.

Round 20: Repeat Round 6. Fasten off and weave in the end.

Round 21: Repeat Round 5. 

Round 22: (Colour A) Ch 2 (counts as hdc), * hdc in ch-1 sp, hdc in puff st, 2 hdc in ch-2 sp, hdc in sc, 2 hdc in ch-2 sp, hdc in puff st, rep from * around ending with sl st in 2nd ch of beg ch 2.

Round 23: Repeat Round 2.

Round 24: Repeat Round 3. Fasten off and weave in the end.

Crochet Tip: When working in the round with two or more colours, I prefer to fasten off the yarn without cutting it off and then pick it up when it is required. This works best for projects that are not reversible. Here's a pic that shows the wrong side of my Harmony cowl.

You can find the free pattern for the Harmony cowl HERE. 

I hope you will try this pattern. And maybe have a cup of cardamom tea while you are at it.

Thank you for your time.

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* This post contains affiliate links which if you use for any purchase, may yield me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you.* 

Would you like a bag pattern using this stitch? Do let me know.