Alpine Stitch Cowl
This Alpine Stitch Cowl works up quickly and looks great in this Mandala Sparkle Yarn by LionBrand. I love to crochet cowls because they are fast projects and make great gifts. They are a one-size fits all accessory and are an eye-catching addition to your outfit. Cowls also provide warmth around your neck and stay in place nicely (unlike long scarves that tend to unwind or slide around).
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Alpine Stitch – Post Stitches Used
The Alpine Stitch is a popular stitch pattern and quite easy to create using Front Post Double Crochet stitches. Post stitches are textured crochet stitches that work around the post of previous stitches often a row or two below the one you are currently working on. They are usually considered an intermediate stitch but once you get the hang of how to make them, they really aren’t that difficult. What’s neat about this stitch pattern is that the post stitches are all double crochets and are all made on the Right Side of the cowl. By placing them in every other stitch you get the neat alternating pattern that you see in the photo below.
Mandala Sparkle Yarn by LionBrand
For this free crochet cowl pattern I used the pretty Mandala Sparkle Yarn by Lion Brand in colorway, “Aquila.” When I bought this yarn I didn’t have a plan for it but couldn’t resist the pretty purples and greens! It also has a very pretty iridescent metallic-like thread woven along the yarn strand to give a fun sparkle. It is a medium weight acrylic yarn with long color changes – just right for this project. I love that the yarn does the colorwork for you which means very few ends to weave in!
Skill Level: Intermediate
(This pattern uses post-stitches which are usually not beginner stitches – but this pattern uses the same post stitch throughout which repeats many times so even if you are new to crocheting, I think you could get the hang of this project!)
Supplies for the Alpine Stitch Cowl:
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Cake Yarn – Size 3 (Light) and acrylic; 1 skein about 328yds/300m
(Cake yarns are very popular now because they have long color-changes and look great in a variety of projects. I used LionBrand’s Mandala Sparkle in Aquila – it has a thin iridescent thread woven through it that adds a nice sparkle)
Finished Measurements for the Alpine Stitch Cowl:
9” wide x 38 ½” long (22.8cm x 97.8cm)
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Special Stitches and Abbreviations:
Sc (single crochet) = Insert hook into stitch, YO, draw up a loop; YO, pull through 2 loops on hook
Dc (double crochet) = YO, insert hook into stitch, YO, draw up a loop, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) twice
Fpdc (Front post double crochet) = YO, insert hk around post of st from front to back and then to front again; YO, pull up a lp, (YO, pull through 2 lps on hook) 2 times.
Join with sc = With slip knot on hk, insert hk into st; YO, draw up a lp, YO, pull through 2 lps on hk
PS-CL (Post stitch cluster) = YO, insert hk around post of next FPdc st (from front to back and then to front again); YO, pull through 2 lps on hk; YO, insert hk into next dc st on working row; YO, pull through 2 lps on hk; YO, insert hk around post of next FPdc st (from front to back and then to front again); YO, pull through 2 lps on hk; YO, pull through all 4 lps on hk
YO (yarn over)
Hk (hook)
Lp (loop)
Ch (chain)
St (stitch)
Sl st (slip stitch)
Sc (single crochet)
Dc (double crochet)
Notes:
Cowl is worked back in forth in rows and seamed together along the short ends
The Right Side of Cowl is the side with the post stitches “popping out”
Stitches are not worked into any of the turning chains.
The last rows have some decreases to help with the neck shaping
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Instructions for the Alpine Stitch Cowl:
Special stitches are written in bold and italicized text and defined above
Ch 101
Row 1:
Sc in 2nd ch from hk and in each ch across. Turn.(100 sc)
Row 2:
Ch 2, dc in each st across. Turn.
Row 3:
Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.
Here you can see how to start the post stitch
Row 4 (Right Side):
Ch 2, (dc in next st, FPdc around next dc 2 rows below, sk next st on working row) across; dc in last st. Turn. (49 post stitches)
Here you can see the first couple of post sts – notice how the post stitches alternate with regular dcs
Row 5:
Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn.
Row 6:
Ch 2, (FPdc around next dc 2 rows below, sk next st on working row, dc in next st) across; dc in last st. Turn.(50 post stitches)
Here you can see how the post sts are also alternating
Repeat Rows 3-6 until cowl measures approximately 6 ½”/16.51cm – Do not turn after last row. Fasten off.
Top Edging:
Row 1:
With Right Side facing, join with sl st in top of turning chain of last row; ch 3, (PS-CL over next 3 sts; dc in next dc on working row) across. Fasten off. (25 PS-CL sts)
Here you can see what the PS-CL st looks like right before the last step (YO, pull through all 4 lps on hk)
Here are several completed PS-CL sts – this sts are decreases and cause the top edge of the cowl to curve inwards with a nice shape
Row 2:
Join with sc in 1st st; (sk next st, 5 dc in next st, sk next st, sc in next st) across 11 times; sk next st, 5 dc in next st, sc in next st, sk next st, 5 dc in next st, sc in last st. (13 scallops). Fasten off.
Bottom Edging:
With Right Side facing, repeat Row 2 of Top Edging along bottom edge of Row 1. Fasten off. (25 scallops)
Finishing and Assembly:
With tapestry needle sew up short ends of cowl with Wrong Sides together
Weave in all ends
Your Alpine Stitch Cowl is Complete!
Tada! Your Alpine Stitch Cowl is complete! How did you do with the Alpine Stitch? I love how you can achieve the texture relatively easily. I think this stitch pattern looks best using different colors – the alternating post stitches really pop with the yarn color changes. I like my cowls to fit well around my neck so you’ll notice I included a few rows of decreasing stitches to help create the shape. A scallop edging is one of my favorite types of crochet edgings, too! And then when I wear the cowl, I decided to add a simple pin in the front to help the fold at the neck stay in place.
If you would like to see some FREE scarf and cowl patterns, please check out these posts here.
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Thank you for visiting! Happy crocheting!
Jennifer
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