Crochet a Cozy Houndstooth Cowl: Free Pattern in 4 Sizes!

This beginner-friendly crochet cowl pattern is the perfect match for the popular Houndstooth Ear Warmer, creating a stylish and cozy set for fall and winter.

Designed to be simple yet eye-catching, this cowl uses basic stitches—single crochets and double crochets (US terms). So it is a fantastic choice for beginners who want to master the houndstooth stitch.

The pattern is versatile, from age 2 to adult. So you can make a cowl for every member of the family!

While the classic houndstooth look shines with two contrasting colors, this design also looks stunning in a solid color if you prefer a simpler style.

Get ready to add this cozy, timeless cowl to your wardrobe. With less than 3 skeins of yarn and your 6mm hook!

Please note, this post may contain affiliate links – should you purchase anything using my affiliate link I may get a small commission at no extra cost to yourself!

Inspiration behind this design

This crochet cowl pattern came naturally after designing the Houndstooth Ear Warmer. I knew right away that I wanted a matching set to showcase this classic stitch.

The rich texture of the houndstooth pattern became a fast favourite. I was excited to make it accessible in a range of sizes so the whole family could enjoy it! Using two colours to create the traditional houndstooth look, this cowl also turned into a perfect stash buster. It is ideal for using up those partial skeins and extra yarn scraps.

This free crochet cowl pattern offers not only a stylish accessory but also an easy and fun way to make the most of your yarn stash. Create a cozy, timeless piece that’s perfect for fall and winter.

Construction of the Houndstooth crochet cowl pattern:

The Houndstooth Cowl crochet pattern is designed with confident beginners in mind, wanting to create this classic look. Worked entirely in the round and in one piece, this crochet cowl pattern requires no seaming. There are just a couple of ends to sew in once you’re finished. The ribbed sections at the top and bottom of the cowl are achieved with front post and back post stitches. This gives the edges a defined, cozy look that frames the houndstooth pattern beautifully.

The houndstooth section itself is worked with simple color changes after each round. I recommend carrying your yarn up to the next round, dropping it at the start, and then continuing with the new color for the rest of the round. This method keeps the inside of the cowl neat, with any carried yarn hidden inside the fabric.

This cowl pattern is also fully adaptable. You can easily adjust the width by adding or subtracting stitches in multiples of 2 to the first round. Adjust the height by adding or subtracting rounds in the houndstooth section and create a custom fit.

This versatile crochet cowl pattern makes it easy to create the perfect accessory for chilly days.

The Yarn

For the Houndstooth Cowl, I recommend using #4 weight (aran) yarn with a 6mm hook to achieve a cozy balance of warmth and comfort. You can choose to use a 5mm hook if you prefer. #4 weight (aran) yarn is ideal for creating a dense yet flexible fabric that’s perfect for chilly days. However, if you prefer a lighter feel, the pattern is easily adaptable; just switch to #3 weight (DK) yarn and a 4mm hook and adjust your starting chain / foundation row.

Thanks to the versatile stitch multiple, this crochet cowl pattern can be customized effortlessly for different yarn weights and personal style preferences. You can use any #4 weight yarn, and it works beautifully with a variety of fibers. For those planning to gift this piece, remember that natural wool may cause allergies. Consider using hypoallergenic options like alpaca, which offers warmth and luxurious softness. A cotton blend is another excellent choice if you want a breathable, lightweight cowl that holds its shape well.

This pattern’s flexibility with different yarn types means you can tailor it to create the ideal fall accessory for any climate or personal style!

Get the PDF pattern!

You can find the ad-free PDF Pattern for this one in all of my shops:

The houndstooth crochet cowl pattern specifics:

Materials:

Between 220-329 yards of 4 weight yarn of choice. I used less than one skein of the darker grey and 1.5 skeins of the lighter grey in Paintbox Simply Aran (201 yards per skein) for my version. 6mm (J) hook – but you can use. 5mm if you prefer. Stitch markers (optional). Scissors. Tapestry needle.

Gauge:

Gauge is not important for this project as long as you are consistent and happy with the width of your scarf. However, for reference my gauge was 8 sts and 8 rows in 2” Pattern for gauge swatch:  Row 1: Ch 22, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across (21) Row 2: Turn, Ch1, sc in first st, *dc in next st, sc in next st. Rep from * across ending with a sc. (21) Rows 3-16: repeat row 2

Sizing:

This free cowl pattern is written in 4 sizes from age 2-adult. To adust the width amend the starting row or chain by multiples of 2.

Abbreviations used:

Ch(s) – chain(s) St(s) – Stitch(es) Rep – Repeat Sc – single crochet Dc—double crochet Hdc – half double crochet FPhdc – front post half double crochet BPhdc – back post half double crochet FO—fasten off YO—yarn over

Other notes:

– Written in US terms. – Ch1 at the start of a row does not count as a st. – The slip stitch to join never counts as a stitch. – For the main texture you will work a sc into the dc from the previous row and a dc into the sc from the previous row. – You can easily customize this pattern by color blocking sections i.e. using different colors every few rounds (or even every round). However, this pattern is written for the houndstooth stitch so you will need to change colours as indicated in the free crochet cowl pattern below. – Within the pattern sizing will be indicated as 2-3 (4-10, teen, adult). – Stitch counts are only provided at the end of row 1 – they will remain the same for each subsequent round.

Special Stitches:

Fhdc:

STEP 1: Ch 3, yo, insert hook into 3rd ch from hook, yo, pull up a loop, ch using only the first loop on the hook, yo, pull through all 3 loops. This creates both the foundation chain and the first row of hdc at the same time.

STEP 2: Yo, insert hook into the chain you just made in the first step (it will look like 2 loops or a normal “v” of the bottom of the stitch), yo, pull up a loop, ch 1 using first loop on the hook only, yo, pull through last 3 loops.

STEP 3: Continue step 2 until you have desired number of foundation single crochet stitches.

You can find my tutorial on the foundation stitches:

For right handed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPHOG4VIi_Q

BPhdc:

yo, insert hook from back-to-front-to- back around next stitch, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through all 3 loops on hook. You can see this in my bpdc video (remember that you will be working a hdc not a dc)

Right handed video tutorial –

FPhdc:

Yo, insert hook from front-to-back-to-front around next st, yo, pull up loop, yo, pull through all 3 loops on hook. You can see this in my fpdc video (remember that you will be working a hdc not a dc)

Right handed video tutorial- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWe76Y4v08

Left handed – https://youtu.be/biHxNSKo5Vw?si=Lt5PY6zj-kaNvDh7

The Free Houndstooth Crochet Cowl Pattern:

** This is a free crochet cowl pattern on the SunflowerCottageCrochet.com blog. If you are reading this anywhere else it is stolen content. Please do not copy and paste any part of it or print this pattern out. Please bookmark this page and use the website to work up your pattern. This helps my small business greatly as it provides a little bit of ad revenue which will in turn will allow me to continue to create free content for you!**

Round 1: In colour A: Fhdc 100 (120, 128, 140) without twisting your row, SS to join OR Ch 101 (121, 129, 141), hdc in third ch from hook (ch2 counts as a st) and each ch across. SS to join (100, 120, 128, 140)

Round 2: Ch1, FPhdc in first st, BPhdc in next st, *FPhdc in first st, BPhdc in next st. Rep from * around. You will end with a BPhdc. SS to first FPhdc to join

For sizes 2-3, 4-10 go to round 4.

Round 3: For teen and adult sizes only: Rep round 2

Round 4: Ch1, sc in first st (you may want to use a stitch marker to mark this st) *dc in next st, sc in next st. Rep from * across ending with a dc. SS to top of first sc to join. Change to Colour B

Round 5: Turn, Ch1, dc in first st (you may want to use a st marker to mark this st), *sc in next st, dc in next st. Rep from * across ending with a sc. SS to top of first dc to join. Change to Colour A

Rounds 6- on: Rep rounds 4 and  5 until your cowl is approximately 8 (9.5, 11, 12.5)” tall. Or until approximately 1” from desired length. I recommend ending with a colour A section so that it mirrors the bottom of your cowl. Continue to finish your cowl in Colour A.

Round 7: Turn, Ch1, hdc in first st and each st across. (Note: It does not matter whether the right or wrong side is facing you). SS to top of first hdc to join.

Round 8: Ch1, FPhdc in first st, BPhdc in next st, *FPhdc in first st, BPhdc in next st. Rep from * around. You will end with a BPhdc. SS to first FPhdc to join

For sizes 2-3, 4-10 FO and weave in ends. 

Teen and adult sizes go to round 9.

Round 9: Rep round 8

For teen and adult sizes FO and weave in ends