Waffle Stitch Cowl free crochet pattern. The Sugarloaf Cowl.
This waffle stitch cowl works up very quickly and easily. The waffle stitch is most associated with blankets. What better on a cold winters day than to feel you are wrapped up in a blanket? The Sugarloaf cowl has a cosy tie at the top, with 2 dramatic tassels. Perfect for a cold winters day for climbing the Sugarloaf mountain, or any other activity. Crocheted in waffle stitch, this is a quick and easy project. You can create a matching set with the Sugarloaf hat and Sugarloaf mittens. All three patterns are free here on my blog, or you can buy the ebook on Ravelry and get a convenient PDF download.
Sizes/Finished Measurements
One size fits all: 82 cm / 32” circumference. 25cm / 10” height.
Yarn requirements for waffle stitch cowl
Any chunky weight yarn.
Note on yarn substitutions: Chunky weight yarn can vary even more than other yarn thicknesses. Check the yarn recommends knitting needles between 6 and 8 mm – even though this is a crochet pattern, that is still a good indication that the yarn you are substituting is about the right thickness.
Aqua waffle stitch cowl sample made with:
BC Garn Hamelton Tweed 2: 90% wool, 10% viscose, size 5, chunky, 60 meters per 50g ball. Shade 21 – aqua
4 balls needed to make cowl, 10 balls needed to make full set of hat, cowl and mittens.
Cream waffle stitch cowl sample made with:
Berroco Ultra Alpaca Chunky Natural: (50% Super fine Alpaca, 50% Peruvian wool), size 5/Chunky, 131yds/120m, 3.5oz/100g per skein. Jasmine Rice color 72500:
2 skeins used for cowl, if making the full set with mittens and cowl, six will be needed in total.
Hook
8 mm (US size L/11) crochet hook (or size needed to match gauge)
Notions
• Darning Needle
Abbreviations and crochet terms
This pattern is written in UK crochet terms, followed by US crochet terms.
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UK crochet terms and special stitches
beg: beginning bptr: back post treble crochet bptr2tog: back post treble crochet 2 stitches together (decrease) ch: chain fptr: front post treble crochet fptr2tog: front post treble crochet 2 stiches together (decrease) fptr3tog: front post treble crochet 3 stitches together (decrease) flo: front loop only rep: repeat rnd: round sl st: slip stitch tr: treble crochet wtr: wide treble crochet
Special Stitches
Back post treble crochet 2 stitches together (bptr2tog):
Yarn over and insert hook from back to front around post of next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull
through 2, yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back of next post, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook) yarn over and pull through 2 (3 loops on hook) yarn over, pull through three.
Front post treble crochet 2 stitches together (fptr2tog):
To work this decrease, Yarn over and insert hook from front to back around post of next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2, yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front of next post, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook) yarn over and pull through 2 (3 loops on hook) yarn over, pull through three.
Front post treble crochet 3 stitches together (fptr3tog):
This decrease is worked as follows. Yarn over and insert hook from front to back to front around post of next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2, (2 loops on hook) yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front of next post, yarn over and pull up a loop (4 loops on hook) yarn over and pull through 2 (3 loops on hook) yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front of next post, yarn over and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), yarn over pull through 2 (4 loops on hook) yarn over, pull through four.
Wide double crochet (wdc):
Insert hook into gap between posts of dc on previous round. Work dc as usual. This makes stitches slightly shorter and further apart than a typical dc stitch. On the top of the cowl, it will make threading the i-cord through the stitches easier.
US crochet terms and special stitches
beg: beginning
bpdc: back post double crochet
bpdc2tog: back post double crochet 2 stitches together (decrease)
ch: chain
dc: double crochet
flo: front loop only
fpdc: front post double crochet
fpdc2tog: front post double crochet 2 stiches together (decrease)
fpdc3tog: front post double crochet 3 stitches together (decrease)
rep: repeat
rnd: round
sl st: slip stitch
wdc: wide double crochet
UK terms Pattern: Sugarloaf Waffle stitch cowl crochet pattern.
Rnd 1: With an 8mm crochet hook, ch 72, join in the round with sl st. (72 chs)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, tr in each ch around, sl st to the top of beg dc to join. (72 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, wtr in each st around, sl st to the top of beg wtr to join.
Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 3.
Rnd 5: Ch 2, fptr, dc 2, [fptr, dc 2] to end, sl st to the top of beg fptr to join. (24 repeats, 72 total sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, fptr, bptr 2, *tr, bptr 2, rep form * around, sl st to the top of beg fptr to join.
Rep Rnds 5 and 6 six more times (14 rounds of waffle stitch/7 rep of waffle blocks worked)
Rnd 19: Ch 3, tr in each st around, sl st to the top of beg dc to join.
Rnd 20: Ch 2, wtr in each st around, sl st to the top of beg wtr to join.
Rnd 21: Rep Rnd 20.
Fasten off.
I-Cord
Create an i-cord for the top of the cowl. Instructions below create a crochet i-chord. If you can also knit, I find a knitted i-chord is both easier, and neater looking. As an alternative, plat or twist a chord.
To crochet an i-cord: Ch 3, insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook) insert hook in 3rd ch from hook, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), *slide 2 loops off hook (these may be held on a cable needle if desired), yo, pull through st, (one loop on hook) place second loop back on hook, yo, pull through (2 loops on hook), place 3rd loop back on hook, yo, pull through (3 loops on hook). Repeat from * until cord is desired length.
Weave cord through every third stitch of Rnd 19. Create tassels and stitch onto the ends of the cord to keep the cord from slipping through the stitches.
US crochet terms pattern: Sugarloaf waffle stitch cowl
Rnd 1: With an 8mm crochet hook, ch 72, join in the round with sl st. (72 chs)
Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in each ch around, sl st to the top of beg dc to join. (72 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch 2, wdc in each st around, sl st to the top of beg wdc to join.
Rnd 4: Rep Rnd 3.
Rnd 5: Ch 2, fpdc, dc 2, [fpdc, dc 2] to end, sl st to the top of beg fpdc to join. (24 repeats, 72 total sts)
Rnd 6: Ch 2, fpdc, bpdc 2, *dc, bpdc 2, rep form * around, sl st to the top of beg fpdc to join.
Rep Rnds 5 and 6 six more times (14 rounds of waffle stitch/7 rep of waffle blocks worked)
Rnd 19: Ch 3, dc in each st around, sl st to the top of beg dc to join.
Rnd 20: Ch 2, wdc in each st around, sl st to the top of beg wdc to join.
Rnd 21: Rep Rnd 20.
Fasten off.
I-Cord
Create an i-cord for the top of the cowl. Instructions below create a crochet i-chord. If you can also knit, I find a knitted i-chord is both easier, and neater looking. As an alternative, plat or twist a chord.
To crochet an i-cord: Ch 3, insert hook in 2nd ch from hook, pull up a loop (2 loops on hook) insert hook in 3rd ch from hook, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), *slide 2 loops off hook (these may be held on a cable needle if desired), yo, pull through st, (one loop on hook) place second loop back on hook, yo, pull through (2 loops on hook), place 3rd loop back on hook, yo, pull through (3 loops on hook). Repeat from * until cord is desired length.
Weave cord through every third stitch of Rnd 19.
Create tassels and stitch onto the ends of the cord to keep the cord from slipping through the stitches.
Copyright.
This pattern was written and developed by Ciara Doyle, and first published by Crochet Foundry Magazine, December 2024. This updated free blog post was produced in January 2026.
This pattern, including the wording and the pictures, are my work and copyright, with the exception of the image of the white set of hat, cowl and mittens, which is copyright Crochet Foundry Magazine. You may not copy in any way, including by making your own videos, if they are directly based on my work.
This pattern is not intended for commercial use. You may sell finished items based on this pattern only if you have made them in your own home, with your own hands. However, selling your own makes from this pattern, especially for charity, is strongly encouraged. I would love to hear about your event, and how it went.
Thanks and Acknowledgements:
With thanks to Crochet Foundry magazine for first publishing my pattern, with photography and tech editing.
This version was proof read and formatted as a PDF by Dara Addams.