It’s the end of September and the leaves have begun to show their glorious autumnal colors. Nature is preparing to slow down and there is anticipation in the air. It’s a season to pause, to wait. We expect and linger to admire the glorious colors of autumnal leaves. We know that pretty soon the trees will be bare and Nature will rest for a few months. As a knitter/crocheter I wait for this season to start knitting with wool yarn again. It’s a season of fiber festivals and warm beverages. A season to curl up with our knitting/crochet projects and dream of all the new things to make.

The Waiting Season Cowl is a rectangular scarf crocheted using the alternate crochet moss stitch like the Silky Long Scarf. The bind off edge is then joined to the side of the rectangular scarf to make the cowl. Stitches are picked up at the collar edge to knit a few rounds of 1×1 ribbing. The bottom edge of the cowl is finished with a round of the crochet moss. After that, a round of crochet shell stitch is added to complete the bottom edge of the cowl. The fingering weight budget friendly yarn is 100% superwash merino wool. This hand dyed tonal yarn reflects the vibrant autumnal colors. The Waiting Season Cowl was such an enjoyable project to crochet and knit.

The Waiting Season Cowl Pattern
(text and images for personal use only)

Materials Needed:
Yarn: Yarn Bee Authentic Hand-Dyed Tonal in Chestnut Ember Colorway (this colorway may not be currently available)
Gauge:  6.5 stitches per inch in the variation crochet moss stitch pattern after blocking
Crochet hook: US size E-4 (3.50 mm) and US size G-6 (4.00 mm) 
Circular Knitting Needle: US size 4 (3.50 mm) 16-inch circular knitting needle
Tapestry needle to weave in ends

Abbreviations:
sc: single crochet (Tutorial Series: How to Single Crochet)
[…]: pattern repeat
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner pattern with single crochet, crochet increases and decreases, crochet slip stitches, knit rib stitch, and crochet chains

The making of the Waiting Season Cowl can be divided into four parts:

• The corner to corner rectangle crochet scarf
• The joining of the top edge to the side of the scarf
• Knitting the collar of the cowl with a 1×1 rib stitch
• Finishing the bottom edge of the Cowl with a crochet shell stitch border

1. The Corner to Corner Rectangle Crochet Scarf: Similar to the Silky Long Scarf Pattern

Crochet Foundation Chain: Chain 2 using US size E-4 (3.75 mm) crochet hook

Increase Section: Row 1 (RS): Single crochet, chain 1 in the second foundation chain stitch from the crochet hook, sc, chain 1 again in the same second stitch and turn Row 2 (WS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, skip a stitch and sc in the last stitch, chain 1 and turn (4 stitches) Row 3 (RS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, sc in the same stitch again, chain 1, skip a stitch, and sc in the last stitch, chain 1, sc in the same last stitch again, chain 1 and turn  Row 4 (WS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, [skip a stitch, sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till the last stitch, sc in the last stitch, chain 1 and turn (8 stitches) Row 5 (RS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, sc in the same stitch again, chain 1, [skip a stitch, sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till the last stitch of the row, sc in the last stitch, chain 1, sc again in the same last stitch, chain 1 and turn  Row 6 (WS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, [skip a stitch, sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till the last stitch, sc in the last stitch, chain 1 and turn (12 stitches) Repeat Rows 5 and 6 of the increase section till 64 stitches in the row. The width can be increased by continuing repeats of Rows 5 and 6 till preferred width reached. The rectangle scarf part of the Waiting Season Cowl is 6 inches wide.

Length Extension Section:  Row 1 (RS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, sc in the same stitch again, chain 1, [skip a stitch, sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till 4 stitches left, insert crochet hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull the loop under and through that stitch (there are 2 loops on the crochet hook), skip a stitch and insert hook in the last stitch, yarn over and pull the loop under and through that stitch (three loops on the hook), yarn over and pull loop through the three loops on the hook, chain 1 and turn Row 2 (WS): Single crochet in the second stitch from the crochet hook, chain 1, [skip a stitch, sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till the last stitch, sc in the last stitch, chain 1 and turn Repeat Rows 1 and 2 of the length extension section till preferred length is reached. The scarf part of the Waiting Season Cowl is 28 inches in length

Decrease Section: Row 1 (RS): Skip the first stitch, insert crochet hook into the next stitch, wrap yarn around the crochet hook and pull the loop under and through that stitch (there are 2 loops on the crochet hook), skip a stitch and insert hook in the next stitch (4th stitch from the beginning), wrap yarn around the crochet hook and pull the loop under and through that stitch (three loops on the hook now), yarn over and pull loop through the three loops on the hook, chain 1, [skip a stitch, sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till 4 stitches left, insert crochet hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull the loop under and through that stitch (there are 2 loops on the crochet hook), skip a stitch and insert hook in the last stitch, yarn over and pull the loop under and through that stitch (three loops on the hook), yarn over and pull loop through the three loops on the hook, chain 1 and turn Row 2 (WS): [Skip the first stitch and sc in the next stitch, chain 1], repeat […] till 2 stitches left, sc in the last stitch, chain 1, and turn  Repeat Rows 1 and 2 of the decrease section till 4 stitches left. Facing the right side of the work, insert hook into the second stitch, yarn over and pull the working yarn through that stitch (2 loops on the hook). Skip a stitch and insert crochet hook into the next stitch, yarn over and pull working yarn through that stitch (three loops on the hook). Yarn over and pull working yarn through all three loops. One loop remains on the crochet hook.

Crochet Moss Stitch Border (in the round): Round 1: With the remaining loop on the hook, chain 2, sc in the same stitch again and chain 1 (beginning of round). Facing the top left corner of right side of the scarf turn counter clockwise Pick up stitches in the crochet in moss stitch pattern (pick up a stitch and sc, chain 2, skip the next stitch and repeat) all along the left side. This will become the bottom edge of the cowl At the bottom left corner edge stitch of the right side of the scarf, sc, chain 2, sc again in the same corner stitch, chain 1 Turn and pick up stitches in the crochet moss stitch pattern (pick up a stitch and sc, chain 1, skip the next stitch and repeat) along the bottom edge. At the bottom right corner edge stitch of the right side of the scarf, sc, chain 2, sc again in the same corner stitch, chain 1 Turn and pick up stitches in the crochet in moss stitch pattern (pick up a stitch and sc, chain 1, skip the next stitch and repeat) going up all along the right side At the top right corner edge stitch of the right side of the scarf, sc, chain 2, sc again in the same corner stitch, chain 1 Turn and pick up stitches in the last row in the crochet in moss stitch pattern (pick up a stitch and sc, chain 2, skip the next stitch and repeat) along that last row till the beginning of the round. Insert hook into the chain 2 space of the beginning of round stitch, yarn over and pull working yarn through the remaining loop on the crochet hook.

The rectangular scarf (image below) measures 6 x 28 inches

2. Join Top Edge of Scarf to the Side Edge:

With the US Size E-4 (3.50 mm) and the remaining loop on the hook, join the top edge (6 inches) to 6 inches of the bottom of the right side edge (the crochet foundation chain edge) with the zig zag crochet slip stitch method (how to video below)

The joined cowl:

3. The Knitted Collar Edge:

Slip the remaining loop on the crochet hook to a US Size 4 (3.50 mm) 16 inch circular needle and yarn over. [Pick up 1 stitch from the chain 1 space of the crochet moss stitch border, yarn over], repeat […] all around the collar edge till the first loop (stitch). I picked up a total of 100 stitches including the yarn overs for the Waiting Season Cowl. Place a beginning of round marker and join round

Round 1: [Knit 1, purl the yarn overs] repeat […] till the beginning of round marker, slip marker
Round 2: [K1, P1] repeat […] till the beginning of round marker, slip marker
Repeat Round 2 thirteen more times
Bind off in pattern using Jeny’s stretchy bind off method (video tutorials available on YouTube)

4. Finishing the Bottom Edge of the Cowl:

Make a slip knot. Insert a US size G-6 (4.00 mm) crochet hook into the first stitch of the zig zag crochet slip stitch join edge. Pull the slip knot through the first stitch (beginning of round) and chain 1.

Round 1 (Crochet Moss Stitch Border):
[Insert crochet hook into the chain 2 space of the cowl bottom edge border, single crochet, chain 1], repeat […] till the corner edge stitch. At the corner edge stitch, single crochet, chain 1, single crochet again in the same stitch, chain 1 and turn. [Insert crochet hook into the chain 2 space of the crochet stitch border, single crochet, chain 1], repeat […] till the beginning of round stitch

Round 2 (Crochet Shell Stitch Border):
[In the chain 1 space make 5 single crochets. Insert hook into the next chain 1 space and pull up a loop. Slip stitch into the loop on the hook, chain 1], repeat […] till the corner stitch. In the chain 1 space of the corner stitch make 6 single crochets. Insert hook into the next chain 1 space and pull up a loop. Slip stitch into the loop on the hook, chain 1. [In the next chain 1 space make 5 single crochets. Insert hook into the next chain 1 space and pull up a loop. Slip stitch into the loop on the hook, chain 1], repeat […] till the beginning of round stitch. Slip stitch into the first stitch of the round, break working yarn and pull through the stitch.

Weave in ends, wash and block the Waiting Season Cowl.