Tree Topper Cowloncho

This year has been filled with twists and turns.  Happy thrilling moments and a few days best left in the "forget about it" column.

In and among all of the action, the rectangle has been my friend.  I often joke that I can make anything out of rectangles!  And thus began my exploration of the cowloncho.  I've made them with knit as the body and crochet edging.  I've made them with a crochet body and a knit edge.  And now, a pure crochet version is off the needles and ready for its release.

Tree Topper is a cowloncho – part cowl, part poncho.  Extended crochet stitches created a flexible fabric with just the right amount of stretch.  Contrast edging is finished with an armhole that converts the cowl into an asymmetrical poncho.  Worked side-to-side the pattern is easily adaptable for both chest and height measurements.

This is Tree Topper worn in a poncho style.  The armhole in the contrast edge holds the thing in place.

  

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And here is the same Tree Topper worn as a cowl.  The contrast edge that includes the armhole becomes a fun statement on the fabric swath.

Go ahead and give it a try.  The pattern is available for FREE at this link:

Tree Topper by François Stewart Designs

Cowloncho: Part Cowl, Part Poncho

One skein of this.  One skein of that.  Put them together and what have you got?  A cowloncho!

I might be stuck in a groove.  A wonderfully happy groove of mixing yarns and skills.  Joining knit stitches with crochet work has always fascinated me.  Whether as a simple edge, dimensional embellishment or full blown mix it up throughout, I love making texture with stick and hook.

Lemaire Channel is my first cowloncho.  You can read about the yarns by clicking the link to the Ravelry project page.  The main body is knit at a loose gauge.  Then edges are crocheted on (can you say "sparkle yarn?").  A few strategic seams and the cowloncho is ready.

It can be worn as a simple cowl if the arm hole is ignored.

That armhole allows it to be a poncho that stays put. 






Use the armhole and scrunch up the rest like a cowl and you've got a cowloncho.

Those of you with eagle eyes will notice that it fits both me and she who crochets.  If you are more in the large or tall category, more than one ball of each yarn will be required.  

This made me so excited that I made another version with a crochet body and knit edges.  I'm thinking that I'll have to write up both patterns and let you make your own cowloncho.