Free Cluster Puff Stitch Cowl Crochet Pattern

Try my Cluster Puff Stitch Cowl Crochet Pattern for free and treat yourself to an easy neck warmer with a modern design for ladies who like a warm scarf alternative.

The Cluster Puff Cowl Crochet Pattern

This puff stitch cowl crochet pattern is a free crochet design with a thick, textured fabric made from soft Puff V-stitches. The cluster-style stitch pattern creates plenty of warmth around the neck, while the optional tie lets you pull the top in closer on cold or windy days.

The cowl can be made as a shorter neck warmer or worked longer for more of a scarf-like feel. Choose one color for a simple finish or combine several coordinating shades to create the striped version.

Worked seamlessly in the round, this free cowl pattern has a relaxed, practical design that is easy to customize in both length and circumference. It makes a warm ladies’ accessory for fall and winter without the bulk of a full scarf.

How to Crochet a Puff Stitch Cowl

This free puff stitch cowl crochet pattern is worked from the bottom up in continuous rounds without turning. A US J (6 mm) crochet hook is used for the main cowl, with an optional US K (6.5 mm) hook for the foundation round.

The solid version uses DK-weight wool held together with lace-weight mohair-silk, creating a warm, plush fabric. For the striped version, DK-weight yarn is used on its own, with color changes worked throughout the cowl.

The main technique is the Puff V-stitch, worked into chain spaces to build the textured pattern. You’ll also use chains, single crochet, skipped stitches, continuous rounds, and optional color changes. The tie can be crocheted with a smaller hook or knitted as an I-cord using double-pointed needles.

Free Crochet Pattern: Cluster Puff Cowl

Pattern Information:

About:

This cozy cowl is worked in the round (seamlessly without turning fabric) from the bottom up using a beautifully textured puff v-stitch, creating a thick, plush fabric that feels warm against the skin. An optional I-cord tie is threaded through the top edge, allowing you to cinch the cowl snugly around your neck on especially chilly days. It’s a quick and enjoyable project with just enough texture to keep things interesting.

Measurements:

11.5”/29 cm wide flat (23”/58 cm circumference) x 9”/23 cm long (pink + cream version)
12”/30.5 cm wide flat (24”/61 cm circumference) x 14”/35.5 cm long (multi-colored version)

Yarn:

For Solid-Color Sample:

I used 1.5 skeins (300 yds/ 274 m) of The Autumn Acorn Peruvian Highland dk wt wool (100g/246 yds/224 m), undyed, and 1.25 balls (300 yds/224 m) of Kokon mohair-silk lace wt yarn (25g/229 yds /210m in ea ball).

For Striped-Color Sample:

I used 1.5 skeins (400 yds/ 366 m) of The Autumn Acorn Peruvian Highland dk wt wool (100g/246 yds/224 m): undyed, pink, tan, and cream with black thread.

Hook:

US J (6.00 mm) crochet hook
US K (6.50 mm) crochet hook (if needed for foundation rnd)
US G (4.00 mm) crochet hook (optional)
US 6 (4.00 mm) dpns

Notions:

1 BOR stitch marker

Gauge:

3 Puff V-sts + 6.5 Puff V-st rows = 4” (10 cm) on size US J (6.00 mm) hook OR size needed for you to obtain gauge in Puff V-st.

Puff V-Stitch Written Pattern:

(All worked into the same st)

(YO, insert hook in st, YO, pull up a loop) 4 times (for 9 loops on the hook), YO, pull through all 9 loops, ch 2, (YO, insert hook in the same st, YO, pull up a loop) 4 times (for 9 loops on the hook), YO, pull through all 9 loops and ch 1.

Abbreviations:

Approx – approximately
Ch – chain
CO – Cast On
Dc – double crochet
Ea – each
K – Knit
Rep – repeat
Rnd(s) – round(s)
Sc – single crochet
Sk – skip
Sl st(s) – slip stitch(es)
Sp(s) – space(s)
St(s) – stitch(s)
YO – yarn over

Copyright Notice:

Feel free to sell your finished shawls made from this pattern, however, please do not copy, alter, or sell the pattern itself. For each of your listings, you must include the following: “Pattern provided by Judy Jewell of The Autumn Acorn at http://www.theautumnacorn.etsy.com“.

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Let’s Begin The Free Cluster Puff Crochet Cowl Pattern

Cowl:

Foundation (worked flat):

Using a US J (6.00 mm) hook, and leaving a beginning tail of 4”, ch 73 loosely or ch any mult of 4 + 1. (If you crochet tightly, use a US K (6.50 mm) hook for the foundation chain.)

Row 1 (worked flat – do not join yet):

Starting in 3rd ch from hook, work *1 sc, ch 1, sk next ch; rep from * across. End with 1 sc in last ch. Do not turn. Skipped chs at beginning of row count as the first [ch-1 sp, sk 1].

Count check: You should have 36 ch-1 sps across (including the beginning skipped-ch section as the first).

Construction Note:

From this point forward, you will work in continuous rounds. Do not sl st to join and do not ch 1 at the beginning of rnds. Your line of sc will make a beautiful, minimal seam. Place a marker in the seam sc (the last st of ea round) and move it up as you work ea rnd.

Puff V-Stitch Written Pattern: (All worked into the same st)

(YO, insert hook in st, YO, pull up a loop) 4 times (for 9 loops on the hook), YO, pull through all 9 loops, ch 2, (YO, insert hook in the same st, YO, pull up a loop) 4 times (for 9 loops on the hook), YO, pull through all 9 loops and ch 1.

Rnd 2 (join in the round):

Bring the short ends together (do not twist). Work Puff V-st in the first ch-1 sp of Row 1 to begin joining in the round. *Skip next sc and next ch-1 sp, Puff V-st in next ch-1 sp; rep from * around for a total of 18 Puff V-sts, end with 1 sc in last st (look for st marker). Move marker up as you work ea rnd.

Rnd 3

Work Puff V-st into the CENTER ch-2 sp of each Puff V-st around. End with 1 sc in the seam sc.

Repeat Rnd 3 for desired length (14 rnds for one-color sample and 20 rnds for the multi-color sample), always ending each rnd with 1 sc in the seam sc and moving the marker up.

Finishing:

Because Row 1 was worked flat, you will have a short opening at the bottom edge where the foundation chain begins/ends. With a tapestry needle and beg tail end of yarn, whip stitch (or mattress stitch) that small gap closed along the foundation chain edge. Weave in ends.

I-cord Tie

KNIT: Using size US 6 (4.00 mm) dpns, CO 3 sts, *k 3, sliding the k sts to other end of needle when finished so that yarn is coming up from the bottom, k those 3 sts, slide; rep from * until your I-cord tie is approx 48” (122 cm) long.

CROCHET: Using a US G (4.00 mm) crochet hook, make a ch approx. 48” (122 cm) long.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and across.

Row 2 & 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across. Fasten off leaving a tail 1.5 times the length of your tie. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and seam Row 3 to the starting chain with a whip stitch. Weave in the ends. Weave your I-cord through the openings in rnd 2 or 3 from top of cowl. Use tie to cinch up the cowl if needed during cold and windy weather.

Finishing + Blocking

If you would like your cowl to look extra neat and tidy, simply soak it in warm water and mild soap for at least one hour, then wrap in a towel, and roll up to remove excess water. Reshape and lay flat until dry. Weave in all loose ends and enjoy!