Pattern Spotlight: The Ringing Rocks Cowl

Sep 11

2 min read

The Ringing Rocks Cowl came out of a hard, anxious stretch when I needed a mindless project of my own, something calming enough to keep my hands busy without asking much of my brain. It uses the same easy, repeatable stitch as the Ringing Rocks Shawl, which turned out to be exactly what I needed at the time.

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The cowl is worked in a funnel shape that sits close to your neck, which means it actually does its job of keeping you warm instead of just hanging there looking nice. It's the coordinating piece to the Ringing Rocks Shawl, so if you have already made that one, the stitch will feel instantly familiar. If you have not, this is just as good a place to start.

About the Design

The Ringing Rocks Cowl is a beginner-friendly Tunisian crochet cowl available in fingering and DK weight. It uses the same easy, repeatable stitch as the Ringing Rocks Shawl, so the two patterns pair naturally if you want a matching set. Both the neck opening and the length are customizable, so you can make it as snug or as roomy as you like.

Good for Your Stash

Like the Full Fade Cowl, this is a great pattern for using up what's already in your stash, especially those special sets of mini skeins or 50 gram skeins you've bought and been saving for the right project. If you would rather keep it simpler, use one color for your forward pass and a different color for your return pass. Tunisian crochet naturally separates those two passes, so that one small choice creates a subtle two tone effect without adding a single extra step to the pattern.

New to Tunisian Crochet?

Tunisian crochet is worked with a longer hook (or an extension cable for larger projects) and uses a two-pass system: a forward pass where you pick up loops across the row, and a return pass where you work them back off. The fabric it creates is denser and more structured than regular crochet, with a beautiful woven-looking texture that drapes differently depending on the stitch pattern and yarn.

If you have never tried it before, this is a great pattern to start with. The stitch pattern is simple and repetitive enough that the technique becomes intuitive quickly, and the finished piece is satisfying enough to make the learning curve feel worth it.