13 Trendy Colorful Crochet Cowls and Capelets for Stylish Outfits

Crochet cowls are definitely a must-have clothing once the summer is over. The winds become strong and cold, so neck cowls stay perfectly in place, and they keep you warm. You can treat them more like an accessory — they can be small but with some fancy elements.
You can also use them just for their purpose — because it’s cold. But either way, they always complete your outfit. This is why there are a lot of designs and shapes that you can make to match a cowl with a particular outfit. Don’t be afraid of colors — autumn loves them! Take a look at the examples below to check the current trends and learn how to crochet a cowl with links to free patterns under the pictures.
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Crochet Cowl Free Patterns
1. Pam’s Ombre Cowled Neckwarmer Free Crochet Pattern
This stunning crochet neckwarmer really resembles the Victorian era a little. It is lacy, elegant, classic, and most certainly very comfortable to wear on a daily basis. It will pair up beautifully with an elegant dress.
- DESIGNED by Pamela Mazzola – Luna Lu Crochet
- PROJECT TYPE neckwarmer
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Pamela Mazzola / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
2. Festive Crochet Cranberry Fringe Cowl
This vivid red cowl is perfect for casual and elegant outfits. The color and design can go with both, depending on the rest of the clothes and accessories. This neck cowl is quite small, so it’s more like an accent than a scarf, but you can adjust it to the purpose that you prefer while crocheting.
- DESIGNED by Fiber Flux
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Jennifer Dickerson / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
5. Warm & Cozy Crochet Neck Cowl
This cowl in pink shades is a very beautiful and warm must-have in your wardrobe. It’s warm and cute. It fits best all the casual outfits. You can use it when the rest of the clothes are of one color, such as gray, in order to break the monochromatic effect. Add some small details of the cowl’s colors, such as jewelry or shoes.
- DESIGNED by Lovely Miracle Shop
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Annie Wieckowski / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
4. Merry Making Crochet Button Cowl
This red cowl is very elegant but still for everyday use. It will bring energy but also some sophistication to every outfit — casual or smart. You can adjust the style of the cowl a little bit by placing it in a different way on your shoulders. There is a regular way around your neck or a traditional one that will go perfectly with a dress.
- DESIGNED by Fiber Flux
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Jennifer Dickerson / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
5. Sugar Smacks Crochet Cowl
This is a video tutorial for a very simple and casual beige cowl. It’s very easy to crochet, so it won’t take much time. It’s very universal because of its color, but you can change the style by adding different applications. The wooden button goes well with the casual, while the jewelry brooch goes great with the elegant.
- DESIGNED by Bag o day Crochet
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner
Find the original free video tutorial on YouTube.
6. The XOXO Crochet Cowl
This is the most regular shape of a cowl and a super warm one. It’s perfect when it’s really cold, especially in winter. You can use different patterns and colors to make it more interesting and unique. It will go with every kind of style because its purpose is to keep you warm. The style is calm, so you can also wear it with something more elegant without any problems.
- DESIGNED by Crafting for Weeks
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Crafting for Weeks / craftingforweeks.com
Find the original free pattern on craftingforweeks.com.
7. Ribbed Cowl
This super cool ribbed cowl by Stacey Leighty is a very chunky and beautifully textured project that will keep your neck warm at all times. This easy crochet cowl pattern itself works up very quickly, so you can have your new winter accessory in just a few hours. Take a look at the pictures below. Isn’t this cowl a fashion statement?Â
- DESIGNED by Stacey Leighty
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photo by Stacey Leighty / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
8. Classic Wrap Scarf
If you’re not the biggest fan of chunky and super textured cowls, this project will definitely meet your taste. It’s quite light and delicate; however, it’s also really warm, so don’t worry about being cold. It’s designed to be just one skein pattern, and it will fit perfectly most adults, yet it’s easily adjustable for kiddos. Grab this free cowl crochet pattern and try it.
- DESIGNED by Megan Meyer
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photo by Megan Meyer / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on leftinknots.com, or read more about it on Ravelry.
9. 2021 Here We Come Cowl
We are all fed up with 2020 by now and wish it would come to an end as soon as possible. This gorgeous 2021 cowl is a great free crochet pattern to celebrate the beginning of the new year. You can finish this cowl in two possible ways: you can border it with a button closure or make a basic design.
- DESIGNED by oombawkadesigncrochet.com
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photo by Oombawka design / oombawkadesigncrochet.com
Find the original free pattern on oombawkadesigncrochet.com
10. In The Clouds Cowl
This delicate, neutral-in-the-clouds neck cowl is a really gorgeous project that uses super soft mohair held together with a lovely gradient yarn, which creates a slight ombre effect. It’s a very fun and easy crochet pattern to create a squishy and warm winter-worthy cowl.
- DESIGNED by Emily Marie Davies
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photo is by Emily Marie Davies / Ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on hookedhazel.com, or read more about it on Ravelry.
11. Berg Crochet Neck Cowl
The crochet infinity scarf for beginners is what this fantastic free pattern from Tauby Mintz is. It’s crocheted on the bias to create a delicate texture. Seamed at ends create a wrap-it-twice loop. However, you can easily make it bigger by just adding the length of the base shawl. The delicate color melange makes the perfect match with the crochet stitch.
- DESIGNED by Tauby Mintz
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Tauby Mintz / ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
12. Pleasant Waves Crocheted Cowl
This project by Rachel Burkell was totally inspired by the Under the Sea theme. She has even used beautiful yarns in colors that replicate the sea stars. Such dye adds more flare to the style and makes it more unpredictable. Gentle crochet waves are created, and the cowl’s structure is nice to the touch and gives more volume when worn. A colorful and intriguing addition to any outfit.
- DESIGNED by Rachel Burkell
- PROJECT TYPE cowl
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Rachel Burkell / ravelry.com
Find the original free pattern on Ravelry.
Crochet Capelet Free Patterns
1. Silver Lining Capelet Free Crochet Pattern
Ponchos are very comfortable and elegant but sometimes can be a little impractical. The crochet capelet will do great on a daily basis because it’s a little shorter than a classic poncho. That’s why it won’t bother you in doing whatever you need to do — by that, I mean that it won’t get dirty when you wash your dishes or eat soup.
- DESIGNED by Fluffy Stitches
- PROJECT TYPE poncho
- CRAFT crochet
- SKILL LEVEL beginner

Photos by Fluffy Stitches / fluffystitches.com
Find the original free pattern on fluffystitches.com.