A Free and Easy Ombre Crochet Moss Stitch Cowl Pattern

Updated: 22 October 2026 by Sylwia (MyCrochetory)

This crochet moss stitch cowl pattern began with a knitted project that totally stole my heart. It had a soft ombre in three colors, and where two colors met, they mixed together in tiny vertical stripes. I couldn’t stop looking at it, so I decided I had to get that same effect in crochet.

There was just one little problem. Back then, I was still a beginner! But I was also a very determined one, and I already knew two things, the moss stitch and how to crochet a ribbing.

And guess what? The moss stitch turned out to be perfect for this kind of color blend. So a cowl was the easiest choice, and that’s how I made my very first one. It quickly became one of my favorite projects, and I still love it today.

What came out is a soft cowl with a three-color ombre and a lovely knit look, finished with ribbed brims at the top and bottom.

Below, I show you how the ombre works, which yarn to pick and how to make your cowl any size you like. The free pattern comes right after that, so scroll down and grab your hook! And if you’d like an ad-free printable PDF with the stitch chart, you can get it on Etsy or Ravelry.

Not ready to start yet? Save this pin to your Pinterest board, so your next cowl is just one click away.

How the ombre effect works in this crochet cowl

The ombre in this crochet cowl comes from three colors that slowly blend into each other, round by round. You start with one color, and when the next one comes in, the change happens gradually. For a few rounds, you go back and forth between the two colors, so they can mix together before the new color takes over completely.

Never joined a new color before? My guide shows you 4 easy ways to join yarn ends, so pick the one you like best.

And this is where the moss stitch really shines! Every stitch sits a little to the side of the one below it, so the two colors never form flat, boring stripes. They create tiny vertical lines instead, and that’s exactly the soft blend I saw in that knitted project.

The best part? You don’t have to plan a thing yourself. The color chart in the pattern tells you which color to use in every single round. Just follow it round by round, and your ombre shows up all by itself.

Why this crochet cowl looks knitted

This crochet cowl looks knitted thanks to two simple things, the moss stitch and the ribbed brims. The moss stitch uses only chains and single crochets, but together they make a flat, even texture that looks so much like knitting. That’s one of the reasons I love this stitch so much!

Still, when I finished my first version of the cowl, I felt something was missing. So I added a single crochet ribbing at the top and the bottom, and suddenly the cowl had the clean, knit-look finish it needed. The best news is that the ribbing is worked sideways in back loop single crochet and joined to the cowl as you go, so there’s no sewing at all.

Never made this kind of ribbing before? No problem! You’ll find a step-by-step photo tutorial right below the pattern.

Which yarn to use for your moss stitch cowl

For this moss stitch cowl, grab a soft sport weight yarn in three colors that go nicely from dark to light. I made mine with DROPS BabyAlpaca Silk, a mix of 70% alpaca and 30% silk, and at the time it was one of my absolute favorite yarns. Sadly, it isn’t made anymore, but don’t worry, any soft sport weight yarn will work just as well.

For the colors, I picked powder, light old pink and heather, and I used one skein of each. And here’s the best part. Those 3 skeins were enough for the whole cowl and both ribbed brims, so there was no need for extra yarn.

With a different yarn, just check that you have about 550 yards in total, split evenly between your three colors.

Dreaming of your own color combo? Go for it! Just pick three shades from the same color family, one dark, one medium and one light, and they’ll blend smoothly into each other.

A small cowl like this is also a great way to use up leftovers, or even yarn from an old project you’ve unraveled. Here’s how to reuse frogged yarn so it’s smooth again.

How to make your cowl any size

Here’s a little secret. You don’t have to stick to my 150 chains at all! The moss stitch works with any even number of chains, so you can make this cowl as snug or as roomy as you like.

Why an even number? Every moss stitch pair is one single crochet and one chain, and the pairs have to come out even at the end of each round. With an odd number, the pattern breaks right where the round is joined.

So how do you find your number? Easy! Make a chain, wrap it around the neck you’re crocheting for and see if it fits nicely. This trick works great for kids too. For a little one, you might start with around 100 chains and try it on before you join the round.

And if you’d like a taller cowl, just add more rounds. The best place for them is in the solid part of each color, not in the blend zones, so your ombre still fades just as softly.

Add the same number of rounds to all three colors, so the stripes stay in balance, and always add them in pairs of 2, because the moss stitch repeats every 2 rounds.

Of course, a taller cowl needs more yarn, so get a little extra of each color before you start.

Ombre moss stitch cowl FAQ

Is this crochet cowl pattern good for beginners?

Yes, if you’re ready for a tiny challenge! I’d call it “Beginner Plus”. You only need chains, single crochet and slip stitches, but you should feel comfortable working in the round. If the moss stitch is new to you, my moss stitch tutorial shows you exactly how to work it in the round, color changes included.

Why does my seam slant to one side?

That usually happens when a round ends with the wrong stitch before you join it. So here’s a quick check. In odd rounds, the last stitch before the join is a single crochet, and in even rounds, it’s a chain. Keep an eye on that, and your seam will stay straight.

Is there a chart for this pattern?

Yes, there are two! The color chart shows which color to use in every round, and the stitch chart shows the moss stitch itself. You’ll find both in the pattern section.

Is there a matching hat?

There is! The Ombre Moss Stitch Beanie uses the same stitch and the same ombre idea, so you can make the whole set.

Can I sell the cowls I make from this pattern?

Of course! The cowl you make is yours to sell. Just credit MyCrochetory as the designer. The only thing you can’t sell or share is the pattern itself.

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I’d love to see your ombre, so please share your cowl on social media with the hashtag #mycrochetory. Stuck on a round? Ask me in my Facebook Group or my Ravelry Group. You can also find me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Free ombre moss stitch crochet cowl pattern

• Get the ad-free printable PDF with the stitch chart on Etsy or Ravelry.
• Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here.
• Want more cowls? Grab my Cowl Pattern Bundle with 4 cowl patterns for one low price.
• Pin it for later.

Copyright 2018–2026 MyCrochetory. All rights reserved. This pattern is property of Sylwia Kawczyńska @MyCrochetory. Please DO NOT sell the pattern and claim this pattern as your own. The pattern is for personal use only and may not be translated or reproduced in another language. Please respect my rights, DO NOT share or publish this pattern anywhere without my permission.

The moss stitch crochet cowl you make following this pattern is yours, you are free to sell it, as long as you credit MyCrochetory as original designer. For more information, please read the Terms Page.

Materials & tools

1. Yarn: Sport weight yarn in 3 colors, approx. 550 yds / 500 m in total (about 183 yds / 167 m of each color). Sample made with DROPS BabyAlpaca Silk (70% alpaca, 30% silk), which is now discontinued, in powder (Yarn A), light old pink (Yarn B) and heather (Yarn C).
2. Hook size: 3.5 mm for the body of the cowl and 2.5 mm for the ribbing. Adjust hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.
3. Tapestry needle (to weave in yarn ends).
4. Scissors.

Level

Beginner Plus. If you don’t know how to do the moss stitch, check out my moss stitch tutorial.

Finished size

Approx. 27 cm / 10.6″ wide across the middle (not across the ribbing), approx. 34 cm / 13.4″ long.

Gauge

25 sts and 30 rows = 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4″) using the moss stitch.

Gauge isn’t very important for this project, but a different gauge will change the amount of yarn you need.

Stitches & abbreviations (US terms)

ch – chain stitch

st(s) – stitch(es)

sc – single crochet

sl st – slip stitch

yo – yarn over

BLsc – back loop only single crochet

PATTERN

Using Yarn A and hook 3.5 mm, ch 150 and sl st in the first st to close the round.

You can also make any EVEN number of chain stitches to make your desired circumference, but changes might result in a different yardage requirement.

Be careful and join your starting chain without twisting.

Round 1: ch1 (doesn’t count as a sc), ch1, sc in 2nd ch, [ch1, skip 1 ch, sc in next ch] – repeat […] until end of the round. The last stitch should be a sc in the last chain. Sl st under 2nd ch of the beginning ch2.

The first ch1 gives the round its height and doesn’t count as a stitch. The second ch1 is the usual chain space of the moss stitch.

Round 2: ch1 (counts as a first sc), ch1, [sc in next ch-1 space, ch1, skip 1 sc] – repeat […] until end of the round. The last stitch should be a ch1. Sl st to the first ch1 of the beginning ch2.  

Round 3: ch1 (doesn’t count as a sc), ch1, sc in first ch-1 space, [ch1, skip 1 sc, sc in next ch-1 space] – repeat […] until end of the round. The last stitch should be a sc in the last ch-1 space. Sl st under 2nd ch of the beginning ch2.

Odd rounds end with a sc before the join, even rounds end with a ch1.

Rounds 4–83: Repeat Rounds 2–3 according to the color chart.

Round 84: Repeat Round 2.

Fasten off yarn and weave in all ends.

Don’t forget to check out the Moss Stitch step-by-step tutorial showing how to work this stitch in a round!

Tip: You can avoid weaving in all those ends by not cutting the yarn when you finish a round. Simply carry the other color along the inside and pick it back up with your hook when you need to use it again.

Ombre Moss Stitch Cowl – chart

If you have any suggestions or have detected any mistakes, please feel free to email me at mycrochetory@gmail.com

RIBBING

This tutorial shows the ribbing exactly as it’s used on this cowl, step by step. The example is a small sample, not the actual cowl from the pattern, but the technique is the same. For the ribbing, I used a slightly smaller hook (2.5 mm) than for the body of the cowl.

To join a new yarn for the ribbing, insert your hook into the first stitch of a round, wrap the new yarn over the hook and pull it through the remaining two loops on the hook.

Then, decide how wide your brim will be. For the Ombre Moss Stitch Cowl, you will need 6 chains for a 5-stitch-wide single crochet ribbed brim.

Make a single crochet in the second chain from the hook (pic. 1), and a single crochet in each of the next 4 chains (pic. 2).

Next, slip stitch in the next two stitches on the final round of your cowl. In pic. 3 and pic. 4, the needle points to the right stitches.

When the two slip stitches have been made, make 1 chain and rotate your project to start working back up the single crochets. This is the first row of your ribbing.

Then, skip the chain 1 and the two slip stitches just made (the needle points to the correct stitch in pic. 6) and make a single crochet in the back loop only of the next 4 stitches (pic. 7). Work the last single crochet through both loops (pic. 8), and you now have two rows of your ribbing.

Next, turn your work and make a chain 1. Then make a single crochet in the first stitch and a back loop only single crochet in the next 4 stitches. After that, slip stitch in the next two stitches on the final round of your cowl (pic. 10 and pic. 11) and chain 1.

Now, rotate your project and repeat Row 2 and Row 3 of the ribbing until you have worked all the way around.

When you make the last row of your brim and want a nice clean look, close up your ribbing. For this, turn your cowl inside out, insert your hook in the loop and slip stitch these two layers of the fabric together (5 slip stitches).

Fasten off yarn and weave in all ends.

More free crochet cowl patterns

1. Herringbone Cowl. Love texture? This one uses the herringbone single crochet stitch, which makes a chevron pattern, and you can easily change its length and width.
2. Namari Mosaic Cowl. Ready to try mosaic? Pick two contrasting colors, and you can finish this cowl in a weekend.
3. Drutozlot Mosaic Cowl. This is another mosaic cowl, and it comes with a video tutorial to help you along.

Looking for more cowls? See my Top 10 free crochet cowl patterns or browse all my free crochet cowl patterns.

More moss stitch crochet patterns

• Ombre Moss Stitch Beanie. Want the full set? This beanie was made to match the cowl, with the same moss stitch and the same soft ombre.
• Greus Cowl. Here’s another moss stitch cowl, but this time with diagonal stripes. It’s worked on the bias and then seamed, and it sits somewhere between a cowl and a small shawl.
• Triangle Moss Stitch Shawl. Loved working the moss stitch? Then try it on a shawl! It has a one-row repeat, so you only need chains and single crochet.
• Flourish Linen Wrap. The linen stitch is just another name for the moss stitch, and this wrap uses it in a chevron with a gradient and a solid yarn.

Still hungry for more? See my Top 10 moss stitch crochet projects.

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Which three colors are you picking for your ombre? Tell me in the comments, I love seeing new color combos. And if a round gives you trouble, ask me there too, so the next person with the same question finds the answer.