A search for a simple cowl

I got the most wonderful letter last night from my friend Darlene asking me about easy cowl patterns.  She was working on some scarves for the homeless outreach program that I am a part of, and wanted to make some simple cowls to add to her donation.  Woo hoo!!!    Awesome, I'm all over that.  Since I don't have any cowl patterns on my site, I told her that I'd look around and see what there was out there.

**First of all, the simplest and easiest cowl pattern in the world is just sc-ing the last row of a long scarf to the first row and making a long circle that can wrap multiple times around your neck.  Easy peasy, works with any pattern, and it's awesome for balancing that warmth to choking ratio that tight things around the neck sometimes get.  That's just a tip from your old pal Jaime...**

I love this Hour and a Half cowl at NaturallyCaron. It works so quickly because you use four strands of worsted weight yarn at a time and a U hook!  Awesome!  It's only 22 stitches per row!

Stephanie at The Crimson Owl made the most beautiful convertible cowl that has a hood!  She designed it for a beginner class that she taught, so you know it's easy, but it's so awesome EVERYONE (even advanced and adventurous crocheters) is going to want to make one!!!

Liz at Crochet In Color accidentally made this gorgeous chunky-yarn cowl instead of the poncho she started!  Her story is cute, and the cowl is amazing, and very easy and looks like it would work up quickly.  

Jay over at Jay's Boutique Blog has this delightful Light n Lacy Cowl pattern.  She uses my awesome stitch the scarf together at the ends technique (see guys, it's really a thing!). And since it doesn't even use a whole skein of yarn, you know it's going to be quick to finish!

Bernat.com has some awesome free cowl patterns.  My favorites were this too-cute buttoning baby cowl:

and this hooded cowl:

So now that I've spent the last hour looking at cowls I'm all inspired to make one of my own.  Hmm.  There will be a Dynamite Cowl coming soon...  But in the mean time, do you have a favorite cowl pattern that you always use?  I know there are a ton of patterns out there that I didn't see on my shallow Pinterest search...  Feel like sharing? 

xo Jaime