Web-Letter, Issue 124 – Kumara Cowl Hood Although the days are getting longer, this morning, Puxsutawney Phil predicted another six weeks of winter! The persistence of winter and this week's cowl pattern brings to mind Thoreau's quote about firewood warming you twice—once when you cut it and again when you burn it. Double stranded Kumara will warm you twice too—once, as you sit and knit with it on your lap and again every time you wear it. This week's cowl pattern by Pam Allen, will work up quickly, leaving you plenty of time to put it to good use warding off the winter's chill. Happy Groundhog day! Creative Director
The Story: Two things: I have a long neck and I'm cold a lot. That's why I love things that wrap around my shoulders and cover that vulnerable neck area between the top of my turned-up coat collar and my chin. But I'm not much  of a scarf person—they're too long, too short, too narrow, too wide. And I'm always fidgeting with shawls. They don't seem to stay in place and just when I need to reach for something, I find my arm trapped in a tangle.   Hence, I'm delighted with this new kind of accessory that I'm seeing everywhere—a stand-alone cowl. This particular version reaches into a hood that is shaped with short rows to fit over the head.  And it's worked in a stitch that I never ever grow tired of—humble, easy, textural garter stitch. This cowl is best worked in a yarn that's soft and somewhat squishy, something that will feel good against the skin as it fills its role as a shoulder and neck cocoon. Kumara is an excellent choice. Worked as a double strand of yarn, its soft halo and buoyant hand feel plush, light, and warm on the wearer. The Yarn: Kumara 85% extrafine merino, 15% baby camel Kumara is a blend of extrafine merino and baby camel hair. Merino is a warm and buoyant fiber that takes dyes beautifully; camel is a super soft, luxurious fiber that, because of its short staple length, adds a lovely halo. The merino component is dyed before it’s spun with undyed camel hair. The blend of dyed and undyed fibers makes soft, muted colors. Kumara’s six twisted plies yield great stitch definition. Kumara is available in 15 soft and dreamy colors.	more photos The Pattern: Here is the free downloadable Kumara Cowl Hood pattern. If you have difficulty downloading or printing the PDF pattern above, try these: page 1, page 2 The Stitches: Pam Allen’s Kumara Cowl Hood is a wonderful pattern to use as an introduction to working short rows.  Short rows are usually worked using a wrap and turn technique (see the tutorial). This technique hides the turns for the short rows. If these turns are not hidden, holes or eyelets, appear where the short rows are turned. Pam forgoes the wrap and turn technique, thus simplifying the short rows, and allowing the eyelets to become a design element in this piece. The simplicity makes this a great first project for someone new to short rows.
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