“It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.” —Robert Goddard, physicist

This cowl was designed for the Chicago Yarn Crawl in 2021.

Every year during the Yarn Crawl, we highlight a yarn company that exemplifies who we are and what we believe at String Theory. This year, we have two. Our cowl is made with Merino Wool DK from Handspun Hope and 75yds of Cosette from Dream in Color Yarn.

Handspun Hope provides meaningful employment to women who survived the genocide in Rwanda. As a result, these women have access to education, counseling, healthcare, nutrition, and housing for themselves and their families.

Dream in Color Yarn is a small business run by friends Nancy and Veronica. I have known them both since our kids were little together at our local Waldorf school. They’ve moved their business from Illinois to Arizona, but their passion for quality yarns and rich vibrant colors remains the same.

This pattern is a meditative two-row repeat that is easy enough for beginners, but interesting for those with more experience.

The pops of Cosette emphasize the chevron design and provide a lovely contrast of texture and color to the more rustic handspun which has been dyed with items found in Rwanda like onion skins and avocados.

The cowl is worked back and forth to create a rectangle. The rectangle is closed into a circle by sewing buttons through the overlapping fabrics at the end.

Handspun yarn varies in yardage, so I’ve made this pattern adaptable. You will want at least a total of 27” so that it will wrap around your neck comfortably. If you run out of Handspun Hope yarn before you finish the last 17”, just make your Cosette stripe longer.