Punakaiki is the Maori name for Pancake Rocks, which are a strange and wonderful section of rocks along the west coast of New Zealand. The layers of rock are stacked high in flat strips, hence the name, and this cowl was designed with a nod to that oddly beautiful coastline. The Punakaiki cowl is knit in the round from the bottom up. Rounds of decreases are worked to bring the cowl in slightly closer as it goes up towards the chin, this helps it to sit comfortably around your neck and keep out any chilly breezes.

This pattern is part of The New Zealand Collection which is available as an ebook comprising 20 patterns (some for women, some for men and some for children).

Techniques used:
Knitting in the round
Simple increases and decreases