This tapered cowl was designed for the 2024 Longest Day campaign sponsored by Alzheimer’s Association, an annual fundraiser that takes place in conjunction with the summer solstice. For every pattern sold during the 2024 campaign, $5 will be donated to Alzheimer’s research.

To me, this stitch pattern of cascading leaves represents the tumbling thoughts and memories of those afflicted with the disease.

The yarn shown here is a specially dyed single-skein gradient in the purple and teal colors of the Alzheimer’s Association. The cowl shown begins with the purple end of the gradient near the face and grades to the teal at the shoulders; it will also look nice if you begin with the teal end of the yarn.

Both row-by-row and charted instructions are provided.

Finished Size: About 18” (45.5 cm) circumference at top, 28” (71 cm) circumference at bottom, and 13 1/4” (33.5 cm) tall with edges allowed to roll, after light blocking.

Yarn:  (CYCA #1 Fine) Alexandra The Art of Yarn Diamond (80% superwash Merino, 20% silk; 437 yards 400 meters/100 grams). The special colorway is Longest Day. This yarn is only available through Longmont Yarn Shoppe.

Needles: Size U.S. 4 (3.5 mm): 16” (40 cm) circular.

Notions: Stitch markers; tapestry needle.

Gauge: 15 stitches = 2 1/4” (5.5 cm) in Cascading Leaves Pattern at start of cowl (one 15-stitch pattern repeat), worked in rounds.
25 stitches = 3 1/2” (9 cm) in Cascading Leaves Pattern at end of cowl (one 25-stitch pattern repeat), worked in rounds.
19 rounds = 2” (5 cm) averaged over the length of the cowl, worked in rounds.
Exact gauge is not crucial but affect the size and drape of the cowl.

The yarn shown in this cowl was specially dyed by Alexandra The Art of Yarn and is available for a limited time only at Longmont Yarn Shoppe (longmontyarn.com). Any fingering weight yarn can be substituted.

A marker is placed after each of the 8 pattern repeats to help minimize errors. Take care that yarnovers next to markers maintain their correct positions and do not migrate underneath the markers.

To increase the circumference, add stitches to the cast-on in groups of 15 (one pattern repeat at the narrow edge). Every 15 stitches added at the start will increase the circumference by about 2 1/4” (5.5 cm) around the top and 3 1/2” (9 cm) around the bottom. If you add to the circumference, you’ll need to compensate by knitting fewer rounds or purchasing more yarn.

To shorten the length, you can end the Cascading Leaves Pattern on Row 66 or 19. Ending on Row 66 will shorten the length by about 6 3/4” (17 cm); ending on Row 96 will shorten the length by about 3 1/2” (9 cm).