Juniper Moon Farm Cowl Knitting Pattern

Johanna Infinity Cowl by Melissa Leapman

What is Being Made

The Johanna is an infinity cowl from the Pasadena Collection, designed by Melissa Leapman. This cowl is a versatile neckwear piece that measures 56 inches in circumference and 8½ inches in width when finished. The cowl is constructed by knitting a flat rectangular panel that is subsequently sewn together at the ends to create a continuous loop, making it an infinity-style cowl suitable for layering and everyday wear.

Techniques Used

This design employs several intermediate knitting techniques to create visual interest and texture. The cowl is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, which simplifies the construction process. The pattern features cable work as a primary design element, with 4/4 ribbed cables that create dimensional texture throughout the piece. The design also incorporates drop-stitch techniques, where stitches are intentionally dropped and raveled down to the cast-on edge during the bind-off process, creating a distinctive ladder-like effect on either side of the cable columns. This combination of techniques produces an elegant, textured fabric with visual depth.

Stitches Used

The Johanna cowl utilizes a variety of fundamental and decorative stitches worked in combination:

• Knit and purl stitches form the foundation of the ribbed texture throughout the piece
• Yarn overs (yo) and decreases (k2tog, p2tog) create openwork details in the preparation rows
• Cable stitches, specifically 4/4 ribbed right cables (abbreviated as 4/4 Ribbed RC), which involve slipping 4 stitches to a cable needle, holding them to the back, working a [k1, p1] repeat twice, then working the same repeat from the cable needle
• Slip stitches (sl) worked purlwise and knitwise, particularly during the bind-off sequence

The pattern repeats over a multiple of 14 stitches plus 4 additional stitches, creating a balanced, symmetrical design across the width of the cowl.

Materials

The Johanna cowl is designed to be worked with Juniper Moon Farm Nimbus Paints yarn in color 605 Polperro Dawn. The project requires 2 balls of 100 grams each, providing sufficient yardage to complete the full 56-inch circumference. Knitters will need US 10½/6.5mm knitting needles (or the size required to achieve proper gauge) and a cable needle for manipulating the cable stitches. The gauge is 16 stitches and 17 rows over 4 inches in the Drop Stitch Cable Pattern after the stitches have been dropped and the piece has been blocked, though exact gauge is noted as not critical to the project's success.

Pattern Structure

The cowl begins with casting on 32 stitches and working the Drop Stitch Cable Pattern repeatedly until the rectangular panel reaches approximately 56 inches in length. The pattern consists of an 8-row repeat: a single cable row followed by 7 rows of ribbed texture. The bind-off is specialized, incorporating the drop-stitch technique by raveling selected stitches down to the cast-on edge and picking up stitches from the ladder created, then binding off in established rib. After blocking to finished measurements, the two short ends of the rectangle are sewn together to form the infinity loop.