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Cuddly Knitted Cape Pattern

By Rita Maassen
Published on October 1, 2019
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Photo by Michael Ruder

This easy-to-wear cape is oversized for extra comfort on chilly days, with large armholes that help hold the cape on your shoulders without restricting your arms. The finished cape is 49-1/2 inches wide and 27 inches long. The garment pictured here was made with Lang Yarns Carpe Diem, using #26 Nature (Color A), #148 Dusty Pink (Color B), and #368 Brown (Color C).

Essential Stitch Patterns

  • Stockinette stitch: Knit on right side (RS), purl on wrong side (WS).
  • Garter stitch: Knit on both RS and WS.
  • Ribbing pattern: In RS rows: Alternate k1, p1, ending with k1 on rows with an odd stitch count.
  • In WS rows: Work all stitches as they appear (knit the knits and purl the purls).
  • Norwegian colorwork motif: In RS and WS rows: Work in Stockinette according to Colorwork Chart . When changing colors, cross strands in back of work to avoid holes. Repeat the chart (27 stitches wide) across the row. Work Rows 1 through 31 once.
  • Cable pattern: Work from Cable Chart. Only RS rows are shown; in WS rows, purl all stitches. Start with the stitch before the pattern repeat, work the pattern repeat (6 stitches wide) across the row, and end with the stitch after the pattern repeat. Repeat Rows 1 through 8.


Photo by frechverlag GmbH

Instructions

Step 1: In Color C, cast on 203 stitches and work 12 rows in Ribbing pattern, then continue as follows:

Step 2: 2 rows in Color C: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 189 stitches Stockinette, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern.

Step 3: 2 rows in Color B: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 189 stitches Garter, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern.

Step 4: 31 rows in Colors B and C: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern in C, 189 stitches Norwegian colorwork motif in B and C, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern in C. Break working yarn and slide the stitches to the other end of the needle to begin a RS row next.


Photo by frechverlag GmbH

Step 5: 2 rows in Color B: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 189 stitches Garter, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern while decreasing 1 stitch in Row 1 (202 stitches). Break the yarns, leaving long ends, and slide the stitches to the other end of the circular needle to again begin a RS row next.

Step 6: 16-3/4 inches (about 94 rows) in Color A: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 188 stitches Cable pattern, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern.

Step 7: 8 rows in Color A: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 80 stitches Cable pattern (knit the last 3 stitches),

28 stitches Ribbing pattern, 80 stitches Cable pattern, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern.

Step 8: Continue for the back neckline as follows: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 80 stitches Cable pattern, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern. Bind off (BO) 15 stitches, and transfer the remaining 93 stitches to a spare needle for holding.

Step 9: For the right front, work an additional WS row in the established pattern over the first 94 stitches, and mark this row.

The marked row is the shoulder line. Work in established pattern 18-1/2 inches (approximately 104 rows) from the shoulder line, and then continue as follows.

Step 10: 2 rows in Color B: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 80 stitches Garter, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, while increasing 1 stitch in the last row (95 stitches).

Step 11: 31 rows in Colors B and C: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern in Color C, 81 stitches Norwegian colorwork motif in Colors B and C, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern in Color C. Break working yarn and slide the stitches to the other end of the needle to again begin a RS row next.


Photo by Michael Ruder

Step 12: 2 rows in Color B: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 81 stitches Garter, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern.

Step 13: 2 rows in Color C: 7 stitches Ribbing pattern, 81 stitches Stockinette, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern.

Step 14: 12 rows in Color C: 95 stitches Ribbing pattern. BO.

Step 15: With circular needle and Color A, take up held stitches again (93 stitches) and work the left front the same as the right front, working the first row as follows: 6 stitches Ribbing pattern, increase 1, 80 stitches Cable pattern, 7 stitches Ribbing pattern (94 stitches).

Step 16: Work as for right front, taking care the Cable patterns align.

Finishing

Soak the cape in lukewarm water, carefully press out excess water, and place on a soft surface for blocking. When fully dry, fold the cape in half so the lower edges meet, with the side edges aligned. Starting at the hem, graft the side edges in Kitchener stitch to 11¾ inches, to create the armholes. Hide all ends.


Rita Maassen is a web and graphic designer from Germany’s Lower Rhine region. She has a passion for knitting, and has been offering her designs for sale since 2010. This pattern is excerpted with permission from her book 30 Knit Ponchos & Capes (Stackpole Books © 2019).