Highlands Cape

Free Cape Knitting Pattern

This traditionally-styled cape is warm and roomy, making it great for the colder months of the year. It's a great project for the beginning knitter, as it is quick and simple to knit.

Skills Required/Techniques Used:
-Knit & purl, cast on & bind off
-Increasing: make 1 (m1)
-Decreasing: knit 2 together (k2tog), slip-slip-knit (ssk)
-Picking up stitches (pu&k)
-Working I-cord

Size: one size fits most, shown on size L model

Materials: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick super bulky weight yarn 106 yards (97 meters) /170 gr, color Granite - 5 balls

Needles: US11 (8 mm) circular OR SIZE NEEDED TO OBTAIN GAUGE

Gauge for stockinette st:
9 sts x 12 rows = 4" x 4" (10 cm x 10 cm)

Notions: yarn needle, 8 stitch markers, 2 buttons, sewing needle and thread of matching color.

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p - purl
k2tog - knit 2 together
ssk - slip-slip-knit
pu&k- pick up and knit
yo - yarn over
m1 - make 1 increase - make a backward loop over the right-hand needle and in the next row/round purl/knit as a regular stitch.
RS - right side
WS - wrong side
sm - slip marker
pm - place marker
rm - remove marker
st, sts - stitch, stitches


Pattern Notes:

Stockinette in rows:
Row 1 (RS): knit
Row 2: purl
Repeat 2 rows.

Garter st in rows: All rows knit.

Raglan lines and increases: raglan lines in this pattern consist of 5 sts, worked in 1x1 rib. In every right side (RS) row, work till marker, m1, slip marker (sm), work 5 raglan sts in rib: p1,( k1, p1) twice, sm, m1. There are 4 raglan lines, repeat on each raglan line, thus the number of sts in each RS row will increase by 8 sts. In WS rows work raglan sts: ( k1, p1) twice, k1.

Front increases: In RS rows 1-9, there will be 1-stitch increases after and before the edge sts. Thus the number of sts in RS rows 1-9 will increase additionally by 2 sts, total 10 sts per row.
The selvedge/edge stitches are worked as follows: knit the first stitch and purl the last one.


Short Overview of the Pattern:

Cape is worked from the top down, as one piece, without seams. The increases are made at central front edges, to shape a neckline and at raglan lines. Front edges and raglan lines are worked in 1x1 rib on 5 sts. For the collar the stitches are picked up around the neckline. Loops for frog closure are made of I-cord.

CAPE

Cast on 33 sts and purl 1 foundation row.

Row 1 (RS, increase row): k1, m1, k1, m1, p1, k1, p1, m1, k1, m1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, m1, k11, m1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, m1, k1, m1, p1, k1, p1, m1, k1, m1, p1. = 43 sts

Row 2 (WS): k1, (p1, k1) 3 times, p3, k1, (p1, k1) twice, p13, k1, (p1, k1) twice, p3, (k1, p1) 3 times, p1.

Check sts and place markers:
1 edge- 1 left front - 5 raglan (place markers before the first and after the fifth sts) - 3 left sleeve - 5 raglan (place markers before the first and after the fifth sts) - 13 back - 5 raglan (place markers before the first and after the fifth sts) - 3 right sleeve - 5 raglan (place markers before the first and after the fifth sts) - 1 right front - 1 edge. Slip markers while working.

Row 3: k1, m1, k1, m1, sm, p1, (k1, p1) twice, sm, m1, k3, m1, sm, p1, (k1, p1) twice, sm, m1, k13, sm, m1, p1, ( k1, p1) twice, sm, m1, k3, sm, m1, p1,( k1, p1) twice, sm, m1, k1, m1, p1. = 53 sts

Row 4: k1, p3, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p5, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p15, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p5, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p4.

Rows 5 (RS): k1, m1, *knit till marker, m1, sm, p1, (k1, p1) twice, sm, m1, - repeat from * 4 times, knit till the last st, m1, p1. = 63 sts

Row 6: k1, k1, p4, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p7, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p17, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p7, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p4, k1, p1.

Row 7: k1, m1, k1, p1, *knit till marker, m1, sm, p1, (k1, p1) twice, sm, m1, - repeat from * 4 times, k3, p1, k1, m1, p1. = 73 sts

Row 8: k1, k1, p1, k1, p4, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p9, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p19, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p9, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p4, (k1, p1) twice.

Row 9 (RS): k1, m1, (k1, p1) twice, * knit till marker, m1, sm, p1, (k1, p1) twice, sm, m1,- repeat from * 4 times, k3, (p1, k1) twice, m1, p1. = 83 sts

Row 10: k1, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p4, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p11, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p21, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p11, (k1, p1) twice, k1, p4, (k1, p1) 3 times.

Rows 11- 21, 25, 29, 33 (RS rows with raglan increases: k1, (p1, k1) twice, p1, * knit till marker, m1, sm, (p1, k1) twice, sm, m1, repeat from * 4 times, knit till last 6 sts, (p1, k1) twice, p2. + 8 sts

Row 12 (WS and all WS rows till 34): k1, (k1, p1) twice, k1, *purl till marker, sm, (k1, p1) twice, k1, sm - repeat from * 4 times, purl till last 6, (k1, p1) 3 times.

Row 23, 27, 31 (RS rows without raglan increases): k1, (p1, k1) twice, p1, *knit till marker, sm, (p1, k) twice, p1, sm, repeat from * 4 times, knit till last 6 sts, (p1, k1) twice, p2.

Number of stitches after
row 11 = 91 sts
row 13 = 99 sts
row 15 = 107 sts
row 17 = 115 sts
row 19 = 123 sts
row 21 = 131 sts
row 25 = 139 sts
row 29 = 147 sts
row 33 = 155 sts

Remove markers.

Row 35: (k1, p1) 3 times, k143, (p1, k1) twice, p2.

Row 36: k1,( k1, p1) twice, k1, p 143, (k1, p1) 3 times.

Rows 37-78: repeat rows 35-36.

Row 79: (k1, p1) 3 times, k143, (p1, k1) twice, p2.

Row 80: k1, (k1, p1) twice, k1, k143, (k1, p1) 3 times.

Rows 81-86: repeat rows 79-80. Bind off.

Collar

Pick up and knit 46 sts along the neckline. Work garter stitch for 8 rows. Decrease evenly for 4 sts by k2tog in rows 5 and 7 .

Row 5 (RS): k10, ssk, k9, ssk, k2tog, k9, k2tog, k9, p1. = 42 sts

Row 7 (RS): (k8, ssk) twice, k2, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k7,p1. = 38 sts

Bind off.

Finishing

Knit 2 pieces of I-cord for the frog closure.

See video instructions for knitting I-cord

Sew on buttons, fold I-cord to shape 8 and sew onto edges.

Enjoy!