Berroco Forest Floor Cape Knitting Pattern

Berroco Forest Floor Knit Poncho

What is Being Made

The Berroco Forest Floor is a generous knit poncho designed by Emily Nora O'Neil. This versatile layering piece measures approximately 42 inches wide by 52 inches long in its flat state, but drapes to just 26 inches in length when worn, making it an elegant and wearable garment suitable for various occasions and seasons.

Techniques Used

This poncho is constructed using a bottom-up knitting method, meaning you begin at the lower edge and work upward toward the neckline. The garment is seamless, eliminating the need for seaming pieces together after completion. The poncho is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, allowing for easier stitch management and shaping during construction.

Stitches Used

The Forest Floor poncho primarily features two fundamental knitting stitches:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st) — forms the main fabric body, creating a smooth, classic knit appearance across the majority of the garment
• Garter Stitch — used selectively at the edges (1 stitch on each side) to create finished selvage edges and structural definition, plus a Garter Ridge worked on the wrong side after the initial cast-on

The pattern divides the front sections midway through construction, allowing for a shaped neckline opening while maintaining the poncho's flowing silhouette.

Materials and Specifications

This project requires 11 hanks of Berroco Gusto yarn in colorway #1942 Jade. Berroco Gusto is a substantial yarn weight that works efficiently for this large garment. You will need a 29-inch circular knitting needle in size 15 (10.00 mm) or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge. The pattern recommends checking gauge before beginning: 8 stitches and 12 rows should measure 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch. This is an Easy skill level pattern, making it accessible to knitters with basic stitch knowledge.

Pattern Overview

Construction begins with casting on 84 stitches for the back section. After establishing a Garter Ridge, the knitter maintains edge stitches in Garter Stitch while working the interior in Stockinette Stitch, continuing for 26 inches. The pattern then divides for the front sections, with yarn joined to create two separate front pieces that are worked simultaneously. After another 26 inches of length, the stitches are bound off and ends are woven in. The finished piece can be blocked to enhance drape and shape as desired.