Berroco Grenada Cape Knitting Pattern

Berroco Grenada Seamless Top-Down Knit Poncho

What is Being Made

The Berroco Grenada is a sophisticated knit poncho designed by Amy Christoffers, featuring a distinctive cowl neck collar and a flowing, draped silhouette. This intermediate-level project is worked seamlessly in one piece from the neck down, creating a garment with clean lines and minimal finishing. The poncho is available in three finished sizes with a cowl neck measuring 20 (23¼, 26¾)" and a lower edge spanning 48½ (52, 55½)", with a total length of 23" including the collar.

Techniques Used

This design employs several key knitting techniques that define its construction and wearability:

• Seamless Construction: The entire poncho is knitted as a single continuous piece, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional finish.
• Top-Down Shaping: Beginning at the neck and working downward allows for easy fitting adjustments and the ability to try on the garment as it progresses.
• Worked in the Round: Using circular needles, the poncho is constructed in continuous rounds, which creates a tubular fabric and maintains consistent stitch tension throughout.
• Strategic Increases: Evenly distributed increases (using left-leaning and right-leaning increase methods) are worked every fourth round to create the gradual expansion from the fitted neckline to the wider lower edge, achieving the poncho's characteristic silhouette.

Stitches Used

The Berroco Grenada utilizes fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch throughout the body and main portion of the cowl neck, created by knitting every round. This stitch produces a smooth, classic fabric with a V-shaped texture on the right side.
• Garter Stitch: The cowl neck begins with four rounds of purling, which creates a reversible garter stitch texture that adds visual interest and prevents rolling at the neckline.
• Left-Leaning Increase (LLI) and Right-Leaning Increase (RLI): These directional increase methods are paired symmetrically on either side of stitch markers to create balanced, invisible shaping that maintains the aesthetic integrity of the stockinette fabric.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

Yarn: The pattern calls for Berroco Mykonos Stonewash, a luxurious yarn in the colorway Clear Sky (#8591). Yardage requirements are 5 (6, 7) hanks of 50 grams each, providing ample yardage for the three size options. The Stonewash finish gives the yarn a soft, pre-washed appearance with subtle color variation.

Needles and Notions: The project requires two circular needles to accommodate the changing stitch counts as the poncho expands. Knitters begin with a 16" circular needle in size 5 (3.75 mm) for the cowl neck, then transition to a size 6 (4.00 mm) for the body. A 29" circular needle in size 6 is used for the wider body sections once stitches exceed the capacity of the shorter needle. Four stitch markers are essential for tracking increases, with one marker in a contrasting color to denote the beginning of each round.

Gauge and Finishing Details

Achieving proper gauge is critical to the success of this project. The pattern specifies 23 stitches and 34 rounds over 4 inches in stockinette stitch using the larger needles after blocking, and 24 stitches and 36 rounds over 4 inches using the smaller needles. The pattern emphasizes the importance of checking gauge before beginning to ensure the finished poncho achieves the intended dimensions and drape. The design is completed with blocking to set the stitches and achieve the final measurements.