Berroco Pierrepont Cape Knitting Pattern

Berroco Pierrepont Capelet: Seamless Striped Knit Design

What is Being Made

The Pierrepont is a sophisticated capelet designed by Amy Christoffers, featured in Berroco Book #413. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a garment with a finished lower edge measuring 57, 61¾, or 66¼ inches, a 22¾-inch neck opening for all sizes, and a center front length of 21 inches including the neckband. The capelet is shown in the largest size (57 inches) and represents a classic layering piece that drapes elegantly over the shoulders.

Construction Techniques

The Pierrepont capelet employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its refined fit and shape:

• Top-Down Construction: The garment is worked from the neck downward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as it progresses and adjust length as needed before committing yarn to the lower edge.
• Seamless, Worked in the Round: Circular needles are used throughout to create a seamless construction. The piece is joined at the neck and worked continuously in rounds, eliminating the need for seaming and creating clean, professional finishing.
• Short Row Shaping: Shoulders and the lower edge are shaped using short rows, a technique that adds depth and dimension to specific areas without increasing stitch count dramatically. This creates the structured shoulder shaping and curved lower edge characteristic of a well-fitted capelet.
• Stripe Pattern: The design incorporates striping using a main color and contrasting color, adding visual interest and texture to the finished piece.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Pierrepont uses fundamental knitting stitches combined in strategic ways:

• Stockinette Stitch (St st): The primary stitch pattern throughout the body of the capelet, creating a smooth, classic fabric with a V-shaped appearance on the right side and horizontal bumps on the wrong side.
• Ribbed Neckband: The neckband features a repeating pattern of knit and purl stitches (K1, P2, K1 repeat) worked in the round. This creates vertical lines of elasticity that help the neckband conform comfortably to the neck opening while maintaining its shape.
• Increase Stitches: M1R (make one right) and M1L (make one left) increases, along with their purl-side equivalents M1pR and M1pL, are used during short row shaping to add stitches strategically at the shoulders for proper garment shaping.
• Wrap and Turn (w&t): This technique is used in short rows to prevent holes and create smooth transitions when turning the work mid-row during shoulder and lower edge shaping.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Pierrepont pattern calls for specific materials to achieve the intended gauge and drape:

• Yarn: Berroco Ultra Wool Chunky, a bulky-weight yarn. The pattern requires 2, 3, or 3 balls (100 grams each) of #43103 Wheat for the main color (MC), depending on size, and 1 ball of #4331 Hibiscus for the contrasting color (CC). This chunky yarn works quickly and creates a substantial, warm fabric suitable for a layering capelet.
• Needles: Two circular needles in size 10½ (6.50 mm)—a 29-inch needle for the body and a 16-inch needle for the neckband. Circular needles are essential for working in the round seamlessly.
• Notions: Two stitch markers in different colors are required to mark the beginning of the round and the left shoulder position during construction.

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 14 stitches and 17 rounds equals 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Checking gauge before beginning is emphasized as critical to ensure the finished capelet measures correctly and drapes as intended. The neckband is worked in ribbing for approximately 6 inches before the body shaping begins, providing a comfortable, fitted neck opening that resists stretching with wear.