Berroco Sierra Cape Knitting Pattern

Berroco Sierra Knit Lace Cape and Poncho

What Is Being Made

The Berroco Sierra is a dolman sleeve poncho designed by Margaux Hufnagel that combines the elegance of a lace-knit cape with the comfort and ease of a poncho silhouette. This intermediate-level knitting project features a relaxed, draped fit suitable for layering over various outfits. The finished poncho offers a neck circumference of 20 inches and comes in multiple waist circumference sizes ranging from 40 inches up to 72 inches, with a length of 21 inches. The design is shown in the color Orchid and provides 6–8 inches of positive ease for comfortable wear.

Techniques Used

This poncho is constructed using several key knitting techniques that create both structure and visual interest. The garment is worked flat in two separate pieces that are later seamed together at the shoulders and lower edge, allowing for precise shaping and control during construction. The primary decorative element is an eight-row lace pattern that repeats throughout the body of the garment, creating an open, airy fabric. After the main body pieces are complete, stitches are picked up and knit around the neck edge for a finished neckline. The combination of these techniques results in a garment with both structural integrity and delicate visual appeal.

Stitches Used

The Sierra pattern employs a carefully designed lace stitch repeat that forms the foundation of the design. The lace pattern works over a multiple of 6 stitches plus 7, repeating across 8 rows. Key stitches within the lace pattern include:

• Yarn overs (yo) – used to create the open, decorative holes characteristic of lace knitting
• Slip, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, k2tog, psso) – a centered decrease that creates symmetrical lace motifs
• Knit (k) and purl (p) – foundational stitches used in stockinette stitch sections and throughout the lace pattern

The lace pattern alternates between rows of knit and purl stitches with plain rows and decorative lace rows, creating a balanced rhythm that is both visually interesting and manageable for intermediate knitters. The pattern begins and ends with stockinette stitch sections, which provide stability and a clean foundation for the lace.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Sierra poncho is designed to be knit with Berroco Summer Sesame, a yarn that comes in 100-gram balls. The yardage required depends on the size selected, ranging from 4 balls for the smallest size (40 inches) up to 7 balls for the largest size (72 inches). The sample shown uses the color #5238 Orchid. Summer Sesame is an ideal choice for lace knitting, as its fiber content and weight allow the lace pattern to open up beautifully while maintaining the structure needed for a wearable garment.

The pattern calls for circular needles in size 7 (4.5 mm), with both 16-inch and 24-inch lengths needed to accommodate different sections of the garment. Circular needles are used here for their versatility in working flat pieces and for picking up stitches around the neckline. A single stitch marker is required to track pattern repeats during knitting. The recommended gauge is 19 stitches and 31 rows over 4 inches in the lace pattern, making it essential to knit and measure a gauge swatch before beginning to ensure accurate finished measurements.