Blue Sky Fibers Bellingham Ruana Cape Knitting Pattern

Blue Sky Fibers Bellingham Ruana

What is Being Made

The Bellingham Ruana is a sophisticated wrap-style garment designed by Afifa Sayeed. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a luxurious ruana—a draped cape-like piece that functions as both a stylish layering garment and a cozy wrap. With finished measurements of 43½" width across the back and 64" belt length, this ruana is designed to elevate any outfit while providing warmth on chilly days. The piece features a distinctive two-color construction with a decorative belt component, making it a versatile accessory suitable for various occasions.

Techniques Used

The Bellingham Ruana employs several advanced knitting techniques that contribute to its elegant construction:

• Worked Flat: The entire piece is knit back and forth without joining, despite using a circular needle. The circular needle is utilized purely to accommodate the large number of stitches rather than for in-the-round construction.
• Seamless Construction: The pattern is designed to minimize seaming, with careful attention to finishing details such as carrying yarns inside the i-cord edge to reduce the number of yarn tails requiring weaving in.
• Mosaic Pattern: A beautiful mosaic stitch pattern is featured prominently in the lower back section, creating visual interest and texture throughout the garment.
• Stripes: The design incorporates color work through striping, utilizing two distinct yarn colors (Wild Mushroom and Plum Brandy) to create definition between sections.
• Cable Cast-On: The pattern specifies the Cable Cast-On method for establishing the initial stitches, ensuring a strong and neat foundation edge.

Stitches Used

The Bellingham Ruana is constructed primarily using fundamental knitting stitches executed with precision:

• Garter Stitch: The foundation stitch throughout much of the garment, creating a textured, reversible fabric. The gauge is established in garter stitch at 12½ stitches and 25 rows per 4 inches when blocked.
• Mosaic Stitch: An advanced colorwork technique featured in the lower back section, creating intricate patterned effects without complex color changes on every row.
• Slip Stitch: Used decoratively at edges, with stitches slipped as if to purl with yarn in front (wyif) to create neat, finished selvage edges throughout the piece.

Materials and Specifications

The Bellingham Ruana is designed specifically for use with Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Tweed in Aran weight. This yarn blend combines 85% Highland Wool with 15% Donegal, providing durability, warmth, and subtle texture. The pattern requires 12 hanks total: 2 hanks in color No. 3301 (Wild Mushroom) for accent sections and 10 hanks in color No. 3311 (Plum Brandy) for the primary color.

Construction requires a Size 10 (6mm) circular needle measuring 32 inches or longer, selected to obtain the specified gauge. A tapestry needle is the only additional tool needed for finishing. The intermediate difficulty level makes this project suitable for knitters with solid foundational skills who are ready to tackle garment construction with multiple sections and color work integration.