Crocotta Cape Knitting Pattern

Crocotta Cape in Berroco Aerial

What is Being Made

The Crocotta Cape is a beginner-friendly capelet designed by Åsa Buchta, worked in the round from the neck down in a single continuous piece. This garment features a cowl neck construction with a gracefully expanding silhouette that drapes from the shoulders. The cape is available in four finished sizes with lower edge circumferences ranging from 46 to 70 inches, making it adaptable for various body types and styling preferences.

Knitting Techniques Used

This capelet employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for knitters developing their skills. The garment is worked in the round using circular needles, which eliminates the need for seaming and creates a seamless, professional finish. The construction uses increases worked every other round to create the expanding A-line shape characteristic of a cape silhouette. Knitters will work with two strands of yarn held together throughout the entire project, which adds depth and texture while maintaining the intended gauge. The pattern includes color changes worked in a planned stripe sequence, allowing knitters to practice managing multiple colors while maintaining consistent tension and stitch quality.

Stitches Used

The Crocotta Cape is primarily constructed using stockinette stitch (abbreviated St st), the fundamental stitch that creates a smooth, classic fabric with a distinctive V-pattern appearance on the right side. Increases are worked using left-leaning lifted increases (LLI) and right-leaning lifted increases (RLI), which are paired on either side of stitch markers to create symmetrical shaping. These increase techniques are worked at regular intervals in an increase round that repeats every other round, with the exact number of repeats varying by size. The pattern uses stitch markers to track key points in the round, including a distinctly colored marker to denote the beginning of round (BOR).

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Crocotta Cape is designed to be knitted with Berroco Aerial yarn, a specialty yarn that creates a lightweight, airy fabric ideal for layering pieces like capes. The pattern calls for four coordinating colorways from the Berroco Aerial collection: Powder (C1), Tea Rose (C2), Birch (C3), and Wooden (C4). Yarn quantities vary by size, ranging from 1 to 3 balls of each color, with each ball weighing 25 grams. Knitters will work with two strands of yarn held together throughout the entire project.

The pattern requires size 5 (3.75 mm) circular needles in two lengths: 40 cm and 32 inch circular needles. The 40 cm needle accommodates the initial stitches at the cowl neck, while the 32 inch needle is used as the stitch count expands during the increase rounds. Additional notions include four stitch markers (with one in a contrasting color to mark the beginning of round) and a tapestry needle for finishing.

Gauge and Finished Measurements

The pattern specifies a gauge of 22 stitches and 34 rounds over 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch when working with two strands of yarn. This gauge is measured after blocking, making it essential for knitters to swatch and block before beginning the project to ensure accurate finished measurements. The four available sizes feature cowl neck circumferences ranging from 22 to 25 inches and lower edge circumferences from 46 to 70 inches, with total length (including collar) between 20 and 21.5 inches.

Color Sequence

The Crocotta Cape incorporates a planned color stripe sequence that adds visual interest to the simple stockinette construction. Knitters begin by working 4 inches with two strands of the first colorway (C1), then progress through additional color changes as outlined in the pattern instructions. This stripe sequence continues as the capelet expands, with the color changes occurring at regular intervals throughout the piece.