Filatura Di Crosa Endless Love Pleated Cardi-Cape Knitting

Filatura Di Crosa Endless Love Pleated Cardi-Cape

What is Being Made

The Endless Love Pleated Cardi-Cape is a sophisticated layering piece designed by Brooke Nico that combines the elegance of a cardigan with the flowing silhouette of a cape. This knitted garment features structured pleats and lace detailing, creating a versatile piece that works as both a cardigan and a cape-style topper. Available in four sizes ranging from Small to XL, with bust measurements from 38 inches (96.5 cm) to 57½ inches (146 cm) and lengths from 16 to 19 inches at the center back, this design offers options for various body types and styling preferences.

Knitting Techniques Used

This pattern employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive aesthetic. The garment is worked flat on circular needles, allowing for controlled shaping and construction. Bottom-up construction means the piece is knitted from the lower edge upward, making it easier to try on and adjust length as needed. The design incorporates lace elements that add visual interest and texture throughout the garment. Seaming is used to join sections together, creating clean, professional finishing. The signature pleats are created using a specialized technique with double-pointed needles, adding structural dimension to the design.

Stitches and Stitch Details

The foundation of this cardi-cape is built on Stockinette stitch, which creates a smooth, classic fabric base. The pattern incorporates decreases including K2tog (knit 2 together) and P3tog (purl 3 together) to shape the garment and create the lace patterning. Grafting is used as a finishing technique to seamlessly join live stitches, creating invisible seams that maintain the fabric's integrity and appearance. Stitch markers in two colors help track pattern repeats and shaping points throughout the knitting process.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Endless Love Pleated Cardi-Cape is designed to be knitted using two complementary yarns from Filatura Di Crosa, held together throughout construction. Filatura Di Crosa SUPERIOR is a luxury blend of 70% cashmere, 25% schappe silk, and 5% extrafine merino wool, available in 0.88 oz (25g) balls with 330 yards (300 meters) per ball. Filatura Di Crosa NIRVANA is 100% extrafine merino wool, also in 0.88 oz (25g) balls with 372 yards (340 meters) per ball. The pattern requires 3 to 6 balls of each yarn depending on size, creating a luxurious, breathable fabric with excellent drape and warmth.

Needles and Tools Required

• Two size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles: one 16 inches (40cm) long and one 32 inches (80cm) long for main construction
• Three size 5 (3.75mm) double-pointed needles (dpns) for creating the pleated details
• Stitch holders and waste yarn for managing stitches during construction
• Stitch markers in two different colors to track pattern repeats and shaping
• Yarn needle for grafting, weaving in ends, and seaming
• Six to nine buttons, ½ inch (13mm) diameter, depending on size, for the cardigan front closure

Gauge and Finishing

The pattern is designed to achieve a gauge of 20 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch when working with one strand each of yarn A and B held together, after blocking. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements and ensuring the garment drapes appropriately. The pattern uses only right-side rows on the provided charts, with all wrong-side rows worked as purl rows, simplifying the knitting process while maintaining pattern clarity.