Juniper Moon Farm Cape Knitting Pattern

Kikako Swoncho by Melissa Leapman

What is Being Made

The Kikako Swoncho is a versatile layering piece from the Aspen Collection by Juniper Moon Farm, designed by Melissa Leapman. This garment combines the ease of a poncho with the fitted structure of a sweater, offering three size options: Small/Medium, Large/1X-Large, and 2X-Large/3X-Large. The finished bust measurements range from 62½ inches to 83 inches, with a consistent length of 26½ inches, making it an elegant accessory suitable for various body types and occasions.

Techniques Used

The Kikako Swoncho employs several key knitting techniques to achieve its distinctive design:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The garment is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on and adjust length as needed.
• Worked Flat: The back and other sections are knitted flat on straight or circular needles, rather than in continuous rounds, providing flexibility in shaping and construction.
• Worked in the Round: Certain sections utilize circular needles worked in the round for seamless integration of pattern elements.
• Seamed Construction: Pieces are joined together using seaming techniques to create the final garment structure.
• Lace Patterning: An openwork lace pattern is incorporated throughout the design, adding visual interest and breathability to the finished piece.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The primary stitch pattern used in the Kikako Swoncho is the Openwork Pattern, which creates decorative, lacy sections throughout the garment. This pattern is worked over multiple rows and requires attention to yarn overs and decreases to achieve the characteristic openwork effect. The pattern is established after the initial ribbed or garter stitch edge and continues until shoulder shaping begins. Shoulder shaping involves strategic bind-offs at regular intervals to create proper fit across the shoulders and neckline, while neck shaping includes centered decreases to define the neckline opening.

Materials: Yarn, Needles, and Notions

The Kikako Swoncho is designed to be knitted with Juniper Moon Farm MALLOW yarn in colorway 103 Stormcloud. The yardage requirements vary by size: Small/Medium requires 5 balls of 75g each, while the larger sizes require 7 balls of 75g each, providing ample yardage for the full garment.

The project requires multiple circular needles in different sizes to accommodate gauge changes and various sections of the pattern. Knitters will need Size US 10½ (6.5mm) circular needles in both 16-inch and 32-inch lengths for the smaller gauge sections, and Size US 11 (8mm) circular needles in matching lengths for the primary pattern work. The larger needles are used to achieve the required gauge of 14 stitches and 20 rows per 4 inches in the Openwork Pattern when blocked. Additional notions include removable markers for tracking pattern repeats, shoulder shaping placement, and neckline positioning.

Construction Overview

The back panel is cast on with the smaller needles and worked in garter stitch for approximately 1½ inches before increasing stitches evenly across the final row. The stitch count increases from 100 (116, 132) stitches to 111 (129, 147) stitches depending on size. The work then transitions to the larger needles and the Openwork Pattern continues until the piece reaches approximately 18½ inches in length. At this point, a removable marker is placed to establish the beginning of shoulder shaping. Shoulder shaping is executed through a series of bind-offs at the beginning of rows, with bind-off quantities varying by size and row. Neck shaping occurs simultaneously with shoulder shaping, beginning after approximately 35 rows of shoulder decreases. The center 17 stitches are bound off, and the work continues on both sides with separate balls of yarn, with additional bind-offs at each neck edge to create a defined neckline.