Lana Grossa Ruana Cape Knitting Pattern

Lana Grossa Ruana in Alta Moda Cashmere

What Is Being Made

This is a luxurious ruana—a versatile wrap-style cape garment—designed as Design 28 from Lana Grossa's Accessories 19 collection. The ruana features a sophisticated construction with a single back panel and divided front sections, creating an elegant draped silhouette. The finished back measures approximately 60 cm in length, making it an ideal layering piece for adding warmth and style to any outfit.

Knitting Techniques

The Lana Grossa Ruana employs several advanced knitting techniques to achieve its refined aesthetic:

• Bottom-up construction: The garment is worked from the cast-on edge upward, beginning with the back panel before dividing for the front sections. This method allows for easy adjustments and a logical progression through the pattern.
• Seamless construction: The ruana is worked as a single continuous piece with minimal finishing required, eliminating the need for seaming and creating a smooth, professional appearance.
• Worked flat: Rather than working in the round, this design is worked flat on straight needles, allowing for easier stitch manipulation and chart reading throughout the project.
• Lace elements: The pattern incorporates lace stitchwork through yarn overs and decreases, adding delicate texture and visual interest to the fabric.

Stitches Used

The pattern combines fundamental and decorative stitches to create visual depth and structure:

• Seed stitch: Used for selvage edges and the opening rows, seed stitch (alternating knit and purl stitches) creates a neat, textured border that frames the garment and prevents curling.
• Diagonal grain stitch: The primary stitch pattern features a diagonal grain construction worked from a chart. This stitch is based on a multiple of 2 plus 1, with 4 additional selvage stitches. The pattern repeats over 4 rows, creating a subtle diagonal texture across the fabric.
• Yarn overs and decreases: These lace-making techniques are incorporated into the diagonal grain stitch chart, creating openwork details that enhance the garment's elegance and drape.

Materials and Tools

The Lana Grossa Ruana is crafted from premium fibers and requires specific tools for proper construction:

• Yarn: 550 grams of Lana Grossa Alta Moda Cashmere 16 in Mustard/Olive (color 36). This yarn blend contains 78% Merino wool, 12% cashmere, and 10% polyamide, offering exceptional softness, warmth, and durability. The yarn is worked at 110 meters per 50 grams.
• Needles: Size 8 mm needles are used throughout the project. The pattern is worked with 2 strands of yarn held together, which creates the proper fabric weight and gauge.
• Gauge: The pattern achieves 11 stitches and 14 rows over a 10 x 10 cm swatch when worked in diagonal grain stitch with size 8 mm needles and 2 strands of yarn held together. Matching gauge is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions.

Pattern Construction Details

The ruana begins with casting on 123 stitches for the back panel. The first three rows are worked in seed stitch to establish a stable selvage edge. The diagonal grain stitch pattern is then introduced and worked from a chart, with the pattern repeat worked 59 times across the row. The back panel is continued until it measures 60 cm from the cast-on edge.

The front sections are created by dividing the stitches: one front section contains the center pattern repeat worked 28 times, while the remaining stitches are held for the second front. Each front is completed over 80 rows total, followed by 3 additional rows of seed stitch before binding off. The finished ruana requires minimal finishing—simply weaving in all yarn ends completes the project.