Malabrigo Poppy Cape Knitting Pattern

Malabrigo Poppy Brioche Lace Cape

What Is Being Made

The Malabrigo Poppy is a brioche lace cape designed by Wei Wilkins, featured in Malabrigo's Book 17: Ponchos & Familia - Flowing Garments In Merino Yarns. This is a seamless, flowing garment worked from the bottom up, offering an elegant layering piece with delicate lace detailing. The finished cape measures 67½ inches in circumference at the lower edge with a length of 17¾ inches, making it a versatile accessory suitable for various occasions and body types.

Techniques Used

The Poppy cape employs several advanced knitting techniques to create its distinctive aesthetic. The garment is worked flat on circular needles and features seamless construction, allowing for smooth, continuous fabric without seaming. The primary stitch pattern is brioche lace, a technique that combines yarn overs with slip stitches to create an airy, textured appearance. The pattern uses a specialized tubular cast-on method with contrast yarn, which creates a professional, finished edge and allows for easy removal of the temporary cast-on yarn after the initial rows are complete. The back-swing bind-off provides a secure, elastic edge finish appropriate for lace garments.

Stitches and Stitch Techniques

The Poppy cape utilizes several key stitches and techniques:

• SL1YO (Slip 1, Yarn Over): A foundational brioche technique where the working yarn is brought to the front, one stitch is slipped purlwise, and the yarn is brought back over the right-hand needle to create a yarn over and prepare for the next stitch.
• Brioche Pattern: The main stitch pattern alternates knit and purl stitches in a specific sequence. The pattern requires knitting into purl stitches and purling into brioche knit stitches, creating the characteristic brioche texture.
• Yarn Overs: Created by bringing yarn to the front and knitting the next stitch, these overs form the lace elements throughout the garment.
• Slip Stitches: Worked purlwise to maintain stitch definition and create visual interest in the lace pattern.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Malabrigo Poppy cape is designed to showcase Mechita by Malabrigo, a superwash merino wool yarn. The pattern calls for 4 hanks in colorway #716 Lava, with each hank containing 3½ ounces (100 grams) and approximately 420 yards (384 meters) of yarn, providing ample yardage for the finished garment.

The pattern requires a set of four circular needles in sizes 2, 3, 4, and 5 (2.75, 3.25, 3.5, and 3.75mm), each measuring 40 inches (100cm) in length. The largest needle (size 5) is used to work the main brioche pattern and achieve the specified gauge of 17 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches (10cm). Additionally, a size 3 (2.10mm) steel crochet hook is included in the notions for finishing details, along with stitch markers and a cable needle for pattern work.

Skill Level and Pattern Characteristics

The Malabrigo Poppy is rated as Easy Intermediate