Noro Bobble Knitting Pattern

Noro Bobble Columns Capelet

What Is Being Made

The Noro Bobble Columns Capelet is an intermediate-level knitted capelet designed by Cheryl Murray. This garment is a neck-circumference piece that drapes across the shoulders, featuring decorative bobble and eyelet columns. The capelet is sized for Small, Medium/Large, 1X, and 2X, with a neck circumference of approximately 27 inches (68.5 cm) and a lower edge circumference ranging from 49½ to 57¾ inches (125.5 to 146.5 cm), depending on size. The finished length varies from 14 to 16½ inches (35.5 to 42 cm).

Techniques Used

This knitting project employs several intermediate techniques that create visual interest and texture:

• Bobble construction: The Make Bobble (MB) technique involves creating a raised, textured stitch by working multiple stitches into a single stitch, turning the work, and then decreasing back down to one stitch. This creates dimensional bobbles that stand out from the fabric surface.
• Eyelet panels: Decorative openwork sections created using yarn overs and decreases to form small holes in a regular pattern, adding visual lightness and elegance to the design.
• Decrease techniques: The pattern uses slip, slip, knit (SSK) and slip, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over (SK2P) decreases to shape the garment and create the eyelet pattern effects.
• Circular knitting: The capelet is worked in the round using circular needles, which allows for seamless construction and even stitch distribution.
• Garter stitch in rounds: Created by alternating knit and purl rounds, this technique produces a textured, reversible fabric with horizontal ridges.

Stitches Used

The Noro Bobble Columns Capelet incorporates the following stitches and stitch patterns:

• Garter stitch: Worked in rounds by alternating knit 1 round and purl 1 round, creating a bumpy, textured fabric.
• Eyelet panel stitch: A 9-stitch, 6-round repeat pattern that combines knit stitches with yarn overs and decreases (k2tog and ssk) to form decorative openwork columns.
• Make Bobble (MB): A specialized stitch that increases into one stitch, turns, purls, turns again, knits, then decreases using SK2P to create a three-dimensional bobble effect.
• Yarn over (yo): Used throughout the eyelet panels and bobble construction to create new stitches and decorative holes.
• Slip stitch (sl st): Used in the bobble construction to move stitches between needles without working them.
• Decrease stitches: Includes k2tog (knit 2 together), ssk (slip, slip, knit), and SK2P (slip, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over) to shape the garment and create pattern texture.

Materials

The Noro Bobble Columns Capelet is worked using Noro Silk Garden Solo yarn in color #07. The yardage requirement is 5 to 7 skeins of 50-gram weight, depending on the size being knitted. The pattern calls for two sizes of circular needles: US 7/4.5mm needles (24 inches long) for ribbing or initial stitches, and US 8/5mm needles (24 inches long) for the main fabric. Stitch markers are required to track pattern repeats and size increases as the capelet expands from the neck to the lower edge. The recommended gauge is 16 stitches and 28 rounds per 4 inches (10 cm) when working over garter stitch and eyelet panel patterns using the larger needle.