Noro Kimono Ruana Cape Knitting Pattern

Noro Kimono Ruana

What Is Being Made

The Noro Kimono Ruana is a seamless knitted cape and poncho-style garment designed with kimono-inspired styling. This easy-level project creates a versatile layering piece with finished measurements of 38 inches in width and 30 inches in length, making it a generous, comfortable wrap suitable for various body types and occasions.

Knitting Techniques

This garment is constructed using several fundamental knitting techniques that make it accessible to knitters with basic skills:

• Bottom-Up Construction: The ruana is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on the piece as it grows and easily adjust the final length if needed.
• Seamless, Worked Flat: Despite being seamless, the garment is worked flat on a circular needle rather than in the round. This approach eliminates the need for seaming after completion, resulting in a cleaner, more professional finish.
• Stitch Pattern Repeats: The design features a repeating stitch pattern based on a multiple of 10 stitches plus 7 additional stitches, creating visual interest and texture throughout the piece.

Stitches and Stitch Pattern Details

The Noro Kimono Ruana employs classic knitting stitches combined into a coordinated pattern:

• Knit and Purl Stitches: The foundation of the design uses alternating knit and purl stitches to create texture and definition.
• Yarn Over Increases: New stitches are created by placing yarn over the right-hand needle, adding decorative eyelets or lace elements depending on pattern placement.
• Slip, Slip, Knit Decreases: Two stitches are slipped knitwise individually to the right-hand needle, then inserted through together and knitted as one stitch, creating a left-leaning decrease that maintains pattern integrity.
• Selvage Stitches: Edge stitches are incorporated to facilitate easier seaming if modifications are desired, though the seamless construction minimizes this need.
• Slip Stitches: Stitches are passed from the left needle to the right needle without being worked, used strategically within the pattern.

Materials and Gauge

The Noro Kimono Ruana is designed to be worked with specific materials to achieve the intended drape and finished dimensions:

• Yarn: 9 skeins of Noro Taiyo in colorway #86, with each skein weighing 100 grams, providing approximately 900 grams of yarn for the complete project.
• Needles: One size US 9 (5.5mm) circular needle of any length, or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. The circular needle is used for working flat despite the seamless construction.
• Gauge: 15½ stitches and 25 rows equal 4 inches (10 centimeters) over the stitch pattern using size US 9 (5.5mm) needles. Checking gauge before beginning is essential to ensure the finished garment matches the intended measurements.

Pattern Structure

The stitch pattern is organized in repeating rows that create the visual design of the ruana. Row 1 (right side) establishes the pattern with alternating knit and purl sections, while subsequent rows build upon this foundation with strategic yarn overs and decreases. The pattern repeat allows knitters to maintain consistency across the width of the garment while building length from bottom to top.