Rowan Ewood Cape Knitting Pattern

Rowan Ewood Cape and Poncho by Lisa Richardson

What is Being Made

The Rowan Ewood is a knitted cape or poncho design created by Lisa Richardson. This garment is worked flat and features a sophisticated construction with shoulder shaping and button details. The pattern is available in five sizes to fit bust measurements ranging from 81-86 cm (32-34 in) up to 122-127 cm (48-50 in), with corresponding finished bust measurements from 104 cm (41 in) to 144 cm (56½ in).

Techniques Used

The Ewood employs several key knitting techniques to create its finished structure:

• Worked Flat: The garment is constructed using flat knitting rather than in-the-round, allowing for precise shaping and construction control.
• Striped Patterning: Horizontal stripes are incorporated throughout the design, creating visual interest and texture variation.
• Shoulder Shaping: Detailed shoulder shaping is worked using decreases positioned at marked intervals. The pattern specifies decreasing on both right-side and wrong-side rows at strategic points, beginning with decreases on the 16th row and continuing at varying intervals (14th, 12th, 10th, 8th, 6th, 4th rows, and alternating rows as specified by size) to create a tailored fit.
• Buttonholes: The design incorporates functional buttonholes created by casting off stitches and casting them back on in subsequent rows. Three buttonholes are worked into the garment at 24-row intervals.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• Knit and Purl Stitches: The basic construction relies on knit (K) and purl (P) stitches to create the fabric base and striped pattern.
• Decreases: Knit two together (K2tog) and slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (sl 1, K1, psso) decreases are used extensively for shoulder shaping, creating the fitted shoulder line.
• Slip Stitch: Slip stitch techniques are employed for stitch management and pattern alignment.
• Casting Off: Cast-off techniques are used both for finishing edges and for creating buttonholes within the garment body.

Materials

The Rowan Ewood is designed to be worked with premium yarn and appropriate needles:

• Yarn: The pattern calls for Rowan Cashmere Tweed, a luxury yarn blend. Two colorways are specified: Andorra Red (006) in color A, and Oats (001) in color B. Yarn quantities vary by size, ranging from 4 x 25gm balls to 6 x 25gm balls of each color depending on the chosen size.
• Needles: One pair of 4mm (US 6) needles is required for the main knitting.
• Notions: The pattern specifies three BN1470 buttons from Bedecked for fastening the garment.

Pattern Details

The Ewood pattern (reference ZB242-00007) is presented at an intermediate skill level, indicating it is suitable for knitters with some experience. The garment features stitch markers to denote shoulder positions, which are maintained throughout the construction process. The pattern includes detailed row-by-row instructions for shoulder decreasing sequences that vary by size, ensuring proper fit across all five size options. Stitch counts are provided at key junctures, allowing knitters to verify their progress and accuracy throughout the project.