String Sydney Cape Knitting Pattern

String Sydney Cape: Knitted Cable and Striped Design

Garment Overview

The Sydney Cape is a sophisticated knitted wrap designed by Lidia Karabinech, featuring an elegant combination of textured stitches and decorative cable panels. This seamed cape is worked flat on circular needles and offers two size options: S/M with a 80" bust measurement and L/XL with an 88" bust measurement. The finished length to shoulder measures 24" for both sizes, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for various occasions.

Construction Techniques

This cape employs several advanced knitting techniques to create visual interest and structural integrity. The garment is worked flat using circular needles, which allows for easy manipulation of the larger fabric pieces. Seaming is used to join sections together, creating clean, finished edges. The design incorporates cable work as a primary decorative element, with cables crossed using cable needles to create dimensional texture. Striped sections are integrated throughout the design, alternating between different stitch patterns to create visual rhythm and prevent monotony across the larger surface area of the cape.

Stitch Patterns and Details

The Sydney Cape utilizes multiple stitch patterns working in concert to achieve its distinctive aesthetic:

• Seed Stitch: Used as the primary background stitch, worked over an odd number of stitches by alternating knit and purl stitches on every row. This creates a textured, bumpy fabric that provides visual contrast to the smoother cable panels.
• 2x2 Rib: A foundational ribbed pattern worked over 4 stitches plus 2 edge stitches, created by alternating knit 2, purl 2 across the row. This elastic stitch is commonly used for cuffs and edges to provide structure and recovery.
• Cable Stitches: The design features two primary cable crosses: the 10/5 Left Cable (10/5 LC) and 5/10 Right Cable (5/10 RC). These cables are created by slipping stitches to a cable needle and holding them either to the front or back before knitting across the main needle stitches, then knitting the held stitches. The Left Cable Panel (LCP) is worked over 22 stitches and combines these cable crosses with purl edge stitches to frame the design.
• Decreases: Strategic decreasing rows reduce stitch counts in the cable panels using k2tog (knit 2 together) decreases, which taper the cape and create shaping.

Gauge and Sizing

The pattern specifies a gauge of 16 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) when worked in Seed stitch. Achieving proper gauge is essential for obtaining the correct finished measurements. The two size options provide flexibility: S/M features 33 stitches in certain sections while L/XL features 39 stitches, allowing the cape to accommodate different body measurements while maintaining proportional shaping.

Materials and Yarn Specifications

The Sydney Cape is designed to be knitted with String DOLCETTO, a premium blend yarn containing 30% cashmere and 70% merino wool. This luxurious fiber combination provides softness, breathability, and excellent drape—qualities essential for a cape garment. The yarn is supplied in balls of 1.75 ounces (50 grams) with 136 yards (125 meters) per ball. The S/M size requires 14 balls of yarn, while the L/XL size requires 16 balls, providing sufficient yardage to complete the entire garment including all cable panels and textured sections. The color specified is 200741 dark khaki, a neutral tone that complements various wardrobes.

Tools and Notions

Construction of the Sydney Cape requires Size 8 (5mm) circular needles measuring 32 inches (80 cm) long, or the size necessary to achieve the specified gauge. Additional essential tools include stitch markers for tracking pattern repeats and section boundaries, a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming pieces together, and a 24-inch (60 cm) zipper for closure, which adds functionality to the design while maintaining its elegant aesthetic.

Pattern Structure and Complexity

The pattern demonstrates intermediate to advanced knitting skill requirements due to the combination of cable work, multiple stitch patterns worked simultaneously, and careful stitch management across marker sections. The cable panels are worked over 7 repeats spanning 140 rows, creating substantial decorative elements. The decreasing rows require attention to detail, as they involve working decre