Valley Yarns Carnelian Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Carnelian Capelet

What Is Being Made

The Valley Yarns Carnelian is a shoulder-warming capelet designed by Julie Turjoman, offering a versatile spring accessory that can be worn loosely around the neck or pulled down for an off-the-shoulder style. This garment is ideal for beginning knitters seeking an elegant yet approachable project that combines visual interest with straightforward construction.

Project Overview

Available in three sizes—Small (Medium, Large)—the Carnelian features a bottom circumference of 44 (48, 55¼) inches and a length of 11¾ (12¾, 14) inches. The finished capelet showcases lovely drape and movement, making it a refined layering piece for transitional seasons.

Yarn and Materials

This project uses Valley Yarns Southwick, a premium blend of 52% Pima Cotton and 48% Bamboo that provides excellent drape and breathability. The yarn is worked at a gauge of 20 stitches and 26 rounds over 4 inches in the lace stitch pattern when blocked. Depending on size, the capelet requires 8 (10, 12) skeins of Valley Yarns Southwick, with each skein containing 50 grams and 105 yards.

Additional materials needed include US size 7 (4.50 mm) circular needles in both 16-inch and 24–32 inch lengths, stitch markers (including locking stitch markers), and a tapestry needle for finishing.

Knitting Techniques

The Carnelian employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners while maintaining visual sophistication:

• Worked in the Round: The capelet is constructed using circular needles, allowing for seamless knitting in continuous rounds, which simplifies shaping and creates a polished finished garment.
• Lace Stitch Pattern: A simple yet elegant lace pattern forms the primary fabric, created through yarn overs and decreases that create openwork details while remaining accessible to beginning knitters.
• Short-Row Shaping: The pattern incorporates short-row wrap and turn (W&T) shaping to create the capelet's distinctive silhouette and fit. This technique involves working partial rows with strategic wrapping to prevent holes, building shaping gradually across multiple short-rows before completing full rounds.
• Seamed Construction: Select seams are used in the finishing process to join sections and complete the garment structure.
• Bottom-Up Construction: The capelet is worked from the bottom edge upward, allowing knitters to try on and adjust length as needed before binding off.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses standard knitting abbreviations and techniques including knit (K), yarn over (Yo) for creating lace openings, knit 2 together (K2tog) for single decreases, slip, slip, knit (Ssk) for left-leaning decreases, and slip 2 stitches as if to knit 2 together, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over (S2kp) for double decreases. The wrap and turn (W&T) technique is essential for the short-row shaping sections, with detailed instructions provided for picking up wraps and knitting them together with their corresponding stitches to maintain fabric integrity.

Difficulty Level

Rated as a beginner-friendly project, the Carnelian provides a stress-free challenge that introduces knitters to lace patterning and short-row shaping without overwhelming complexity. The straightforward construction and elegant results make it an ideal project for those building foundational skills.