Crochet Cape

Well. Can you believe it? (I can't!) Last weekend I began and actually finished a project. Hooray! It seems ages ago I could last show a finished project, so I hereby proudly present you my new cape... (Apologies for the number of photos.)

The pattern is from a Japanese crochet book (I'll share the book details later in this post). I've been wanting to make this cape for over a year (it was the reason I bought the book), but somehow I never found the right yarn. Something woolly, I wanted, but I never use real wool. Enter: Stone Washed XL by the Dutch brand Scheepjeswol, a new yarn. Judging from what I see from fellow-bloggers it has quickly has become quite popular here in The Netherlands. It's made of cotton with a special acrylic coating. The offwhite ('moonstone') fitted the bill perfectly. (Mmm, I realise I sound like an ad here, but it's not.)

It was such a delight to whip up this pattern, which I followed except for the collar. The pattern called for a knitted collar, but I can't knit... And even if I could I wouldn't have understood the Japanese directions at that point. So, I came up with this simple alternative: A crocheted rectangular of single crochet rows, using back loops only, hence the ribs. I later single crocheted the collar to the cape. Piece of cake! And, if I may say so myself..., I quite like how it turned out, the ribs make it elastic and wearable. Okay, here's a close up. ;-)

All practicalities in short...

♦ Pattern: from Crochet & Cape (2008), more details below
♦ Collar: Rectangular made of single crochets, back loops only to create a rib
♦ Crochet hook: 5,5 mm
♦ Yarn: nine balls of Stone Washed XL (colour moonstone), by Scheepjeswol
♦ Light blocking (a night between wet towels with something heavy on top - not me)

Okay, let's do one more close up of the collar. ;-)

The pattern is from this fabulous Japanese crochet & knitting book from the Let's knit series. Published in 2008 by Nihon Vogue pubishers. This particular book is out of print, but I think there are still some copies available. I bought mine in the Etsy shop Pomadour24 which has loads of pattern books. 

So... I guess this really is all there is to tell about the making of one cape. The wearing of it is a whole new chapter of course. ;-) 

Many thanks for your lovely visit and chat!

Have lots of fun with all your creative adventures.

♦♦♦