Cygne stole

Cygne Stole by Katherine Vaughan

What is Being Made

The Cygne Stole is a long and flowing knitted wrap designed by Katherine Vaughan for versatile wear. This generous stole measures 14.5 inches wide by 86.5 inches long, making it suitable for both special occasions and casual everyday wear. The designer describes it as equally appropriate for a special night out on the town or for cozying up at home, offering the wearer multiple styling options for different settings and seasons.

Knitting Techniques

The Cygne Stole employs a distinctive two-part construction method that makes it a unique project. The first end is worked in a decorative lace stitch that visually resembles swan feet, reflecting the stole's elegant name. The second end and the body of the stole are then worked separately. The two sections are joined together using a simple grafting technique during finishing, which creates a seamless connection between the different sections of the garment.

This stole is worked in a heavier weight yarn with larger needles, which allows the project to progress quickly despite the generous finished length. The use of larger needles and heavier yarn means that even though the stole is long, knitters can complete the project in a reasonable timeframe.

Stitches Used

The Cygne Stole incorporates several fundamental knitting stitches and techniques:

• Stockinette Stitch — used for the body sections, creating a smooth, classic fabric
• Lace Stitch — featured on the first end, designed to resemble swan feet and add visual interest
• Knit (K) — basic knit stitch
• Purl (P) — basic purl stitch
• Knit into Front and Back (Kfb) — an increase technique
• Knit Two Together (K2tog) — a decrease technique
• Slip Stitches (Sl1 and Sl1wyif) — used for edge definition and stitch manipulation
• Grafting — the finishing technique used to join the two ends of the stole seamlessly

Materials and Tools

The Cygne Stole requires 328 yards (300 meters) of sport or DK weight yarn, allowing knitters flexibility in yarn choice within this weight range. The project calls for US 10 (6mm) needles, which are appropriately sized for the heavier weight yarn used in this design.

Additional materials needed include waste yarn or a stitch holder for managing stitches during construction, and a yarn needle for grafting the sections together and weaving in ends during finishing.

Gauge Information

The stole is designed with specific gauge measurements to ensure proper sizing. In stockinette stitch, the gauge is 14 stitches and 20 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters). The body stitch section has a slightly different gauge of approximately 17 stitches and 17 rows over 4 inches (10 centimeters), which is typical when working lace or textured stitches that create more fabric density.

Difficulty Level

The Cygne Stole is rated as an intermediate knitting project. This difficulty level reflects the combination of basic stitches with lace work and the grafting technique required for finishing. Knitters should be comfortable with fundamental knitting techniques and have some experience with reading stitch patterns before attempting this design.