Cabled Tunic in Caron Simply Soft - Downloadable PDF

Cabled Tunic in Caron Simply Soft

What is Being Made

This is a relaxed-fit tunic designed by Susan Shildmyer, featuring detailed cable work throughout. The garment is an elegant and comfortable piece suitable for intermediate knitters, with finished bust measurements ranging from 40 inches (size S) to 55.5 inches (size 2XL).

Knitting Techniques Used

The Cabled Tunic employs cable knitting as its primary decorative technique. Cable work involves slipping stitches onto a cable needle and holding them either at the back or front of the work while knitting subsequent stitches, then returning the held stitches to the left-hand needle to be knitted. This creates the characteristic twisted, rope-like texture that gives the tunic its visual interest and structural definition.

Stitches and Abbreviations

The pattern uses the following key stitches and cable techniques:

• C4B (Cable 4 Back): Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle and leave at back of work. Knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
• C4F (Cable 4 Front): Slip next 2 stitches onto cable needle and leave at front of work. Knit the next 2 stitches, then knit the 2 stitches from the cable needle.
• C6B (Cable 6 Back): Slip next 3 stitches onto cable needle and leave at back of work. Knit the next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle.
• C6F (Cable 6 Front): Slip next 3 stitches onto cable needle and leave at front of work. Knit the next 3 stitches, then knit the 3 stitches from the cable needle.
• K2tog: Knit next 2 stitches together (a decrease stitch).
• ssk: Slip next 2 stitches knitwise one at a time, pass them back onto left-hand needle, then knit through back loops together (a decrease stitch).
• Sl st: Slip stitch.

Additional abbreviations include RS (right side), WS (wrong side), and st(s) (stitch/stitches).

Materials

This tunic is knitted using Caron Simply Soft yarn in an aran weight, which is a medium-weight yarn ideal for creating well-defined cable textures. The pattern requires knitting needles appropriate for aran-weight yarn, and a cable needle for executing the cable stitches.

Difficulty Level

The Cabled Tunic is rated as an intermediate difficulty project, making it suitable for knitters who have mastered basic stitches and are ready to work with cable techniques. The cable work adds complexity beyond basic knit and purl stitches, but the relaxed fit and straightforward shaping make it an accessible introduction to cable garment construction.