Herdwick Cape in Rowan Moordale - Downloadable PDF

Herdwick Cape in Rowan Moordale – Pattern Summary

This downloadable PDF pattern by Lisa Richardson for Rowan presents the Herdwick Cape, a sweeping, circular cape knitted in the round from the lower edge upward. Designed as an advanced beginner knitting project, it offers an accessible introduction to shaping a large, dramatic garment while still providing enough technical interest to engage developing knitters. The cape is worked in Rowan Moordale, a DK weight yarn, and is available in a generous range of sizes to suit a wide variety of chest measurements.

What Is Being Made

The Herdwick Cape is a full, circular cape designed to drape elegantly over the shoulders and upper body. Capes and ponchos of this style are typically knitted as a large circular piece, beginning at the lower hem with a high stitch count and then gradually decreasing stitches as the work progresses upward toward the neckline, creating the characteristic flared silhouette. The Herdwick Cape follows this classic construction method, making it a satisfying and wearable project for knitters who enjoy working in the round on a larger scale.

Sizing

The pattern is written to fit a wide range of chest measurements, from 71–76 cm (28–30 in) through to 152–157 cm (60–62 in), giving eight size options in total. The actual measurement of the garment around the lower edge ranges from 115.5 cm (45½ in) up to 196 cm (77¼ in), reflecting the generous, sweeping circumference typical of a well-proportioned cape. Knitters should select their size based on their actual chest measurement and the desired amount of ease and drape.

Yarn and Materials

The pattern calls for Rowan Moordale, a DK weight yarn sold in 100 g balls. The colorway specified in this design is Feather 001, listed as yarn A. Moordale is a yarn associated with the Rowan brand's tradition of natural-fiber yarns, and its DK weight gives the finished cape a soft drape while remaining substantial enough to hold the shaped silhouette. Knitters should always check their tension swatch carefully before beginning, as achieving the correct gauge is especially important on a large circular project where small differences in tension can significantly affect the final dimensions.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round: The cape is constructed as a circular piece, worked continuously in rounds rather than flat rows. This eliminates seams and creates a smooth, uninterrupted fabric, which is particularly desirable for a draped garment like a cape.
• Circular shaping through decreases: As the work progresses upward from the lower edge, stitches are systematically decreased to reduce the circumference and shape the cape from its wide hem toward the neckline. The pattern includes carefully written decrease rounds tailored to each individual size.
• Size-specific decrease sequences: Each size has its own precisely calculated decrease round instructions. For example, sizes 81–86 cm and 91–102 cm use one decrease sequence, while sizes 107–112 cm, 117–122 cm, and 137–147 cm each have their own tailored instructions, demonstrating the careful mathematical construction behind the pattern.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (K): The primary stitch used throughout the body of the cape, creating a smooth, classic knitted fabric when worked in the round.
• K2tog (Knit two together): The main decrease stitch used to shape the cape. Knitting two stitches together as one is a simple right-leaning decrease that reduces the stitch count smoothly and neatly. In this pattern, K2tog is repeated at regular intervals across multiple decrease rounds to gradually taper the fabric from the wide lower edge upward.
• Repeat sequences: The pattern uses bracketed repeat instructions (rep from * to) to manage the high stitch counts involved, making the decrease rounds logical and systematic even across the largest sizes.

Construction Notes

Because the cape begins with a very large number of cast-on stitches — the lower edge circumference reaches up to 196