Delphine Cover-Up Top in Rowan Fine Lace - ROC010 - Downloadable PDF

Delphine Cover-Up Top in Rowan Fine Lace – A Detailed Pattern Summary

The Delphine Cover-Up Top is an advanced-level knitting and crochet pattern designed by Jennie Atkinson and published by Rowan. Available as a free downloadable PDF, this pattern creates a beautifully ornate poncho-style cover-up that combines intricate lace knitting with delicate bead embellishment and a crochet finishing edge. It is a one-size garment, making it an elegant, versatile piece suited to confident, experienced makers who are comfortable working from charts and handling beads.

What Is Being Made

The Delphine is described in the pattern as a poncho, knitted in one piece beginning at the front hem edge. Despite being listed as a cover-up top, its construction is that of a draped, flowing poncho silhouette — a style that lends itself beautifully to lightweight lace fabric. The finished piece is photographed in Chalk 942, a soft, neutral shade that allows the intricate lace and bead details to take centre stage. The combination of knitted lace panels, carefully placed Swarovski crystal beads, and a delicate crochet edging gives Delphine a luxurious, couture-inspired finish.

Construction and Techniques

The garment is knitted in one piece, beginning at the front hem edge, which minimises seaming and helps maintain the fluid drape of the lace fabric. The construction involves several key techniques that make this an advanced-level project:

• Lace knitting from a chart: The body of the poncho is worked from a charted lace pattern featuring a 24-stitch pattern repeat worked six times across each row, with a 126-row pattern repeat worked throughout. Reading and following multi-row lace charts is an essential skill for this project.
• Shaping with increases: The pattern begins with shaping rows that use M1 (make one) and M1P (make one purlwise) increases worked two stitches in from each row-end edge, creating neat, integrated shaping within the lace fabric.
• Garter stitch borders: Two stitches at each end of every row are maintained in garter stitch throughout, providing a tidy, stable selvedge edge that frames the lace panel cleanly.
• Bead placement: The pattern uses a specialist technique called bead 1, which involves bringing the yarn to the right side of the work, sliding a bead up close to the last stitch worked, slipping the next stitch purlwise, and returning the yarn to the wrong side — leaving the bead sitting neatly on the right side in front of the slipped stitch. This method secures beads precisely within the lace pattern without the need for a beading needle during knitting.
• Crochet edging and finishing: Once the knitting is complete, a crochet hook is used to add a decorative edge. The crochet abbreviations referenced in the pattern include ch (chain) and dc (double crochet), indicating a simple but effective crochet border that complements the lace knitting.
• Optional crochet ties: The pattern also references optional ties that incorporate a small number of additional beads, adding a further decorative and functional detail to the finished garment.

Stitches Used

• Lace pattern stitches worked from a charted 24-stitch, 126-row repeat
• Garter stitch (knit every row) for selvedge borders
• M1 (make one) and M1P (make one purlwise) increase stitches for shaping
• Bead 1 — a specialised bead placement technique using a slipped stitch
• Purlwise slip stitch as part of the bead placement method
• Chain (ch) and double crochet (dc) for the crochet edging

Materials – Yarn, Needles, and Hook

The pattern calls for Rowan