P027 Ladies Fur Collared Cape

How to Knit a Ladies Fur-Collared Cape

Knit an elegant free-form cape with a plush textured body, shaped shoulders, welt-style arm openings and an optional faux-fur collar. The cape is worked flat in separate back and front pieces, then joined at the shoulders and sides.

The blanket-rib stitch creates a thick, cosy fabric, while the optional Teddy Soft collar adds a soft contrasting finish. Concealed snap fastenings can be added at the centre front.

Project Details

• Project number: P027
• Difficulty: Intermediate knit
• Sizes: S–M and L–XL
• Fit: Free-form through the bust
• Construction: Knitted flat in three main pieces
• Collar: Optional faux-fur collar

Finished Measurements

• Hem circumference: 188 (198) cm
• Finished length: approximately 66 (68) cm
• Collar seam length: approximately 40 cm

What You Will Need

Yarn

• Main yarn: 9 (11) × 100 g balls of Ficio Luscious Chenille
• Optional collar yarn: 1 × 100 g ball of Makr Teddy Soft

Needles and Equipment

• 4.50 mm circular knitting needle, approximately 100 cm long
• 5.50 mm circular knitting needle, approximately 80 cm long
• 10.00 mm circular knitting needle, approximately 80 cm long
• Stitch holders or lengths of waste yarn
• Wool needle or crochet hook for joining seams
• 13 mm snap fastenings
• Hand-sewing needle
• Thread to match the main yarn
• Stitch markers

Alternative Yarns

The main cape uses a plush chenille yarn that produces a thick fabric at 15.5 stitches and 20 rows to 10 cm in blanket rib using 4.50 mm needles. Any substitute must be tested carefully, as chenille yarns vary greatly in thickness, weight and elasticity.

• Plush chenille yarn: The closest substitute for recreating the velvety texture and drape of the original cape.
• Velvet-style polyester yarn: Produces a similarly soft surface, although the finished cape may be heavier.
• Soft wool and acrylic blend: Creates a warmer, more structured cape with clearer stitch definition.
• Brushed acrylic or alpaca-blend yarn: Provides softness and a light halo, but may stretch more than chenille.
• Two lighter yarns held together: May be suitable where a matching plush yarn is unavailable, provided the tension and finished fabric closely match the pattern.

For the optional collar, select a soft faux-fur, teddy or boucle-style yarn that creates a dense, comfortable fabric on larger needles.

Match substitute yarn by total metreage and tension rather than ball weight. Purchase all yarn from the same dye lot and allow extra where the substitute has less metreage per ball.

Tension

Cape Body

15.5 stitches and 20 rows to 10 cm over blanket-rib stitch using 4.50 mm needles.

Optional Collar

Tension is not critical for the collar, but the finished fabric should be soft, full and flexible enough to curve comfortably around the neckline.

Knitting Abbreviations

• K: knit
• P: purl
• K2tog: knit two stitches together
• Kfb: knit into the front and back of the next stitch to increase one stitch
• P2tog: purl two stitches together
• Pfb: purl into the front and back of the next stitch to increase one stitch
• Sl1: slip one stitch purlwise
• wyif: with yarn in front
• wyib: with yarn in back
• SSK: slip, slip, knit to create a left-slanting decrease
• RS: right side
• WS: wrong side
• St or sts: stitch or stitches
• Beg: beginning
• Rem: remaining

What Is Blanket-Rib Stitch?

Blanket rib is a thick, textured pattern created by increasing into stitches on one row and working paired decreases on the following row. The increases temporarily double the stitch count, while the decreases return it to the original number.

• Increase row: Sl1 with yarn in back, work Kfb across to the final stitch, K1.
• Decrease row: Sl1 with yarn in back, then alternate K2tog and P2tog across to the final stitch, K1.

Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise with the yarn held at the back. This forms a neat chain-style edge along the centre fronts.

Size Instructions

The first stitch count applies to size S–M. Figures in brackets apply to size L–XL.

Knit the Back

Begin the Lower Back

1. Using the main yarn and 4.50 mm circular needle, cast on 141 (145) stitches.
2. Cast on slightly more loosely than usual to accommodate the thickness of the blanket-rib fabric.
3. A long-tail cast-on is recommended.
4. Row 1: Sl1 with yarn in back, *Kfb; repeat from * to the final stitch, K1.
5. Row 2: Sl1 with yarn in back, *K2tog, P2tog; repeat from * to the final stitch, K1.
6. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until the piece measures approximately 20 cm, finishing after a decrease row.

Shape the Sides

1. Keeping the blanket-rib pattern correct, decrease one stitch at each side on the next row.
2. Continue decreasing one stitch at each side on every third row 10 (12) more times.
3. When a decrease falls on an increase row, omit one Kfb near each shaped edge.
4. When a decrease falls on a decrease row, slip a completed K2tog over the adjoining P2tog at each shaped edge.
5. Continue until 119 stitches remain for both sizes.
6. Work the next row without shaping.
7. Continue in pattern until the piece measures approximately 39 (40) cm, finishing after an increase row.

Shape the Upper Back

1. Decrease one stitch at each edge on the next row.
2. Decrease one stitch at each edge again on the following row.
3. You should have 115 stitches.
4. Continue decreasing one stitch at each side on alternate rows until 75 stitches remain.
5. The back should measure approximately 64 (65) cm.

Shape the Shoulders and Neck

1. Cast off 4 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 6 rows.
2. Cast off 7 stitches at the beginning of each of the next 4 rows.
3. You should have 23 stitches remaining.
4. Cast off the remaining stitches.

Knit the Left Front

Begin the Front

1. Cast on 73 (77) stitches.
2. Work Rows 1 and 2 of the blanket-rib pattern.
3. Continue until the piece measures approximately 17 (19) cm, finishing after a decrease row.
4. Work the side-edge decreases at the end of right-side rows at the same time as the following arm-opening instructions.

Divide for the Arm Opening

1. When the front measures 17 (19) cm and after a right-side row, work in pattern to the final 30 stitches.
2. Work the next 5 stitches in garter stitch to form one edge of the arm opening.
3. Place the remaining 25 stitches on a holder.
4. Continue on the active 38 (42) stitches, keeping the 5 arm-opening stitches in garter stitch.
5. Work 27 rows, finishing after a wrong-side row.

Continue the Side Shaping

1. When the piece measures 20 cm, decrease one stitch at the side edge while keeping the stitch pattern correct.
2. Continue decreasing one stitch at the side edge on every third row 10 (12) more times.
3. Place the active stitches on a second holder.

Work the Second Side of the Arm Opening

1. Return the 25 stitches from the first holder to the needle.
2. Pick up 5 stitches through the back loops of the garter border from the other section to create an underlap.
3. You should have 35 stitches in work.
4. Keep the 5 picked-up stitches in garter stitch and work the remaining stitches in blanket rib for 27 rows.
5. Finish after a wrong-side row.

Rejoin the Arm Opening

1. Work the stitches from the first section to its final 5 stitches.
2. Hold the second section behind the first section.
3. Knit each of the final 5 stitches from the front section together with the corresponding first 5 stitches from the back section.
4. The two arm-opening edges are now overlapped and rejoined.
5. Continue in blanket rib across all 73 (77) stitches.
6. Continue until the front measures approximately 39 (40) cm, maintaining the side shaping.

Shape the Upper Side and Neck

1. Continue in pattern while decreasing at the shoulder edge as directed.
2. For size S–M, work the first two shoulder-edge decreases, then work 2 rows without shaping.
3. For size L–XL, work two additional shoulder-edge decreases before continuing.
4. Continue decreasing at the shoulder edge on alternate rows until 46 stitches remain.
5. Finish after a right-side row.
6. Work one row without shaping.
7. The piece should measure approximately 64 (65) cm.

Complete the Neck and Shoulder

1. Cast off 9 stitches at the neck edge while decreasing one stitch at the shoulder edge.
2. Work one row without shaping. 36 stitches remain.
3. Cast off 2 stitches at the neck edge. 34 stitches remain.
4. Cast off 4 stitches at the shoulder edge. 30 stitches remain.
5. Repeat the preceding neck and shoulder cast-off rows twice more. 18 stitches remain.
6. Cast off 2 stitches at the neck edge. 16 stitches remain.
7. Cast off 7 stitches at the shoulder edge. 9 stitches remain.
8. Cast off 2 stitches at the neck edge. 7 stitches remain.
9. Cast off the remaining stitches.

Knit the Right Front

Work the right front to match the left front, reversing all shaping.

• Work the side decreases at the beginning of right-side rows.
• Begin the arm opening 30 stitches from the end of a wrong-side row.
• Reverse the neck and shoulder cast-offs so the two fronts mirror one another.

Assemble the Cape

1. Lay the two fronts over the back and match the side and shoulder edges.
2. Use a wool needle or crochet hook to join the front side edges to the back.
3. Join the shoulder seams.
4. Check that both arm openings are even and that the overlapped edges sit flat.

Knit the Collar Stand

1. Beginning at the centre-front edge of the left front, pick up 66 stitches evenly around the neckline.
2. Begin with a wrong-side row.
3. Work in K1, P1 rib for 5 cm.
4. Cast off loosely in rib.

Knit the Optional Fur Collar

1. Using the 5.50 mm circular needle and Teddy Soft yarn, pick up 23 stitches around the neckline edge.
2. Change to the 10.00 mm circular needle.
3. Row 1: Kfb in the first and final stitch, knitting all stitches between.
4. Row 2: Work Kfb twice, knit to the final 2 stitches, then work Kfb twice.
5. Row 3: Work Kfb in every stitch.
6. Row 4: Knit.
7. Row 5: Work Kfb twice, knit to the final 2 stitches, then work Kfb twice.
8. Row 6: Knit.
9. Row 7: Kfb, K2, Kfb, knit to the final 4 stitches, Kfb, K2, Kfb.
10. Row 8: Knit.
11. Cast off loosely.

Add the Fastenings and Finish

1. Lightly steam the cape on a low setting to relax the stitches.
2. Test the iron temperature on the tension square before applying steam to the garment.
3. Position the snap fastenings discreetly along the upper centre front.
4. Sew each snap securely using matching thread.
5. Weave in all yarn ends.
6. Gently shape the collar and arm openings.