The generalized term “cape” can be called a type of clothing that does not have sleeves and has a characteristic free cut. Wraps are a poncho, drape and their varieties.
Types of Cape
Crochet wrap can be dense and warm, or vice versa, openwork and decorative. The beauty of this type of clothing is that almost any woman can find a suitable model for herself.
Wraps are popular because they allow you to hide unwanted elements of the silhouette. For example, a long model, reaching the waist, reliably disguises the tummy and sides. At the same time, delicate crocheted elegant capes decorate evening dresses and help to cover open shoulders or a neckline.
So, based on the methods of knitting and appearance, wraps can be:
- Connected by a continuous web.
- Composed of separately linked fragments.
And:
- Round.
- Semicircular.
- Rectangular.
- In the shape of a bell.
Round wraps
Such products look very interesting. In addition, they are extremely interesting to knit. The photo shows an example of a round cloak.
Most likely, a napkin or tablecloth served as the basis for her scheme. As a rule, such products have the main decorative element in the center, which is located on the back. At a certain stage, you should take care of the armholes. To do this, measure the width of the back and check with a knitted fabric. When the circle is equal to the width of the back, holes are formed along the edges of the web using chains of air loops (VP).
In the finished form, such a crochet wrap looks like a jacket or cardigan with a collar. If necessary, it can be used as a shawl.
Half circle wraps
This type of knitted wraps is one of the most popular. They can also be based on patterns of napkins or simply large delicate fragments. The example below depicts a cape connected in the form of a triangle. Obviously, this is a modification of a rectangular fragment.
It can still be classified as semicircular, since the principle of expanding the circular web is preserved. A feature of this product can be called the use of a thick thread in combination with an openwork pattern. The texture of knitting is very clearly visible and all elements look attractive.
Such crocheting of a cape implies the presence of a center near the neck and the gradual expansion of the fabric. Semicircular wraps can be made of two parts (as in the photo) or one circular cloth, the first row of which is the neck.
Openwork cloak with a pineapple pattern
A variation of the semicircular is the following crochet cape (diagrams are shown in the photo). This wonderful model very successfully combines classic “pineapples” with openwork “fans”. After studying the images, it becomes clear that the development of the drape model was based on the scheme of a round napkin.
Modification of some elements and proportions, as well as a shift in emphasis on the "fan" allows the cloak to be airy and very unusual. Crocheting a cape (the diagrams are shown both before and after improvement) is made according to the scheme below.
There are few rows in the pattern, so the yarn selected is rather dense.
Rectangular Wraps
As the name implies, this crochet wrap is in the shape of a rectangle or square. It is knitted in the form of a flat strip with openings for the hands. Sometimes it looks like two stitched rectangles.
Almost any pattern for knitting such wraps. It can be either simple even patterns or intricate multi-row ornaments. The photograph below shows a rectangular cloak, for the preparation of which three equal squares were connected. The armholes are formed by unstitched sections at the seams between the squares.
Bell-shaped drape
The specific form of this type of wraps allows you to throw them on your shoulders and not worry that they will open, slip or the wind will scatter them. Bell pelerines have no fasteners and sleeves. True, if such a wrap crochet knits long (to the waist and longer), then you have to equip it with vertical slots for the hands.
From the photographs you can see that the pelerines-bells are knitted in circular rows. Depending on the purpose of the cape, it can be knitted with a solid dense pattern, equipped with a warm collar or be light and openwork.
This crochet cloak (the schemes are shown in the photo) expands on the principle of a skirt-sun. It is very spacious and designed for comfort.
The next cloak has a more decorative purpose.
It expands quite a bit and looks more like a flat canvas pipe. This cloak is perfect for ceremonial gatherings. However, if you knit it from light cotton, it will become an indispensable addition to summer sundresses, helping to keep warm on cool evenings.
Such wraps look very good, knitted from angora (rabbit fluff) or from mohair (soft wool of goats and sheep with a long nap). They can be knitted with both a dense and openwork pattern, they will be equally warm.
Which pattern to choose
When deciding which scheme to use for the manufacture of wraps, it is worth considering the future product and calculating your capabilities. Knitting a flat cloth is much simpler than circular expansion or creating a product from fragments. Of course, there are restrictions regarding the choice of variations of the ornament and the model of wraps. But at the same time, a simple pattern will allow you to avoid difficulties and quickly finish crocheting a cape. Schemes of modern solid patterns are very diverse and interesting.
On the other hand, lace and complex ornaments are always popular, and a new challenging task is a challenge for a gambling knitter.