Kathy Kelly Cabled Capelet

This pattern is dedicated to Kathy Kelly, a friend of a friend and someone who exemplifies the kind of woman warrior for peace I like to bring more attention to. She was a founding member of Voices in the Wilderness, and also Voices for Creative Non-Violence. She's been called "probably the most respected leader in the American peace movement." She has put herself in the line of fire in fact-finding missions to very dangerous places, and has been imprisoned several times because of the work she is doing.

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Use a worsted weight (or thicker) yarn with stitch gauge at most 18 stitches per 4 inches with whatever size needles it takes you to get that gauge. I'm doing mine with Lion Brand Fisherman's wool yarn and using #8 circulars (but it is NOT knit in the round!)

Stitch Abbreviations:

K - knit
P - purl
SSK - slip, slip, knit - a
K2tog - knit two stitches together
K3 into 1 - into the same stitch - knit, yarn over, knit
Lifted increase stitches - this is an almost invisible increase done by knitting into a stitch below the current row. See the video on http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-knit-lifted-increase-176501/ if you have trouble with this stitch. There are 4 versions:
Llk - insert the left needle into the stitch beneath the stitch just knitted & knit it.
Llp - insert the left needle into the stitch beneath the stitch just knitted & purl it.
Lrk - insert the right needle into the stitch beneath the next stitch to be knitted, transfer that stitch to the left needle and knit it.
Lrp - insert the right needle into the stitch beneath the next stitch to be knitted, transfer that stitch to the left needle and purl it.

This complicated looking stitch notation will get easy to use once you get used to it. I wrote out the first two in the pattern so you can test your understanding of how to read it. Believe me, as the pattern goes on this will make things SO much easier to read!
C - cable stitch - after the C is the number of stitches you slip to the cable needle, then f if you hold it to the front or b if you hold it to the back, k and a number tells you to knit that many stitches next; or p and a number tells you to purl that many stitches next; then c and either k or p to show you’re now to knit or purl all the stitches from the cable needle. For example C2fk1ck would be slip 2 to the cable needle, hold to the front, knit 1, then knit the 2 from the cable needle.

I will use the format [first edge], (repeat the stitches inside these the number given - to make the 7 panels), additional stitches, [second edge]. If you want to change the edge to seed stitch or widen it or add buttonholes, that should make it clear where you can do that.

Cast on 57.

Row 1: knit

Row 2 and all even rows: purl

Row 3: [K2, P2, K3], (K2, P, K, P, K) X 7, K, [K3, P2, K2]

Row 5: [P2, K2, P2, K], (K2, P, K, P, K) X 7, K, [K, P2, K2, P2]

Row 7: repeat Row 3

Row 9: [P2, K2, P2, K], (K3 into 1, K, P, K, Llk, P, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [K, P2, K2, P2]

Row 11: [K2, P2, K2, K2tog], (K3 into 1, K2 tog, P, C1fk1ck**slip 1 to cable needle, hold to front, knit next stitch, knit 1 from cable - got it?**, P, SSK) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 13: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog], (K3 into 1, SSK, P, K, Llk, Lrk, K, P, K2 tog) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 15: [K2, P2, K2, K2tog], (K3 into 1, SSK, P, C2fk2ck **slip 2 to cable needle, hold to front, knit next 2 stitches, knit the 2 from cable needle**, P, K2 tog) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 17: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog], (K3 into 1, K2, P, K2, Llp, Lrp, K2, P, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 19: [K2, P2, K2, K2tog], (K3 into 1, K, SSK, P, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P, K2 tog, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 21: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog], (K3 into 1, K, SSK, P2, Llp, C2fk2ck, Lrp, P2, K2 tog, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 23: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K, SSK, P, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, P, K2 tog, K) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 25: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, P, C2fp2ck, slip 2 to cable needle, hold to back, knit 1, Llk, purl 2 from cable needle, K, Llk, P, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 27: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K2, SSK, P3, C2fk2ck, P2, K2, P, K2 tog, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 29: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K2, SSK, P, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, K2, Llp, P, Llp, K2 tog, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 31: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K2, SSK, P, K2, P4, C2fk2ck, P3, K2 tog, K2) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 33: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, P, Llp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, Lrp, P, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2] *be careful here to get the two Lrp’s in - I kept missing them!

For those counting stitches, Row 9 was increased by 23 stitches to a total of 80 stitches. I increased it by 14 stitches on rows 13, 21, and 29. I increased it by 28 stitches on rows 17, 25, and 33. Every other odd row has no increases (and the even rows are just purled.
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Row 35: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, SSK, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2, P2, K2 tog, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 37: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, SSK, P2, Llk, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, P2, K2 tog, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 39: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K3, SSK, P2, Llk, C2fk1ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2 tog, K3) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 41: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, P2, K2, Llp, Lrp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, P2, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

*****Row 37 and 39 were increased by 7 stitches; Row 41 was increased by 28 stitches.
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Row 43: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, SSK, P2, K2, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2, P2, K2 tog, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 45: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, SSK, P2, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, Llk, C2bk1cp, K, Llk, P2, K2 tog, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 47: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K4, SSK, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P2, K2, P2, K2 tog, K4) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 49: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, P2, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, K2, P, Llp, Lrp, P, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 51: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, SSK, P2, K2, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2 tog, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

**Row 45 was increased by 14; Row 49 was increased by 28.

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Row 53: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, SSK, P2, K, Llk, C1fp2ck, Llk, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, P2, K2 tog, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 55: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K5, SSK, P2, K2, P2, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2, P2, K2 tog, K5) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 57: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, P, Llp, Lrp, P, K2, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, C2fp2ck, C2bk2cp, P2, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 59: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, SSK, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, K2 tog, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

** Row 53 was increased by 14 stitches and Row 57 by 28 stitches.

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Row 61: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, SSK, P3, Llp, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, Lrp, P3, K2 tog, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 63: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K6, SSK, P3, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, P3, K2 tog, K6) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 65: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, P3, K2, Llk, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, Lrk, K2, P3, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

**Row 61 was increased by 14 stitches; Row 65 was increased by 28 stitches.
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Row 67: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, SSK, P3, C3fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, P2, C1bk3cp, P3, K2 tog, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 69: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, SSK, P4, C3fp1ck, Llk, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, C1bk2cp, P2, C2fp1ck, Llk, C1bk3cp, P4, K2 tog, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 71: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K7, SSK, P5, C3fk3ck, P4, C2fk2ck, P4, C3fk3ck, P5, K2 tog, K7) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 73: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, P4, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P2, Llk, C1bk2cp, C2fp1ck, Llk, P2, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P4, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 75: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, SSK, P3, K2 tog, K2, Lrp, P2, C3fp1ck, C1bk3cp, P2, C3fp1ck, C1bk3cp, P2, Llp, K2, SSK, P3, K2 tog, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 77: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, SSK, P2, K2 tog, Llk, K2, Lrp, P4, C3fk3ck, P4, C3fk3ck, P4, Llp, K2, Llk, SSK, P2, K2 tog, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

** Rows 69 and 77 were increased by 14; Row 73 was increased by 28.
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Row 79: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K8, SSK, P, K2 tog, K3, Llk, P4, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P2, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P4, Lrk, K3, SSK, P, K2 tog, K8) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 81: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K10, P, K2 tog, K3, P3, K2 tog, K2, Lrp, P2, Llp, C3fp1ck, C1bk3cp, Lrp, P2, Llp, K2, SSK, P3, K3, SSK, P, K10) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 14.

Row 83: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, SSK, P, K2 tog, K2, P2, K2 tog, K2, Llk, P5, Llp, C3fk3ck, Lrp, P5, Lrk, K2, SSK, P2, K2, SSK, P, K2 tog, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2]

Row 85: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, SSK, P, K2 tog, K, P, K2 tog, Lrk, K3, Llk, P5, C1bk3cp, C3fp1ck, P5, Lrk, K3, Llk, SSK, P, K, SSK, P, K2 tog, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2]

Row 87: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K9, SSK, P14, K2 tog, Lrk, K2, Lrp, P2, Llp, K2, Llk, SSK, P14, K2 tog, K9) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 14

Row 89: [P2, K2, P2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K11, P13, K2 tog, Lrk, K3, Lrp, P4, Llp, K3, Llk, SSK, P13, K11) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, P2, K2, P2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 28

Row 91: [K2, P2, K2, K2 tog],(K3 into 1, K10, SSK, P12, K2 tog, Lrk, K4, P6, K4, Llk, SSK, P12, SSK, K10) X 7, K3 into 1, [SSK, K2, P2, K2] ** this row increased the stitch count by 14

Row 93: Bind off. You’re done! Now if it’s wool, soak it in a wool wash solution, rinse, squeeze out as much water as you can, lay it out in a beach towel and roll it and the beach towel together into a log and walk on the log (to squeeze out as much water as possible), then pin out on a large surface (I use the guest bed). The lines down the bits between the cabled panels should all be straight, and the cabled parts should be stretched out (the garter part will try to compress them some). Put a fan on it and let it dry, patting yourself on the back for a job well done!

If it’s acrylic, I’ve found the easiest way to kill it is to put several towels on a flat surface and pin the shawl out as stretched as I can get it, then steam it using an iron held 1/8 inch above the yarn. If you let the iron touch it, it will flatten the yarn weirdly, if it’s too far away the yarn doesn’t get hot enough and will snap back to the unstretched position. You should be able to see the yarn move slightly when the steam hits it, kind of shrinking and then relaxing. You may want to go around the edges again for good measure. Then pat yourself on the back and you’re done!

You may want to spray some starch on the edges to help them lay flat.