Knit Rainbow Panel Cape

This rainbow cape is cozy and comfortable-perfect for fall weather or winter indoors. Colors can easily be customized to suit your preferences.

The easiest way to make the cape is to knit in panels. Each panel will use two strands of black yarn and one of colored yarn, allowing seams to be hidden easily. For an alternate method, see step 7.

The gauge for this project is 20 stitches/28 rows per 4 inches in stockinette, and 24 stitches/28 rows per 4 inches in rib. The cape is 22" long overall.

29” or longer 4.5 mm knitting needles

3 balls Loops and Threads Impeccable in Black

1 ball each of Loops and Threads Impeccable in Cherry, Pumpkin, Gold, Kelly Green, Royal, and Grape Punch

Scissors

A yarn needle

A toggle or frog closure

A sewing needle and thread

A large cardboard box (optional)

These will be the left half of the cape. You'll need to make 6 of them.

In black, cast on 41 stitches.

Row 1: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (12 rib). Join purple and P25. Join second strand black and K1, P1, K1 (3 rib).

Row 2: Continue to work black sections in rib stitch. Knit purple stitches to continue in stockinette.

Rows 3-9: Repeat rows 1 and 2, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 10: Continue to work black sections in rib stitch. In purple section, K1, k2tog, K19, ssk, K1.

Rows 11-19: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 23 purple stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 20: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 21 purple stitches.

Rows 21-29: Join blue yarn and repeat rows 1 and 2 with 21 blue stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 30: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 19 blue stitches.

Rows 31-39: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 19 blue stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 40: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 17 blue stitches.

Rows 41-49: Join green yarn and repeat rows 1 and 2 with 17 green stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 50: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 15 green stitches.

Rows 51-59: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 15 green stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 60: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 13 green stitches.

Rows 61-69: Join yellow yarn and repeat rows 1 and 2 with 13 yellow stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 70: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 11 yellow stitches.

Rows 71-79: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 11 yellow stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 60: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 9 yellow stitches

Rows 61-69: Join yellow yarn and repeat rows 1 and 2 with 13 yellow stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 70: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 11 yellow stitches.

Rows 71-79: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 11 yellow stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 80: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 9 yellow stitches.

Rows 81-89: Join orange yarn and repeat rows 1 and 2 with 9 orange stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 90: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 7 orange stitches.

Rows 91-99: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 7 orange stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 100: Repeat row 10, decreasing to 5 orange stitches

Rows 101-109: Join red yarn and repeat rows 1 and 2 with 5 red stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 110: Continue to work black sections in rib stitch. In red section, K1. From middle three red stitches, pass center stitch in front of left stitch. Knit left and right stiches together and pass the new loop through the center stitch last, creating a symmetrical central double decrease (CDD). K1.

Rows 111-119: Repeat rows 1 and 2 with 3 red stitches, ending on a repeat of row 1.

Row 120: Repeat row 110, decreasing to 1 red stitch.

Transfer panel to a spare needle or piece of scrap yarn.

These panels will form the right half of the cape. You'll need to make 6 of them. Make them as mirror images of the left side panels.

Cast on 41 stitches

Row 1: K1, P1, K1 (3 rib). Join purple and P25. Join second strand black and K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1 (12 rib).

Rows 2-120: Same as left side panels.

This will be the middle of the cape. You'll need to make 1.

Cast on 49 stitches.

Row 1: P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1 (12 rib). Join purple and P25. Join second strand black and K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1 (12 rib).

Rows 2-120: Same as right side panels.

Transfer all panels to one set of long circular knitting needles, in order, taking care to make sure all panels are facing the same direction. There should be a 12-stitch ribbed column at each end, and both a 3-stitch and a 12-stitch ribbed column between each rainbow section.

To sew the panels together, thread a yarn needle with about a yard of black yarn. With the wrong side (purl side of the rainbow sections) of two panels up, stick the yarn needle through the side of the knit stitch closest to the edge of the 3-rib column. On the 12-rib side, skip the purl stitch and stick the yarn needle through the closest side of the next knit stitch. By skipping the purl stitch, it will look like a nice knit stitch from the outside of the cape, and from the right side the seam will be disguised as a purl “valley” in the ribbed section. Continue sewing this way each row, taking care to keep the rainbow sections aligned. Repeat for all 12 seams.

The cape should now be one piece, with a working edge of 217
stitches.

Row 121-126: Knit across in K1, P1 rib.

Row 127: Knit 11 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD. *Knit 13 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD*. Repeat from * to * across 11 more times. CDD. Knit last 11 stitches in K1, P1 rib. Decreases should align with points of rainbow sections. 191 stitches.

Rows 128-133: Knit across in K1, P1 rib.

Row 134: Row 126: Knit 10 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD. *Knit 11 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD*. Repeat from * to * across 11 more times. CDD. Knit last 10 stitches in K1, P1 rib. Decreases should align with previous decreases. 165 stitches.

Rows 135-140: Knit across in K1, P1 rib.

Row 141: Knit 9 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD. *Knit 9 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD*. Repeat from * to * across 11 more times. CDD. Knit last 9 stitches in K1, P1 rib. Decreases should align with previous decreases. 139 stitches.

Rows 142-147: Knit across in K1, P1 rib.

Row 148: Knit 8 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD. *Knit 7 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD*. Repeat from * to * across 11 more times. CDD. Knit last 8 stitches in K1, P1 rib. Decreases should align with previous decreases. 113 stitches.

Rows 149-154: Knit across in K1, P1 rib.

Row 155: Knit 7 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD. *Knit 6 stitches in K1, P1 rib. CDD*. Repeat from * to * across 11 more times. CDD. Knit last 7 stitches in K1, P1 rib. Decreases should align with previous decreases. 87 stitches

Row 156: Cast off

Use the yarn needle to weave in ends, weaving each color
into a matching section.

Using a needle and thread, sew a toggle or frog closure to the front of the cape, at the neck.

Voila!

For knitters comfortable working with many strands of yarn at once, reduce the amount of sewing required in Step 4 by making fewer, wider panels. Divide each color of yarn into as many equally-sized balls as you will need. If knitting in one piece, this would be 13 of each color and 14 black. However, using more than 5-7 balls of yarn at once will likely take up more time detangling than you’ll save by not sewing. Combine panels by using columns of 15 rib stitches between rainbow sections. To help keep your yarn organized, cut slits in the sides of a cardboard box and feed the yarn strands through, alternating black and colored balls of yarn. If you avoid jostling the box, you need only worry about tangling from crossing the yarn at section joins as you knit.