My Candyfloss Cape crochet pattern is now available from my Ravelry or Etsy stores as an individual pattern including, for the first time, a UK terminology version in addition to the original US terminology version and the pattern includes guidelines for using the pattern to make a shrug and a square scarf.
I created several versions of this design, when I came up with it, by using different colour options. A dark blue long print variegated yarn resulted in a creation reminiscent of spiral galaxies and inspired the star design for the border. Teal and silver created a whirlpool like effect and the light pink candyfloss version seemed fun and summery. I feel like it's a design that could work for so many styles. I'd love to see a classic wedding version in ivory with a contrast to match the colours of the bride's flowers as an accessory to complement a strapless wedding dress. A darker version in wine red or aubergine with a silky black border really appeals to me too. What colours would you use to match your own style?
The kid mohair and silk yarn from the team at Biscotte brought the design to life perfectly, along with the addition of the cashmere silk blend contrast yarn for the borders to give an interesting contrast to the texture as well as the colour. It helped the unusual shape and structure of the garment and the star shaped border stitch pattern to stand out perfectly. The yarns felt amazingly soft and easy to work with didn't slow my work down like some fluffy yarns can although the way they combined both fluffiness and a smooth sheen that catches the light tempted me to sit smiling at the project a little more than I should. You can read more about creating the pattern in this blog post.
I absolutely loved the yarn I was sent and highly recommend it, but I know there is no single yarn that will be right for every maker, so if you need to substitute yarns, any fluffy or silky lace weight yarn could be a great choice and this fairly is easy to find as it's been something of a trend in recent years. I used Drops Kid Silk in the dark blue swatches and have recently used Knit Picks Kid Silk and Rowan Kid Silk Haze too but if you don't like using mohair there are alpaca options like Scheepjes Alpaca Rhythm and cashmere ones like Qing Fibre Veranita, that would look amazing too. If you're avoiding animal fibres, you have plenty of plant based options: Tencel would have a silky look, and cotton or linen might work well too but all of these would be heavier and more drapey/clingy than the floaty yarns in the original sample, so feel free to experiment but do think how your chosen yarns differ in texture and behaviour to those I've used in the sample.
This is a garment I'd love to have to wear next summer, maybe with a white linen skirt, strappy top and one of my crocheted bags.
Candyfloss Cape pattern was originally published on the Biscotte Yarns site in June 2023 and is now available from my Ravelry or Etsy stores as an individual pattern including, for the first time, a UK terminology version in addition to the original US terminology version and the pattern includes guidelines for using the pattern to make a shrug and a square scarf.
Do let me know if you make Candyfloss Cape I'm always excited when I see that someone has used one of my patterns!