The Shimmering Sapphire Capelet, inspired by the heroine of Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera, is a shimmery, elbow-length capelet perfect for evening wear. It can be worn over a dress or blouse for show-going, stargazing and moonlit walks.

Updated 3/7/2023

Skill Level: Intermediate

Size: 11” deep, 30” inner circumference, 96” outer circumference after wet blocking.

Gauge: 20 sts and 10 rows = 4” [10 cm] in dc after wet blocking.

Materials

Yarn:

 Knit Picks Stroll Glimmer (70% fine superwash merino wool, 25% nylon, 5% stellina; 231 yards [211 meters]/50 grams): #25485 Stroll Glimmer (4 balls)

Hook: US size F/5 (3.75 mm) hook

Notions: Scissors, tapestry needle, shawl clasp 

Abbreviations

A-sh: A-shell

B-sh: B-shell

C-sh: C-shell

D-sh: D-shell

ch-sp: chain space

dtr: double-treble crochet

Q-st: quintuple stitch

V-st: V-stitch

Special Stitches

A-shell: [(tr, ch 1) 4 times, tr] in same st.

B-shell: (Dc 4, ch 4, dc 4) in same st.

C-shell: (Tr 4, ch 4, tr 4) in same st.

D-shell: Dc 7 in same st.

double-treble crochet: YO 3 times, insert hook in st, YO, pull loop through, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 4 times.

picot: Ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook.

quintuple-st: YO 4 times, insert hook in st, YO, pull loop through, (YO, pull through 2 loops on hook) 5 times.

V-stitch: (Dc, ch 1, dc) in same st.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in rows from the top down. After turning, place first stitch in the same stitch as the turning chain unless otherwise noted.

Pattern

Ch 151.

Row 1: Dc in 4th st from hook, dc in each st across – 149 sts.

Row 2: Ch 4, turn, dc in first st (counts as V-st), *sk 1 st, dc in next st, sk 1 st, V-st in next st; rep from * across, working last V-st in top of turning ch – 38 V-sts.

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, sk 2 sts, A-sh in next st, *sk V-st, sc in next st, sk V-st, A-sh in next st; rep from * across to last V-st, sk 2 sts, sc in 3rd ch of turning ch – 19 A-sh.

Row 4: Ch 11, turn, sc in 3rd tr of A-sh, *ch 10, sc in 3rd tr of next A-sh; rep from * across to last A-sh, ch 5, dtr in first sc of prev row – 20 ch-sps.

Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, picot, (sc in next 2 sts, picot) 2 times, sc in next st, *(sc in next 2 sts, picot) 5 times, sc in next st; rep from * across to last ch-sp, (sc in next 2 sts, picot) 3 times, sc in last st – 96 picots.

Row 6: Ch 4, sc in next picot, *ch 6, sk 2 picots, sk next sc, (dtr, ch 4, dtr) in next sc, ch 6, sk 2 picots, sc in next picot; rep from * across to last picot, ch 3, sc in last st – 38 dtr.

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc, ch 4, sk 1 ch-sp, sc in next ch-sp, *B-sh in next ch-sp, sc in next ch sp, C-sh in next sc, sc in next ch sp; rep from * across, sc in next ch-sp, B-sh in next ch-sp, sc in next ch-sp, ch 4, sc in top of turning ch – 19 B-sh, 18 C-sh.

Row 8: Ch 5 (counts as Q-st), turn, Q-st 2 in same st as turning ch, *ch 6, sc in ch-sp of next B-sh, ch 6, Q-st 3 in next sc; rep from * across, except place last 3 Q-sts in first sc of prev row – 38 Q-st clusters.

Row 9: Ch 3 (counts as dc), turn, dc in next 7 sts, *sk 5 sts, dc in next 11 sts; rep from * across, sk 5 sts, dc in last 7 sts – 411 sts.

Rows 10-25: Ch 3 (counts as dc), turn, dc in each st across – inc 1 st per row, 427 sts after row 25.

Row 26: Ch 3 (counts as dc), turn, dc 3 in first st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, *sk 2 sts, D-sh in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st; rep from * across to last 3 sts, sk 2 sts, dc 4 in top of turning ch – 70 D-sh, 2 half-D-sh.

Row 27: Ch 4 (counts as dc, ch 1), turn, sk st of turning ch, dc in next st, ch 1, dc in next st, *sk 3 sts, (dc in next st, ch 1) 4 times, dc in next st; rep from * across to last half-D-sh, sk 3 sts, (dc in next st, ch 1) 2 times, dc in top of turning ch – 356 dc.

Row 28: Ch 1, turn, sc in first st, *ch 7, sk 4 dc, sc in next dc; rep from * across – 357 ch-sp.

Row 29: Ch 1, turn, *sc in next 4 sts, (sc, picot, sc) in next st, sc in next 3 sts; rep from * across, sc in last st – 71 picots.

Row 30: Work sc evenly spaced around all edges of capelet, working 3 sc in each corner; join with sl st in first sc of Row 29.

Fasten off.

Finishing

Sew in all ends. Wet block and lay flat to dry, pinning the picots for sharper points. Add a clasp or closure if desired.