Pretty Ponchos to Knit

I hate to admit that I’m not a huge fan of ponchos. Every time they come back I cringe a little. If you’re cold, why not just knit a sweater?

But there are some poncho designs that I see and think, well, you know, maybe I could actually knit and wear that.

Looking for more poncho patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

Like the Newsprint Poncho from Lion Brand Yarn. I love the color combination (it’s actually a self-striping yarn!), the stitch pattern, the ease of wearing, the allusion to newspapers. I would knit that, and wear it, too.

The Hayfield poncho from Love Knitting combines classic Aran style with a poncho shape. It’s sized for kids and adults and can be knit with a shawl collar or a turtleneck. And if you use the yarn required, any size takes only one ball of yarn!

Another pretty one from Love Knitting is the Rico poncho, which uses a self-striping yarn and an easy repeating stitch pattern on two panels that are sewn together.

The Welty poncho by Lisa Hoffman for Tahki Yarns (PDF) is a dramatic project with a bold stitch pattern. Worked in two rectangles that are sewn together, stitches are then picked up to knit a circular yoke. Very cool.

And because sometimes its hard to tell where cowl ends and poncho begins, I also submit the Bobble Capelet from Tahki Yarns. This one is a bit of knitting that wraps around the shoulders, sort of like a mini poncho.

Which brings up a good question: how do you define a poncho? Do you like the look? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for more poncho patterns? Check these out on Etsy.

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Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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