Deborah Newton has taken a common poncho silhouette—a chevron pullover worked from the bottom up—and jazzed it up with a checkerboard texture and a border of small diamonds in bright warm colors. She centers a single rope cable down both the front and back and works the shaping increases on either side. The soft, rustic wool is reminiscent of nineteenth-century homespun fabrics, but contemporary details like the poncho’s short length and a split foldover collar make this piece decidedly up to date.
80" (203 cm) circumference at lower edge, 18" (45.5 cm) circumference at neck, and 20¼" (51.5 cm) long.
About 1050 yd (960 m) of 1 main color and 210 yd (192 m) each of 4 contrasting colors of worsted-weight (Medium #4) yarn.
We used: Plymouth Galway Highland Heather (100% wool; 210 yd [192 m]/100 g): #712 brown (MC), 5 balls; #738 turquoise and #742 brick, 1 ball each.
Plymouth Galway (100% wool; 210 yd [192 m]/100 g): #127 pale green and #19 old rose, 1 ball each.
Size 8 (5 mm): 16" (40-cm), 24" (60-cm), and 32" (80-cm) circular (cir). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Markers (m); cable needle (cn); spare 32" (80-cm) cir needle or waste yarn to use as stitch holder; tapestry needle.
20 sts and 28 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in textured block patt worked in the rnd; 22-st cable panel = 3" (7.5 cm) wide.
Textured Block Pattern: (multiple of 8 sts + 4)
Rnds 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5: K4, *p4, k4; rep from *.
Rnds 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10: P4, *k4, p4; rep from *.
Repeat Rnds 1–10 for pattern.
Braid Cable: (panel of 22 sts)
Rnds 1–6: P2, k18, p2.
Rnd 7: P2, sl 6 sts onto cn and hold in front of work, k6, then k6 from cn, k6, p2.
Rnds 8–16: P2, k18, p2.
Rnd 17: P2, k6, sl 6 sts onto cn and hold in back, k6, then k6 from cn, p2.
Rnds 18–20: P2, k18, p2.
Repeat Rnds 1–20 for pattern.
With MC and 16" (40-cm) needle, CO 132 sts. Place marker (pm) and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Rnd begins at start of back braid cable panel. Establish patts as foll: *Work Rnd 1 of braid cable (for center back) over 22 sts, pm, work Rnd 1 of textured block patt over 44 sts,* pm; rep from * to * once more. Inc rnd: (Rnd 2 of patts) **Work 22 braid cable sts, slip marker (sl m), M1 (see Glossary, page 152), work textured block patt to next m, M1,** sl m; rep from ** to **—4 sts inc’d; 2 sts inc’d in each marked textured block section. Work 1 rnd even in patt. Cont in established patts, rep the shaping of the last 2 rnds 48 more times, then work inc rnd once more, working inc’d sts into textured block patt, and changing to longer needle when necessary—332 sts; 144 sts each textured block section; 22 sts each braid cable; 100 rnds completed; piece should measure about 14¼" (36 cm) from beg. Cut yarn.
Divide for Fair Isle borders: Place 166 sts on 24" (60-cm) needle arranged as foll: 72 sts textured block patt, 22 center sts braid cable, 72 sts textured block patt. Place rem 166 sts on spare 32" (80-cm) needle or piece of waste yarn. Note: The Fair Isle section is worked back and forth in rows using separate balls of the contrasting colors on each side of cable; the MC is used from selvedge to selvedge on every row; twist yarns at color changes to avoid holes.
Fair Isle border: Establish patts as foll: (RS; Row 1 of patts) Work k1f&b (see Glossary, page 152) in first st, pm between the 2 sts on right needle, work last 5 sts of patt rep from Fair Isle Border 1 chart, work 6-st patt rep 11 times total, M1, sl m, work 22 center sts in braid cable, sl m, M1, join new ball of contrasting color and work eleven 6-st patt reps of Fair Isle Border 2 chart, work first 5 sts of patt rep again, work k1f&b in last st of row, and pm between last 2 sts—170 sts; 74 sts each Fair Isle section. Keeping selvedge sts in St st throughout, cont in patts as established until Row 25 of charts has been completed—194 sts; 86 sts each side (including selvedge sts); 22 center sts in braid cable. Next row: (WS) Slipping markers as you come to them, purl across all sts with MC.
Garter trim:
Row 1: (RS): With MC, k1 sl m, k85, sl m, knit across braid cable section dec 8 sts evenly in this section only, sl m, k85, sl m, k1 (selvedge st)—186 sts rem; center section dec’d to 14 sts.
Row 2: With MC, p1, knit to last st, p1.
Row 3: With old rose, knit, working M1 inc on either side of marked center section as before—188 sts.
Row 4: With old rose, rep Row 2.
Rows 5 and 6: With MC, knit.
Row 7: With brick, rep Row 3—190 sts.
Row 8: With brick, rep Row 2.
Rows 9 and 10: With MC, knit.
BO all sts. Return 166 held sts to needle and work Fair Isle border and garter trim as for first side.
Weave in loose ends. Steam-block edges lightly. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew border sections tog at sides.
Collar: With MC, 16" (40-cm) needle, RS facing, and beg 15 sts past the end of one of the braid cable panels, pick up and knit 134 sts evenly around neck opening, then use the backward loop method (see Glossary, page 146) to CO 4 more sts—138 sts. Do not join. Work back and forth in rows as foll:
Row 1: (RS of collar, WS of poncho) K4, *k2, p2; rep from * to last 6 sts, k2, k4.
Row 2: (WS of collar, RS of poncho) K4, p2, *k2, p2; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4. Rep Rows 1 and 2 until collar measures 4½" (11.5 cm) from pick-up row, ending with a Row 2. Change to old rose, and knit 1 row firmly (RS of collar), then work Row 2 in rib as established. Change to MC, and knit 1 row firmly, then work 3 rows in rib as established. Change to brick and knit 1 row firmly, dec 1 st at center, and ending with a RS collar row—137 sts rem. Cont as foll with brick:
Row 1: (WS of collar) K4, p1, *k1, p1; rep from * to last 4 sts, k4.
Row 2: K4, *k1, p1; rep from * to last 5 sts, k1, k4.
Rep Row 1 once more. BO all sts in patt. Overlap the 4-st extension created by backward loop CO on top of the 4-st garter edging at other side of collar. With yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, sew across bottom of extension to tack it down, and then sew through both layers of garter edging for about 1½" (3.8 cm) to create a collar stand. Fasten off securely, and weave in ends. Fold collar down to outside so RS of collar will show when worn.
Can’t decide between color and texture? Use both!
