Pend Oreille Poncho Cape Knitting Pattern

Pend Oreille Poncho

What Is Being Made

The Pend Oreille Poncho is a one-piece knitted poncho designed by Amy Palmer and featured in Berroco pattern materials. This garment is worked seamlessly from the neck down in the round, creating a flowing cape-style piece that offers versatile sizing options. The poncho features a fitted neckline that gradually expands outward through strategic increases, resulting in a dramatic lower edge measurement significantly wider than the neck opening.

Finished Measurements

• Lower Edge: 78(81-83¾-88½)" around
• Neck: 22½(23½-24½-25½)" around
• Length: 31"

Knitting Techniques Used

This intermediate-level project employs circular knitting worked continuously in the round from the neck opening downward. The construction uses strategic increase rounds to shape the poncho, with increases placed at regular intervals to create an evenly expanding silhouette. The pattern incorporates charted stitch patterns worked alongside stockinette stitch sections, requiring knitters to follow both written and visual instructions simultaneously. Knitters must transition between three different circular needle lengths (16", 29", and 36") as the stitch count increases substantially throughout the project, demonstrating proper technique for managing growing stitch counts on circular needles.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The Pend Oreille Poncho primarily features stockinette stitch (knit in the round) as the base fabric. The design incorporates a charted pattern worked over 32 stitches that appears symmetrically on the front and back sections of the poncho. Increases are created using right-leaning lifted increases (RLI) and left-leaning lifted increases (LLI), which are invisible increase methods that maintain the integrity of the fabric edges. The pattern uses stitch markers to denote pattern repeats and increase points, with eight stitch markers total including one distinctly colored marker to identify the beginning of each round.

Yarn and Materials

This poncho is designed to be worked in Berroco Suede, a yarn weighing 50 grams per ball. The project requires 14(14-15-15) balls of yarn depending on size selection, with the sample shown worked in colorway #3717 Wild Bill Hickock. Berroco Suede offers a soft, luxurious drape ideal for poncho construction.

The pattern calls for circular needles in size 9 (5.50 mm) in three different lengths: 16", 29", and 36" to accommodate the increasing stitch counts as the poncho expands. Knitters should select needles that allow them to obtain the specified gauge of 17 stitches and 24 rounds over 4 inches in stockinette stitch and charted pattern. Eight stitch markers are required, with one in a contrasting color to mark the beginning of each round.

Pattern Structure and Shaping

The poncho begins with 96(100-104-108) cast-on stitches at the neck opening. The pattern is divided into two symmetrical halves, each containing a 32-stitch charted pattern section flanked by stockinette sections. Increases occur every round for the first 34(38-40-48) rounds, then every other round for 21(19-20-16) additional rounds, creating a gradual and elegant expansion. This shaping results in a final stitch count of 320(332-348-368) stitches at the lower edge, providing substantial width while maintaining a fitted neckline. The piece measures 23 inches from the cast-on edge before working even in pattern for the remaining length to reach the finished 31-inch measurement.