Tahki Yarns Mountainside Poncho Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Mountainside Poncho

What Is Being Made

The Mountainside Poncho is a one-size-fits-most knitted cape designed by Irina Poludnenko. This garment measures 32 inches wide and 25 inches in length, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for various body types. The poncho is constructed as a flat-worked garment that combines multiple knitting techniques to create visual interest and depth.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs seamless construction combined with stranded colorwork (Fair Isle) techniques. The garment is worked flat on circular needles rather than in the round, allowing for precise shaping and pattern control. The design incorporates multiple stitch patterns across different sections, creating distinct textural and visual zones throughout the piece.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette Stitch – The primary stitch used in Fair Isle colorwork sections, created by knitting on the right side and purling on the wrong side
• Seed Stitch – A textured stitch worked by alternating knit and purl stitches in a checkerboard pattern, used in the middle section for visual contrast
• K2, P2 Rib – An elastic ribbed stitch used for the cast-on edge to provide structure and recovery
• Fair Isle Colorwork – Stranded two-color knitting technique worked from charts, featuring multiple color changes across rows to create patterned sections

Materials and Yarn

The Mountainside Poncho is knitted using Tahki Yarns ALDEN and Tahki Yarns ALDEN PRINT yarns. The fiber composition is 50% fine merino wool, 25% superfine alpaca, and 25% acrylic, offering a blend of warmth, softness, and durability. Each ball weighs 1.75 ounces and contains 250 yards of yardage.

The color palette includes five distinct shades: dark teal (color #11) serves as the primary color requiring 4 balls, silver (color #14) for accent work, sunset (color #105) from the print yarn line requiring 2 balls, morning mist (color #101), and autumn leaves (color #104). This multi-color approach creates a sophisticated, nature-inspired aesthetic.

Needles and Gauge

The pattern calls for US size 5 (3.75mm) circular needles measuring 24 inches long for the main colorwork sections and US size 3 (3.25mm) circular needles for the seed stitch sections. Circular needles are used for flat working, providing comfortable handling of the wider fabric.

Achieving proper gauge is essential for this project. The Fair Isle sections should measure 26 stitches and 29 rows over 4 inches in stockinette stitch on the larger needles. The seed stitch sections require 26 stitches and 32 rows over 4 inches on the smaller needles. Gauge swatching before beginning is strongly recommended to ensure the finished poncho meets the intended measurements.

Construction Overview

The back panel begins with a cast-on of 182 stitches and opens with a 3-inch k2, p2 ribbed edge for structure. The first Fair Isle chart section (rows 1-72) introduces the primary colorwork pattern. A 2-inch seed stitch section follows, providing textural variation and a visual break. The pattern then returns to Fair Isle colorwork for rows 1-66, creating a balanced, symmetrical design. Neck shaping is worked into the final section, with stitches held for the right shoulder while the left neck is shaped through strategic bind-offs.

Additional materials include a stitch holder for managing live stitches during construction and a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming if required.