Tahki Yarns Peony Knitting Pattern

Tahki Yarns Peony Knitted Poncho

What Is Being Made

The Peony is a knitted poncho designed by Nancy Camposano as part of the Tahki Yarns In Bloom Spring 2019 Collection. This easy-level garment is a rectangular piece that is seamed and folded to create a poncho silhouette. The design comes in three sizes: X-Small/Small, Medium, and Large/XL, with finished widths ranging from 15¼ inches to 18½ inches and lengths from 50 to 54 inches before seaming, excluding fringe embellishment.

Techniques Used

The Peony poncho is constructed using a bottom-up knitting approach, meaning you begin at the lower edge and work upward toward the bind-off edge. The garment is worked flat on straight needles rather than in the round, producing two separate sides that are later seamed together. The finishing process involves folding the completed rectangle so that the bind-off edge meets the cast-on edge, then seaming these edges together to form the poncho shape. Fringe is attached along the lower edge using a crochet hook, adding decorative movement to the finished piece.

Stitches Used

The primary stitch pattern throughout the Peony is the Slip Stitch Rib, a textured pattern that repeats over a multiple of 4 stitches plus 3 additional stitches. This stitch combines knit and purl stitches with slip stitches worked purlwise to create visual interest and subtle texture. The pattern rows alternate between right-side and wrong-side rows:

• Row 1 (Right Side): Knit 1, slip 1 purlwise, then repeat knit 3 and slip 1 across, ending with knit 1
• Row 2 (Wrong Side): Purl 1, slip 1 purlwise, then repeat purl 3 and slip 1 across, ending with purl 1
• Row 3: Knit 3, then repeat knit 3 and slip 1 across, ending with knit 3
• Row 4: Purl 3, then repeat purl 3 and slip 1 across, ending with purl 3

These four rows repeat throughout the entire length of the poncho. The slip stitches are worked with yarn held in back on right-side rows and with yarn held in front on wrong-side rows to maintain consistent tension and appearance.

Materials and Gauge

The Peony is knitted using Tahki Yarns Jupiter, a blend of 55% cotton and 45% polyester that provides breathability and durability suitable for a spring garment. The yarn comes in 1.75-ounce balls with 136.7 yards of yardage per ball. The X-Small/Small size requires 7 balls, the Medium size requires 8 balls, and the Large/XL size requires 9 balls, all worked in color #316 lilac.

Knitting is performed on size 8 (5mm) needles, and the pattern requires checking gauge to ensure proper fit. The target gauge is 23 stitches and 33 rows equal 4 inches in pattern on the specified needles. Additional materials include a stitch marker for tracking pattern repeats, a yarn needle for weaving in ends and seaming, and an H-8 (5mm) crochet hook for attaching the fringe. The fringe itself consists of 400 to 468 strands depending on size, each measuring 22 inches long, applied in sets of 4 strands spaced approximately ⅝ inch apart along the lower edge.