Ladies Ponchos, Snood & Shawl Knitted in King Cole Fjord DK - 5652 - Downloadable PDF

Ladies Ponchos, Snood & Shawl Knitted in King Cole Fjord DK – Pattern 5652

This downloadable PDF from King Cole presents a collection of elegant, wearable accessories for women, all knitted in King Cole Fjord DK yarn. The pattern, reference 5652, includes instructions for ladies' ponchos, a snood, and a shawl, making it an excellent choice for knitters looking to build a coordinated set of stylish outerwear pieces. Rated at an intermediate difficulty level, this pattern is well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic shaping, circular needles, and working with multiple stitch patterns simultaneously.

King Cole has long been a trusted name in the UK knitting industry, and this pattern continues that tradition of accessible, well-structured design. Purchasers of this pattern will also benefit from knowing that King Cole donates to the Pink Ribbon Foundation for every pattern sold.

About King Cole Fjord DK Yarn

All designs in this pattern are worked in King Cole Fjord DK, a double knitting weight yarn. DK weight yarn is one of the most versatile and popular yarn weights, offering a balance between speed of knitting and fabric drape — qualities that are particularly well suited to flowing accessories such as ponchos, shawls, and snoods. The specific fibre composition of Fjord DK is not detailed in the pattern text, but the yarn is a King Cole product and can be referenced directly for full fibre content information.

Needles and Tension

The pattern specifies the use of both 3¼ mm straight needles and a 3¼ mm circular needle. The circular needle is used for casting on and working the body of the poncho, which requires holding a large number of stitches — up to 299 stitches at cast-on for the largest size. Straight needles are used for border sections and finishing details.

The stated tension is:

• 22 stitches and 28 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch on 4 mm needles
• 28 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm over rib when slightly stretched, on 4 mm needles — or the size required to achieve the correct tension

As with all knitting patterns, achieving the correct tension is essential. The pattern advises that if you have fewer stitches than stated, switch to thinner needles, and if you have more stitches, switch to thicker needles. Checking tension before beginning is strongly recommended to ensure the finished pieces match the intended dimensions.

The Poncho

The poncho is one of the central designs in this pattern and is worked to fit bust sizes ranging from 81 cm to 122 cm (32 in to 48 in), making it an inclusive design with multiple size options. The poncho features a richly textured rib stitch pattern as its main fabric, worked in a k3, p3 rib throughout.

Construction and Shaping

The poncho is constructed in separate back and front sections. The back begins with a cast-on of 275, 287, or 299 stitches (depending on size) using the thumb method on a 3¼ mm circular needle. The large stitch count makes a circular needle practical even when working flat, as it comfortably holds the full width of the garment.

The rib pattern is established from the first row and continues throughout. A decrease row is worked after the initial rib section to reduce the stitch count significantly, shaping the garment from its wide lower edge towards the shoulders. Specific decrease rows use p2tog (purl two together) at regular intervals to achieve the required shaping.

Neck shaping is worked by decreasing one stitch at the neck edge in every fourth row, and shoulder shaping involves casting off stitches at the beginning of rows to create a clean shoulder line. The pattern includes instructions for back borders, with stitches picked up along the side edges and rib sections using 3¼ mm straight needles. The borders are worked in the same k3, p3 rib and cast off loosely in rib to maintain elasticity.