Hobart Poncho

Hobart Poncho by Taiga Hilliard Designs

What is Being Made

The Hobart Poncho is an elegant rectangle poncho designed by Taiga Hilliard Designs. This versatile garment features a sophisticated silhouette perfect for year-round wear, combining classic poncho styling with refined lace detailing. The rectangular construction makes it an accessible yet elegant layering piece suitable for various occasions and seasons.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project is created using the knitting craft. The Hobart Poncho is an intermediate-level knitting pattern, making it suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to work with lace techniques and stitch manipulation. The pattern is presented in both written and charted formats, allowing knitters to follow their preferred method of instruction.

Stitches and Lace Details

The Hobart Poncho incorporates several key knitting stitches and techniques:

• Yarn overs (YO) – used throughout to create openwork lace sections
• Knit through the back loop (Ktbl) – adds textural interest and stitch definition
• Slip slip knit (SSK) – a left-leaning decrease used in lace patterning
• Knit two together (K2tog) – a right-leaning decrease paired with yarn overs for lace motifs
• Knit front and back (KFB) – an increase used for shaping the lace sections
• Stitch markers (SM) – used to delineate pattern sections and maintain structure
• Purl stitches – create reverse stockinette sections and edge definition

The lace patterning develops progressively throughout the garment, with the pattern sections increasing from 35 stitches to 36 stitches as the design evolves, creating dynamic visual interest.

Materials and Gauge

The Hobart Poncho is worked in sport weight yarn using Mary Gavans Pepino yarn. The pattern requires approximately 700 yards of yarn. Knitters should use US size 7 (5.00 mm) needles, or whichever needle size is needed to achieve the specified gauge of 14 stitches over 4 inches. The pattern begins with casting on 80 stitches, establishing the foundation for the rectangular poncho construction.

Pattern Structure

The pattern is worked flat in rows, alternating between wrong-side (WS) and right-side (RS) rows. The construction uses stitch markers to separate distinct sections, with a main body section and dedicated lace panels. The written instructions provide row-by-row guidance, while the charted format offers a visual representation of the stitch patterns for those who prefer chart reading. This combination of written and charted instructions makes the pattern accessible to various learning styles.