Hooded Poncho & Bunny in Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake DK - 5198 - Downloadable PDF

Hooded Poncho & Bunny Soft Toy in Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake DK – Pattern 5198

This Sirdar pattern 5198 is a charming downloadable PDF knitting pattern designed for baby girls, offering two delightful projects in one: a hooded poncho and a bunny soft toy. Both pieces are worked in Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake DK, a soft, baby-friendly yarn that gives each finished item a beautifully textured, snuggly appearance. Rated as intermediate in difficulty, this pattern is well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic techniques and ready to explore shaping and construction methods across two different project types.

Project One: Baby Girl's Hooded Poncho

Sizing and Fit

The hooded poncho is sized to fit babies and toddlers from birth through to 3 years of age, covering four size options:

• 0–6 months – to fit chest 41 cm / 16 in
• 6–12 months – to fit chest 46 cm / 51 in
• 1–2 years – to fit chest 51 cm / 20 in
• 2–3 years – to fit chest 56 cm / 22 in

The generous poncho silhouette makes it an ideal layering piece for young children, draping comfortably over the shoulders with the added warmth and practicality of an attached hood.

Techniques and Construction

The poncho is worked in two separate pieces that are seamed together, a construction method that keeps individual sections manageable and allows for neat finishing. Shaping is achieved through a cast-on increase method, where stitches are added at the end of rows using the thumb method cast-on to create the distinctive angled edges of the poncho shape. This technique produces a gradual, stepped increase that gives the garment its characteristic triangular drape.

The hood is worked as an integral part of the pattern and involves the use of stitch holders to keep live stitches in reserve while other sections are completed. A Wrap 1 technique is also referenced, which involves slipping a stitch onto the right-hand needle, moving the yarn to the opposite side of the work, and slipping the stitch back — a method commonly used in short-row shaping to avoid holes and create smooth curves.

Stitches Used

• Stocking stitch – the primary fabric stitch, worked by alternating knit rows on the right side and purl rows on the wrong side
• Knit (k) and purl (p) stitches throughout
• Thumb method cast-on – used for the initial cast-on and for incremental shaping increases
• Wrap 1 – a short-row technique used in hood construction
• Increase (inc) – including purlways increases for shaping
• Slip stitch (s1 knitways and purlways) and pass slipped stitch over (psso) for decreasing

Materials for the Hooded Poncho

• Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake DK, shade 728 – quantities range from 3 to 5 x 25g balls depending on size
• 4mm (UK8 / USA6) knitting needles – used for the main poncho body
• 3¼mm (UK10 / USA3) knitting needles – used for certain sections of the poncho
• 2 stitch holders – required for hood construction

Tension

The stated tension for the hooded poncho is 20 stitches and 29 rows to 10 cm (4 in) over stocking stitch using 4mm needles. Achieving the correct tension is essential to ensure the garment fits within the intended size range, and knitters are advised to check their tension swatch before