Okra Poncho in Rowan Fine Lace - ZB298-00005-FR - Downloadable PDF

Okra Poncho in Rowan Fine Lace by Lisa Richardson – Pattern Summary

The Okra Poncho is a beautifully refined knitted poncho designed by Lisa Richardson and published by Rowan. Available as a downloadable PDF (reference ZB298-00005-FR), this pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty and is presented here in its French-language edition. It is a graceful, drapey cape-style garment that falls elegantly over the shoulders, making it a versatile layering piece suitable for a wide range of occasions.

What Is Being Made

The Okra is a classic poncho or cape, a garment worn over the shoulders without sleeves, designed to drape loosely over the body. It is worked in five sizes, accommodating bust measurements ranging from 81–86 cm up to 122–127 cm, with corresponding finished garment bust measurements from 158.5 cm to 198.5 cm, reflecting the generous, relaxed silhouette typical of poncho construction. The sample shown in the pattern photography is worked in Vintage 926, one of the colourways available in Rowan Fine Lace.

Construction and Techniques

The Okra Poncho is constructed using traditional flat knitting techniques, with the fabric worked back and forth in rows on straight needles before finishing details are added using a circular needle. Key construction features include:

• Shoulder line markers are used as reference points during construction, with length measured from these markers to ensure consistent shaping across sizes.
• The body is worked in an established stitch pattern, continued across all stitches until the piece reaches the required length from the shoulder line markers, ending on a wrong-side row.
• A garter stitch border of 6 rows is worked at the lower edge using size 3 mm needles, ending on a wrong-side row before casting off, providing a neat and stable hem finish.
• The neckband is worked in the round using a circular needle. Stitches are picked up along both sides of the neckline, beginning and ending at the shoulder line markers — 70 [70: 72: 72: 74] stitches are picked up along each side of the neck opening, creating a tidy, professional finish around the collar.
• Finishing includes blocking and pressing as directed in Rowan's standard information sheet, which is especially important when working with lace-weight yarn to open up the stitch pattern and achieve the correct drape and dimensions.

Stitches Used

The pattern employs a combination of stitch types to create texture and structure:

• Main stitch pattern – an established decorative stitch pattern worked across the body of the poncho (the specific lace or textured pattern is set up earlier in the pattern and continued throughout the main body section).
• Garter stitch – used for the lower border, worked over 6 rows to create a flat, reversible edge that lies neatly without curling.
• Picked-up stitches in the round – used for the neckband, a technique requiring the knitter to pick up stitches evenly along shaped edges using a circular needle.

Materials Required

This pattern is specifically designed for Rowan Fine Lace, a lace-weight yarn of exceptional delicacy and quality. The quantity required varies by size:

• 4 x 50g balls for the two smallest sizes
• 5 x 50g balls for the middle sizes
• 6 x 50g balls for the largest size

The yarn is photographed in the colourway Vintage 926, which gives the finished poncho a soft, muted, and elegant appearance well suited to the fluid drape of the design.

Needles Required

The pattern calls for three sets of needles:

• One pair of 3 mm (UK 11 / US 2–3) straight needles – used