The Winter Breeze Collection - Kate Poncho in Juniper Moon Farm - 17114 - Downloadable PDF

Kate Poncho from The Winter Breeze Collection – Pattern Summary

The Kate Poncho is a beautifully structured, cozy outerwear piece designed by Ursula O'Connor as part of The Winter Breeze Collection. Knitted flat in a repeating 8-row textured stitch pattern, this poncho is then cleverly folded and seamed to create its distinctive draped silhouette, complete with a generous ribbed neckband. It is an ideal project for intermediate knitters looking to explore garment construction beyond basic shaping, combining straightforward stitch work with a satisfying architectural finish.

What Is Being Made

The Kate Poncho is a relaxed, oversized cape-style poncho designed to drape elegantly over the shoulders. It is worked in two sizes — Small/Medium and Medium/Large — offering generous finished measurements to suit a range of body types. The finished width at the widest point measures 50 (54) inches / 127 (137) cm, and the front length to the longest point is 26 (30) inches / 66 (76) cm. The design achieves its poncho shape not through complex shaping rows but through a clever fold-and-seam construction method, making the knitting process itself very accessible while still producing a polished, professional result.

Construction Method

The Kate Poncho is knitted as a single flat rectangle using straight knitting needles. The construction process involves several distinct stages:

• Cast-on and garter border: The piece begins by casting on 60 (70) stitches using the smaller needle size and working 4 rows of garter stitch (knit every row) to create a neat, stable lower edge.
• Main body: The larger needles are introduced and the 8-row textured stitch pattern is repeated until the work reaches a specific length. A coloured marker is placed at the 18 (21½) inch / 46 (55) cm point — this marker is critical to the finishing process.
• Continuation and top border: The pattern continues until the full length of 42 (46) inches / 107 (117) cm is reached. A final 4-row garter border is worked before casting off.
• Seaming: The cast-off row is folded over and stitched to the fabric at the coloured marker point, forming the poncho's shoulder seam and creating the neck opening. The coloured marker remains in place to guide neckband pickup.
• Neckband: Stitches are picked up around the neck edge using a circular needle, and a 6-inch / 15 cm ribbed neckband is worked in the round before being cast off loosely.

Techniques Used

The Kate Poncho draws on a focused set of knitting techniques that make it approachable for intermediate knitters while still offering a rewarding construction experience:

• Flat knitting on straight needles for the main body
• Garter stitch borders at cast-on and cast-off edges for structure and a tidy finish
• Repeating textured stitch pattern worked over an 8-row sequence combining knit and purl stitches
• Marker placement used as a construction reference point for seaming and neckband pickup
• Fold-and-seam construction to transform a flat rectangle into a shaped poncho
• Picking up stitches around a curved neck edge using a circular needle
• Working in the round for the neckband
• K1, P1 ribbing worked in the round for the neckband
• Casting off loosely in rib to maintain stretch and comfort at the neck

Stitches Used

The stitch pattern at the heart of the Kate Poncho is a custom 8-row textured repeat that creates visual interest and subtle dimensionality across the fabric. It alternates between knit and purl combinations in a shifting arrangement, producing a fabric with a woven or basketweave-like quality. The full stitch repertoire includes:

• Knit stitch (K) — the foundational stitch used throughout