Knitting a Baby Poncho with Ears and Hood
You’ll Need:
RED HEART® Buttercup®: 3 (4, 5, 6) balls 4721;
Circular Knitting Needles: 6mm (61 cm) or longer;
Crochet Hook: 5 mm.
Gauge:
12 sts = 4” (10 cm); 18 rows = 4” (10 cm) in Garter Stitch.
Size:
6 months; changes for sizes 12, 18, and 24 months are in parentheses.
Width not including sleeves: 13½ (15¼, 18, 19½)” (34.5 (38.5, 45.5, 49.5) cm).
Length: 10½ (12, 13½, 15)” (26.5 (30.5, 34.5, 38) cm).
Notes:
The poncho is worked back and forth in rows. The circular needle is used in order to hold the full width of the piece.
Special Stitches:
M1 = Make 1 (Inc) – Lift strand between needles to left-hand needle and work strand through the back loop, twisting it to prevent a hole, [knit or purl as indicated by pattern stitch].
SSK = slip next two stitches knitwise to right needle, insert point of left needle through front of stitches, knit these stitches together through back loop.
Special Technique:
Three-Needle Bind-off: Hold both pieces to be joined in your left hand, needles parallel to each other, one in front of the other, with right sides facing each other. Hold a third, empty needle in your right hand. Insert right needle knitwise into the first stitch on both front and back needles, and knit them together. Work the next pair of stitches the same way, then pass the first stitch on the right needle over the second stitch. Continue in this manner until all stitches have been bound off.
Instructions:
Back
Cast on 24 (26, 30, 34) stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): Knit. Place a marker to indicate which side is the right side.
Next 2 (4, 4, 4) rows: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to end – 28 (34, 38, 42) stitches.
Next 4 rows: Row 1 and 2: Knit evenly.
Rows 3 and 4: Cast on 2 stitches, knit to end – 32 (38, 42, 46) stitches. Repeat the last 4 rows 0 (0, 1, 1) more times – 32 (38, 46, 50) stitches. Knit 2 rows evenly.
Next 4 rows (inc rows): K1, M1, knit to end – 36 (42, 50, 54) stitches.
Next 4 rows: Row 1 and 2: Knit evenly.
Rows 3 and 4 (inc rows): K1, M1, knit to end – 38 (44, 52, 56) stitches. Repeat the last 4 rows once more – 40 (46, 54, 58) stitches.
Knit evenly until piece measures 10½ (12, 13½, 15)” (26.5 (30.5, 34.5, 38) cm) from cast on edge, ending after a WS row.
Cut yarn and place all stitches on a holder.
Front
Work same as back until piece measures 8½ (10, 11, 12½)” (21.5 (25.5, 28, 32) cm) from cast on edge, ending after a WS row.
Separate for Neck:
Next row (right side): K20 (23, 27, 29), join a second ball of yarn and knit to end.
Work both halves at the same time with separate balls of yarn until piece measures 9 (10½, 12, 13½)” (23 (26.5, 30.5, 34.5) cm) from cast on edge, ending after a WS row.
Neck Shaping
Next 6 rows: Rows 1 and 2: Knit to end of first half, bind off 4 (5, 5, 6) stitches at beginning of second half, knit to end – 16 (18, 22, 23) stitches on each side.
Rows 3 and 4: Knit to end of first half, bind off 3 (3, 4, 4) stitches at beginning of second half, knit to end – 13 (15, 18, 19) stitches on each side.
Rows 5 and 6: Knit to end of first half, bind off 2 stitches at beginning of second half, knit to end – 11 (13, 16, 17) stitches on each side.
Join Shoulders
Join front shoulder stitches to back with three-needle bind-off, working from the outer edge inward.
Leave remaining 18 (20, 22, 24) back neck stitches on holder.
Sleeves
Place markers 3¾ (4, 4¼, 4¾)” (9.5 (10, 11, 12) cm) down from shoulder seams on both Front and Back. With right side facing, pick up and knit 22 (24, 26, 28) stitches between markers.
Next 4 rows:
Rows 1-3: Knit.
Row 4 (right side): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 – 20 (22, 24, 26) stitches.
Repeat last 4 rows 0 (0, 1, 1) time(s). 20 (22, 22, 24) stitches. Next 2 rows: Row 1: Knit. Row 2: K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 – 18 (20, 20, 22) stitches. Repeat the last 2 rows 0 (1, 1, 1) more times – 18 (18, 18, 20) stitches. Bind off all stitches.
Work other sleeve the same.
Hood
With right side facing and beginning at neck corner, pick up and knit 11 (12, 13, 14) stitches up right front neck edge, k18 (20, 22, 24) from back neck holder, pick up and knit 11 (12, 13, 14) stitches down left front neck edge to corner – 40 (44, 48, 52) stitches. Place markers on either side of 2 center stitches on needle.
Next 4 rows:
Rows 1-3: Knit.
Row 4 (right side): Knit to marker, M1, slip marker, k2, slip marker, M1, knit to end – 42 (46, 50, 54) stitches.
Repeat the last 4 rows 1 (1, 2, 2) more times – 44 (48, 54, 58) stitches.
Work evenly until hood measures 7½ (8, 8½, 9)” (19 (20.5, 21.5, 23) cm), ending after a right side row.
Slip half of the stitches onto a spare needle and fold hood in half so that right sides are facing each other.
Seam top of hood with three-needle bind-off.
Ears
Cast on 12 (12, 14, 14) stitches.
Rows 1-3: Knit.
Row 4 (dec row, right side): K1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 – 10 (10, 12, 12) stitches.
Repeat last 4 rows 2 (2, 3, 3) times, then work dec row only once more – 4 stitches. Bind off. Work other ear the same.
Button Loop
With crochet hook, chain 10. Fasten off.
Finishing
Sew underarm seams, continuing down approximately 1½ (1½, 2, 2)” (4 (4, 5, 5) cm) along side seams. Sew button to left front at neck split. Sew ends of button loop to right front, across from button. Fold bottom corners of ears to center and tack in place. Sew ears to top of hood. Weave in ends.