Navy Point Poncho with White Petals Free Knit Pattern
Introduction
The Navy Point Poncho is a wonderfully forgiving first garment project: it's knit flat as one big navy square, then folded and seamed into a draped poncho with a soft point at the front. Short rows do all the shaping, so you never have to knit in the round or pick up stitches around a neckline. The worsted-weight linen-cotton blend gives it a cool, dry hand and a lovely weighty drape that hangs beautifully over a turtleneck or a tee. Eight little white knitted petals, sewn around the neck opening, add just a touch of retro 70s flower power. It looks polished, feels breezy, and comes together with mostly knit and purl stitches.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Worsted weight linen blend (50% linen, 50% cotton), 200 yd (183 m) per 100 g skein.
- Navy: 4 skeins (approx. 800 yd / 730 m)
- White: 1 skein (approx. 50 yd / 46 m used)
- Needles: 5.0 mm (US 8) circular needle, 80 cm (32 in) long, or size to obtain gauge (worked flat back and forth on the circular needle).
- Notions: Stitch markers (optional), tapestry needle, scissors, tape measure, blocking mats and pins.
- Finished size: Width 90 cm (35.5 in) across; length 55 cm (21.5 in) from shoulder to front point; neck opening 30 cm (12 in) wide.
Abbreviations
- CO – cast on: make the starting stitches.
- BO – bind off: finish the stitches so they don't unravel.
- RS – right side: the outside, public face of the fabric.
- WS – wrong side: the inside face of the fabric.
- K – knit stitch.
- P – purl stitch.
- yo – yarn over: wrap the yarn around the needle to make a new stitch and a small hole.
- ssk – slip, slip, knit: slip two stitches knitwise one at a time, then knit them together through the back loops (a left-leaning decrease).
- k2tog – knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease).
- p2tog – purl two stitches together.
- w&t – wrap and turn: bring yarn to the front, slip the next stitch, bring yarn to the back, slip the stitch back, then turn your work to go the other way.
- sts – stitches.
Gauge
18 sts and 24 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in stockinette stitch. Knit a small swatch, block it gently, and measure a 10 cm section in the middle; if you have more stitches than 18, go up a needle size, and if you have fewer, go down.
Tips Before You Start
- Count your cast-on twice. The whole poncho depends on 162 stitches, so double-check before you knit the first row.
- Mark the short-row turning points. Place a removable marker each time you wrap and turn so you can spot the wraps easily when you resolve them on Rows 19–20.
- Keep the edges tidy. Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise for a neat, firm edge that makes seaming much easier.
- Swatch and block first. Linen-cotton relaxes and grows slightly when washed, so trust your blocked gauge, not your on-the-needle gauge.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Poncho Body (worked flat, navy)
Row 1 (RS): K all sts (162 sts).
Row 2 (WS): P all sts (162 sts).
Rows 3–108: Repeat Rows 1–2 until piece measures 45 cm (17.75 in) from CO, ending with a WS row (162 sts).
Shape Front Point (short rows)
Row 1 (RS): K to last 54 sts, w&t.
Row 2 (WS): P to last 54 sts, w&t.
Row 3 (RS): K to last 48 sts, w&t.
Row 4 (WS): P to last 48 sts, w&t.
Row 5 (RS): K to last 42 sts, w&t.
Row 6 (WS): P to last 42 sts, w&t.
Row 7 (RS): K to last 36 sts, w&t.
Row 8 (WS): P to last 36 sts, w&t.
Row 9 (RS): K to last 30 sts, w&t.
Row 10 (WS): P to last 30 sts, w&t.
Row 11 (RS): K to last 24 sts, w&t.
Row 12 (WS): P to last 24 sts, w&t.
Row 13 (RS): K to last 18 sts, w&t.
Row 14 (WS): P to last 18 sts, w&t.
Row 15 (RS): K to last 12 sts, w&t.
Row 16 (WS): P to last 12 sts, w&t.
Row 17 (RS): K to last 6 sts, w&t.
Row 18 (WS): P to last 6 sts, w&t.
Row 19 (RS): K all sts, resolving wraps (162 sts).
Row 20 (WS): P all sts, resolving wraps (162 sts).
Shape Back Neck (short rows)
Row 1 (RS): K to last 54 sts, w&t.
Row 2 (WS): P to last 54 sts, w&t.
Row 3 (RS): K to last 48 sts, w&t.
Row 4 (WS): P to last 48 sts, w&t.
Row 5 (RS): K to last 42 sts, w&t.
Row 6 (WS): P to last 42 sts, w&t.
Row 7 (RS): K to last 36 sts, w&t.
Row 8 (WS): P to last 36 sts, w&t.
Row 9 (RS): K to last 30 sts, w&t.
Row 10 (WS): P to last 30 sts, w&t.
Row 11 (RS): K to last 24 sts, w&t.
Row 12 (WS): P to last 24 sts, w&t.
Row 13 (RS): K to last 18 sts, w&t.
Row 14 (WS): P to last 18 sts, w&t.
Row 15 (RS): K to last 12 sts, w&t.
Row 16 (WS): P to last 12 sts, w&t.
Row 17 (RS): K to last 6 sts, w&t.
Row 18 (WS): P to last 6 sts, w&t.
Row 19 (RS): K all sts, resolving wraps (162 sts).
Row 20 (WS): P all sts, resolving wraps (162 sts).
Next row (RS): BO all sts knitwise.
Petals (make 8, white)
Row 1: K1, yo, k1, yo, k1 (5 sts).
Row 2: P all sts (5 sts).
Row 3: K2, yo, k1, yo, k2 (7 sts).
Row 4: P all sts (7 sts).
Row 5: K3, yo, k1, yo, k3 (9 sts).
Row 6: P all sts (9 sts).
Row 7: K all sts (9 sts).
Row 8: P all sts (9 sts).
Row 9: K1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1 (7 sts).
Row 10: P all sts (7 sts).
Row 11: K1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1 (5 sts).
Row 12: P all sts (5 sts).
Row 13: K1, ssk, k2tog, k1 (3 sts).
Row 14: P all sts (3 sts).
Row 15: K1, ssk, k1 (2 sts).
Row 16: P2tog (1 st).
Row 17: BO the last st.
Assembly and Finishing
Fold the poncho in half with right sides together, aligning the cast-on and bound-off edges. Sew the side seams from the outer edge toward the center on both sides, leaving a 30 cm (12 in) opening at the top for the neck. Turn the poncho right side out. Arrange the 8 white petals evenly around the neck opening, overlapping them slightly, and sew each in place with white yarn using small, invisible stitches. Weave in all ends on the wrong side. Block gently to the finished measurements: soak in cool water, roll in a towel to remove excess water, pin to 90 cm wide and 55 cm long, and let dry flat.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Color swap: Work the body in cream and the petals in navy for an inverted, equally retro look.
- Bigger petals: Add one more increase row (K4, yo, k1, yo, k4 = 11 sts) and mirror it in the decreases for larger, bolder flowers.
- Cozy version: Use a wool or wool-blend worsted yarn and go up one needle size for a warmer, looser autumn poncho.
