Today I want to tell you how to create a very stylish and warm thing for your wardrobe. A poncho with braids and cables out of Merino yarn is very warm and soft. This poncho can be worn with high gloves and skinny jeans or a tube skirt. The piece of clothes is very unusual and can be worn solo only.

The tutorial is not for beginners, it's time-consuming because of the multiple patterns. But if there are brave newbies, they can easily find all this information.

I used a high-quality Merino tweed yarn as the poncho because it best emphasises patterns. After special washing and steaming, tweed yarn fluffs, tightens. Before such processing, the hard yarn rubs fingers, but the result is worth it! So, yarn selection is up to you.

For this project, you need:

• 1200 g of yarn (560 meters per 100 g, knit with 3 threads)
• knitting needles No. 5 and No. 6
• an additional needle for cables
• measuring tape
• markers
• and much patience!
  

The patterns below show only knit stitches, purl stitches are knitted according to the pattern.

Knit using needles 6 and cable pattern A (out of 43 rows): the number of stitches is a multiple of 10 + 3. Knit according to Pattern 1. Start with stitches before a rapport (a repeated pattern), knit 3 rapports, end with loops after each rapport. Repeat from Rows 1 to 8.

Cabel pattern B (13 rows): knit according to Pattern 2. Repeat from Rows 1 to 6. A pattern out of С cables (out of 38 rows): knit according to Pattern 3. Repeat from Rows 1 to 8. A pattern out of D cables is a central pattern (32 rows): knit according to Pattern 4. Repeat from Rows 1 to 28.

The distribution of the basic pattern:

• selvedge stitch
• 43 rows of the A cable pattern
• 13 rows of the B cable pattern
• 38 rows of the C cable pattern
• 32 rows of the D cable pattern
• 38 rows of the C cable pattern
• 13 rows of the B cable pattern
• 43 rows of the A cable pattern

And, at the same time, knit symmetrically, that is, reading the patterns from left to right.

• selvedge stitch

Explanation to Pattern 2. The central stitch is knit this way: drop the knit and purl stitches from your working needle to the additional needle — before work, knit front from the additional needle, and back from the additional needle.

I needed to knit 25 cm to remember the pattern.

To start, cast on 223 stitches any convenient way and knit rib 8 cm, 1x1. Then, decrease 1 stitch in the last row of a placket. Take needles 6.

This is how it starts:

The central Aran:

The side pattern:

After 25 cm = 54 rows from the placket, close the middle stitch for the belt holes from both sides according to Pattern 2 (see an arrow in the scheme) and all details are knit separately.

After one side of the belt hole is knit, put the stitches of the ready part aside and knit others two up to the end. The cutout height is 10 rows or 4.5 cm.

After 4.5 cm = 10 rows, knit using all stitches again, and, in so doing, pick cast stitches to include them in the pattern again. Thus, crossing Row 1 of the scheme falls away.

Knit 40 cm, which is 86 rows from the placket, and split the knitting at the centre for the V-neckline. To make the neckline bevel, close 3 x in each 4th row and 18 x 1 stitch = 90 stitches in each 2nd row from each inner edge of each side.

After 63 cm = 136 rows of the placket, the shoulder line is reached.

For the neck back cut, cast on additionally 3 x 2 stitches from the cutout edge of the shoulder line in each 2nd row and include them in the pattern. After 4 cm = 8 rows, cast on additionally 30 stitches from the shoulder line between the two sides and again knit on all 222 stitches like from the front.

After 33.5 cm = 72 rows, make belt holes from the shoulder line like from the front, and after 38 cm = 82 rows, knit all stitches from the shoulder line.

After 63 cm = 136 rows, knit rib a placket from the shoulder line, and at the same time increase 1 stitch = 223 stitches in Row 1. Cast off all stitches according to the pattern at 8 cm of the placket.

Next, knit side plackets rib 1x1. To do this, evenly mark (or pin) your poncho and cast on 303 stitches, knit 8 cm, cast off with the crochet needle according to the pattern.

For the neck cutout, cast on 152 stitches and knit rib 1x1. Place stitches so that the middle stitch is knit (plain). In each 2nd circular row, knit 3 middle stitches sticking (= drop 2 stitches together as knit, 1 knit stitch and stretch it across the two dropped stitches). Cast off all stitches at 5 cm of the placket.

The belt cutouts need to be gently strengthened with the crochet needle to give them a stable shape.

Such poncho is washed very delicately not to damage fibres. It's dried in a horizontal position only.

Thank you for your attention! :)