Crochet poncho patterns rarely come graded properly, so this one runs S through XXL with the stitch counts written for every size. Nothing to resize by guesswork and nothing to hold up against yourself hoping it lands right. Sizing charts and instructions are on the blog.
Terracotta poncho with yarn fringe sits at the cosy end of the handmade spectrum, and the waffle texture here gives the body enough surface interest to carry a single colour without needing stripes or contrast trim. The construction uses two flat triangular panels joined at the centre, so the diagonal lines of the waffle stitch naturally run outward from the seam toward the fringe points. Crocheters who enjoyed the granny poncho from the previous post will find this one has a denser, warmer fabric weight with a less open grid.
Crochet Sweater Poncho
Fringe is cut and attached at the hem points rather than worked into the border, which makes it easy to adjust the length or skip it entirely if you want a cleaner edge. The turtleneck collar is worked in ribbing and attached at the neckline after both panels are joined, so you can try the poncho on before committing to the collar height.
Materials
- Circulo Mollet (Tex 500) yarn, approximately 4 to 5 skeins (200 meters per skein)
- A 5.0 mm hook
- Measuring tape
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
Sizing: 40 foundation loops for standard S/M/L. Use 36 loops for XS/S. Use 48 loops for XL/XXL.
Stitch Basics Before Starting
The loop foundation: This pattern uses a chain-3-plus-double-crochet loop system rather than a regular foundation chain. Each loop is made by chaining 3, yarning over, and inserting the hook into the first chain of that group to work a double crochet. Subsequent loops are made by inserting into the loop just completed. This creates an adjustable, consistent ring of foundation spaces to work from.
The relief stitch: On every odd round (Rounds 3, 5, 7, and so on), each textured block is made of 1 regular double crochet, 1 front post treble crochet reaching down to the stitch two rows below, and 1 regular double crochet. The treble crochet wraps around the post of the middle stitch of the matching block in the round below. On even rounds, the blocks are plain 3-double-crochet clusters with no post stitches.
The Pattern
Step 1: Create the Loop Foundation Base
- Make a slip knot.
- First loop: Chain 3, yarn over, insert hook into the first chain, and work a double crochet.
- Subsequent loops: Chain 3, yarn over, insert hook inside the loop just created, and work a double crochet.
- Repeat until you have 40 foundation loops (36 for XS/S, 48 for XL/XXL).
- Carefully arrange the loop chain straight without twisting. Join the last loop to the very first chain with a slip stitch to form a large ring.
Step 2: Round 1 — Set Up the Front and Back Points
- Slip stitch into the first loop space. Chain 2 (counts as the first double crochet) and work 2 more double crochets into the same space. Chain 2, then work 3 more double crochets into that same space. (First corner point complete.)
- Chain 1, skip the next loop space.
- In the next space, work a 3-double-crochet block. Chain 1.
- Repeat — skip one space, 3-double-crochet block in the next, chain 1 — until you have 9 blocks of 3 double crochets.
- Chain 1, skip a space, and in the next space work the second corner point (3 double crochets, chain 2, 3 double crochets).
- Mirror the other side: chain 1, skip a space, and work another 9 blocks of 3 double crochets separated by chain-1 spaces.
- Finish the round by chaining 1 and joining with a slip stitch to the top of the initial chain-2.
Still getting the hang of reading crochet patterns? That’s completely okay, the video tutorial below breaks everything down in a simple, beginner-friendly way!
Step 3: Round 2 — Main Body Base (No Ribbing)
- Slip stitch across the top of the double crochet stitches until you reach the chain-2 corner space.
- Inside the corner space, work a new corner point: chain 3 (counts as double crochet), 2 double crochets, chain 2, 3 double crochets.
- Chain 1, then work a 3-double-crochet block into every chain-1 space from the previous round, separating each block with a chain-1.
- When you reach the opposite corner, work a corner point (3 double crochets, chain 2, 3 double crochets) directly inside it.
- Continue working 3-double-crochet blocks in the chain-1 spaces down the remaining side. Join the round with a slip stitch and travel to the center of the corner with slip stitches.
Step 4: Round 3 — Establishing the Front Post Relief
- Work the standard corner point (3 double crochets, chain 2, 3 double crochets) in the corner space. Chain 1.
- In the first chain-1 space: work 1 regular double crochet.
- Yarn over twice. Reach down to the 3-double-crochet block directly below from Round 1. Insert hook from front to back around the post of the middle (second) double crochet of that lower block. Complete a front post treble crochet.
- Work 1 regular double crochet back into the same chain-1 space. (Textured 3-stitch block complete.)
- Chain 1, move to the next space, and repeat: 1 double crochet in the space, 1 front post treble crochet around the middle stitch of the block below, 1 double crochet in the space.
- Follow this pattern all the way around, maintaining standard corner points at both corner spaces. Join with a slip stitch.
Step 5: Rounds 4–33 — Alternate the Texture Rounds
- Even rounds (Round 4 and all subsequent even rounds): Work corner points in the corners. Work simple 3-double-crochet blocks in every chain-1 space around.
- Odd rounds (Round 5 and all subsequent odd rounds): Work corner points in the corners. In the spaces, work 1 double crochet, 1 front post treble crochet catching the raised post stitch from two rounds prior to stack the ribbing cleanly, then 1 double crochet.
- Alternate these two rounds until the piece measures approximately 60 to 65 cm from the neck down to the front point. (33 rounds total for the original yarn.) Fasten off and weave in ends.
Step 6: The Turtleneck Collar
- Turn the entire poncho inside out (wrong side facing you). This ensures the right side displays correctly when the collar is folded down.
- Join yarn at any loop space along the foundational neckline ring.
- Collar setup round: Work 2 double crochets into every single foundation loop space all the way around, without chains between them. Join with a slip stitch.
- Collar ribbing rounds: Alternate 1 front post double crochet and 1 back post double crochet across every stitch for 1×1 ribbing.
- Repeat the ribbing for 20 to 25 rounds (approximately 19 cm tall) so the collar folds over comfortably. Fasten off and weave in the tail.
Step 7: Finishing with Fringe
- Turn the poncho right-side out.
- Cut lengths of yarn measuring 1 meter each.
- Fold a strand in half 3 times. Use your hook to pull the folded loop midpoint through a chain-1 space along the bottom edge.
- Pull the loose yarn tails through the loop and tug tightly to secure the knot.
- Repeat for every bottom space around the poncho edge. Trim the bottom loops open with scissors to finalize the fringe.
A Few Tips
- Don’t twist the foundation ring. Before joining the last loop to the first chain in Step 1, lay the entire loop chain out flat on a table and confirm it isn’t twisted. A twist at this point makes the poncho skew.
- Catch the correct post for the front post treble. On odd rounds, the front post treble should always reach down two rounds — not one round. Working it around the stitch directly below (only one round back) produces a flatter texture rather than the stacked relief.
- Work the collar inside out deliberately. Turning the poncho inside out before adding the collar is what makes the fold-over sit right-side out when you wear it. Skipping this step reverses the look.
Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. What is the loop foundation and how is it different from a regular chain? Instead of chaining and then working into the chain, each foundation loop is a double crochet worked back into its own chain-3 base — which creates a series of large, even loop spaces rather than a chain of single loops. These wider spaces become the working foundation for Round 1 and give the neck opening a clean, consistent circumference.
- 2. Why does the front post treble crochet reach two rounds below rather than one? Reaching two rounds down to catch the post stitch gives the ribbing column enough height and definition to stand up from the background. Catching only one round back would make the post stitch too short and the relief texture would flatten out, losing the knit-like appearance.
- 3. Can I skip the fringe for a cleaner hem finish? Yes. The fringe is optional and purely decorative. A single crochet edging all the way around the bottom chain-1 spaces gives a tidy, finished hem without any added length. You can also leave the edge as-is — the 3-double-crochet blocks are finished enough to wear without an extra border.
