Lakeside to poolside, this stylishly striped child’s poncho is perfect for drying off and keeping cozy after a swim! Crafted from 100% cotton yarn this beachy coverup is ultra-absorbent and soft on your little swimmer’s skin. The roomy hood adds extra warmth and sun protection making it great for long days of splashing around at the pool or beach! Scroll down for the free pattern or purchase an inexpensive downloadable PDF from Etsy HERE or Ravelry HERE!
I chose to use Lion BrandⓇ Yarn’s 24/7 CottonⓇ Yarn for this project and I love the finished texture. The poncho is soft and cozy but also breathable and absorbent . . . perfect for post-swims this Summer! Lion Brand’s 24/7 CottonⓇ comes in 27 different shades so you have lots of colour combinations to choose from. You can even purchase a kit from Lion BrandⓇ (click HERE) that includes all the yarn needed for this project and a printable/savable PDF of the pattern (you can even add the required knitting needle + darning needle to your kit if you’d like).
I made the ‘Big Kids’ size which fits both my girls (ages 8 and 10). Unfortunately, I only knitted one poncho for this post so now I need to make a second because they both love the original so much! We live on a lake so they’re in the water from sun up to sun down and this hooded cover up is perfect for warming up during snack breaks or at the end of the day. I think my second will either be in the colour ‘Lemon’ or ‘Pink Lemonade’. Stay tuned. ; )
It was really fun to work up this design in knit but if you’ve followed me for a while you know crochet is my true jam . . if that’s the case for you too there’s actually a CROCHET hooded beach poncho designed by the very talented Tonja De Benito of Pink Plumeria! You can scoop up her beautiful crochet kit with Lion Brand Yarn HERE.
If you’re new to knitting I think this pattern is very beginner friendly. Take a peek at the video tutorial to see if this is something you think you could try . . I go over casting on, knit stitches, purl stitches, working with circular knitting needles, and seaming the piece together. I really hope you find these instructions helpful and easy to follow if you’re interested in making this piece for you little love!
F I N I S H E D S I Z E S
◦ Toddler (1-3 Years) – 24” width, 16” length (+ 3” fringe)
◦ Little Kid (4-7 Years) – 28” width, 18” length (+ 3.5” fringe)
◦ Big Kid (8-12 Years) – 34” width, 22” length (+ 4.5” fringe)
◦ Teen – 40” width, 24” length (+ 5” fringe)
Width can be increased by casting on additional stitches and length can be increased by knitting additional rows for each panel
M A T E R I A L S
◦ Knitting Needle – US size 9 – 5.5 mm circular knitting needle
◦ Darning Needle
◦ Yarn – Any medium weight yarn (size 4 / ‘worsted’ / 10 ply)
(Lion Brand® 24/7 Cotton® Yarn was used in ‘Sky’ and ‘White’)
A M O U N T S N E E D E D
(includes fringe)
▪ Toddler (1-3 Years)
Color A (‘Sky’): Approx. 334 yards or 305 meters (2 skeins)
Color B (‘White’): Approx. 317 yards or 290 meters (2 skeins)
▪ Little Kid (4-7 Years)
Color A (‘Sky’): Approx. 431 yards or 394 meters (3 skeins)
Color B (‘White’): Approx. 413 yards or 378 meters (3 skeins)
▪ Big Kid (8-12 Years)
Color A (‘Sky’): Approx. 640 yards or 585 meters (4 skeins)
Color B (‘White’): Approx. 548 yards or 501 meters (3 skeins)
▪ Teen
Color A (‘Sky’): Approx. 811 yards or 742 meters (5 skeins)
Color B (‘White’): Approx. 676 yards or 618 meters (4 skeins)
G A U G E
16 stitches = 4 inches
20 rows = 4 inches
Pattern for gauge: (Stockinette) knit 1 row, purl 1 row, repeat
P A T T E R N A B B R E V I A T I O N S
English (US) terms
CO – Cast On: Place stitches on a knitting needle for beginning or enlarging knitted work
k – Knit: With the yarn at the back of the work, insert the right needle into the front part of a loop on the left needle from the left side, catch the yarn with the point of the right needle, and bring it through the first loop to form a new loop
P – Purl: With the yarn at the front of the work, insert the right needle into the front of a loop on the left needle from the right, catch the yarn with the right needle, and bringing it through to form a new loop
BO – Bind Off: Ending a column of stitches
sts – Stitches
Approx. – Approximately
N O T E S
• Example photographs and finished pictures are of Big Kid size (worn by 8 year old and 10 year old)
• Stitch count is in [ ] at the end of each row
• Poncho is worked flat in turned rows to make 2 panels (front and back) and then seamed together when finished
• Hood is worked flat in turned rows and then seamed to form hood shape and attached to poncho
• Side edges of poncho are designed to roll slightly
• Hood opening is designed to roll slightly along edge
V I D E O T U T O R I A L
There is a video tutorial available for this pattern on YouTube:
W R I T T E N P A T T E R N
English (US) terms
FRONT + BACK PANELS
USING COLOR A (‘Sky’ Blue)
Row 1
Cast on:
● 95 – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 111 – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 135 – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 159 – Teen
Row 2
knit all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 3
purl all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 4 to Row 33/37/45/49
Repeat Row 2 and Row 3 until you’ve completed:
● 33 Rows – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 37 Rows – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 45 Rows – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 49 Rows – Teen
SWITCHING TO COLOR B (‘White’)
Row 34/38/46/50
knit all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 35/39/47/51
purl all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 36/40/48/52 to Row 37/43/51/55
Repeat previous two rows (Row 34/38/46/50 and Row 35/39/47/51) until you’ve completed:
● 4 Rows in Color B (‘White’) – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 6 Rows in Color B (‘White’) – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 6 Rows in Color B (‘White’) – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 6 Rows in Color B (‘White’) – Teen
SWITCHING TO COLOR A (‘Sky’ Blue)
Row 38/44/52/56
knit all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 39/45/53/57
purl all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
SWITCHING TO COLOR B (‘White’)
Row 40/46/54/58
knit all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 41/47/55/59
purl all stitches
[ 95 | 111 | 135 | 159 ]
Row 42/48/56/60 to Row 82/92/112/120
Repeat previous four rows (Row 38/44/52/56 to Row 41/47/55/59) alternating colours every 2 rows until you’ve completed:
● 82 Rows – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 92 Rows – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 112 Rows – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 120 Rows – Teen
(Last row should be knit stitch in ‘Sky’ blue)
Bind off
Repeat to make second panel
Optional:
Block panels to:
● Approx. 24” x 16” rectangle – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● Approx. 28” x 18” rectangle – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● Approx. 34” x 22” rectangle – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● Approx. 40” x 24” rectangle – Teen
HOOD
USING COLOR B (‘White’)
Row 1
Cast on:
● 35 – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 40 – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 40 – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 46 – Teen
Row 2
knit all stitches
[ 35 | 40 | 40 | 46 ]
Row 3
purl all stitches
[ 35 | 40 | 40 | 46 ]
Row 4 to Row 110/120/130/135
Repeat Row 2 and Row 3 until you’ve completed:
● 110 Rows – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 120 Rows – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 130 Rows – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 135 Rows – Teen
Bind off
Optional:
Block hood panel to:
● Approx. 9” x 22” rectangle – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● Approx. 10” x 24” rectangle – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● Approx. 10” x 26” rectangle – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● Approx. 11.5” x 27” rectangle – Teen
SEAMING
Lay front and back panels on top of one another so knit stitches are facing in and purl stitches are facing out. Use a darning needle to sew together:
● 32 stitches – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 39 stitches – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 51 stitches – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 60 stitches – Teen
from either end of poncho leaving 31/33/33/39 stitch gap in the middle for hood to attach as shown below:
Remider: Example photographs are of Big Kid size
Fold hood panel in half and, using darning needle, sew one long side together to form hood shape as shown below:
Fold over edges at opening of hood as shown below and sew
● 5 stitches – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 6 stitches – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 6 stitches – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 6 stitches – Teen
on each side of opening
Attach purl side of hood to purl side of poncho as shown below (centering hood seam on back poncho panel and working in a semicircle around hood on either side to meet in the center of front panel).
There should be a 2 stitch gap in center front of poncho where hood is attached
Weave in all ends and turn poncho right side (knit side) out
FRINGE
Cut color B (‘White’) yarn in strings approximately:
● 7 inches long – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 8 inches long – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 10 inches long – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 11 inches long – Teen
Cut:
● 190 strings – Toddler (1-3 Years)
● 222 strings – Little Kid (4-7 Years)
● 270 strings – Big Kid (8-12 Years)
● 318 strings – Teen
Using darning needle to thread yarn strings through each stitch in bottom row of front and back panels as shown below
Thank you for L O O P I N G together this L A K E S I D E inspired project with me! I hope you enjoyed this pattern and please don’t forget to tag me in your cardigan pictures (@lakesideloops) because I always love seeing your work! Take care. xx
