I love the idea of capelets or ponchos and this chunky crochet capelet is right up my alley! They keep me extra toasty inside during the winter or on a cool spring or fall day sojourn. They are a gorgeous way to complete an outfit too!
One of the things I really liked when I was designing this piece its simplicity and clean lines. Keeping the body simple streamlines it and lets it drape nicely. Then, to add a little visual interest and make it look for finished, there is a more intricate bobbled border at the bottom.
The majority of this chunky crochet poncho is made as a continuous spiral, so there are no unsightly seams. Then, the bottom border is done in joined rounds.
I used a #5 bulky yarn for this crochet poncho, which adds a little extra warmth but also a more modern appeal. The yarn used on the brown one was Lion’s Brand Woolspun in Coffee (which is discontinued, but it’s easy enough to find any other #5 yarn you like) and the pink-ish one is Loops & Threads Charisma in Jam.
I’ve written the pattern for sizes XS through to 5XL.
When I pictured myself out on an adventure in this poncho, I pictured blue skies and fluffy clouds, wild landscapes and sea-side paths to wander and get lost in my thoughts. The name was inspired by an amazingly charming little town in Newfoundland Canada called Bonavista. It’s a true Maritime wind-swept sea side town and I can’t wait to wear this adorbs chunky crochet capelet the next time I’m lucky enough to visit.
For more poncho ideas, check out my Cross-Over Poncho or Beginner Boho Poncho. For more projects using this bobble stitch on the bottom, try the Belle Bobble Basket or the Faith Throw.
LET’S GET MAKING! Scroll down for the FREE pattern for this chunky crochet capelet below OR you can PURCHASE the Ad-Free, printable version from my Etsy store HERE.
SUPPLY LIST:
10mm hook
Any Category 5 – bulky yarn (Yarn Used: Lion Brand Wood Spun in Coffee & Loops & Threads Charisma in Jam)
Approx yardage: XS: 320y/292m, S: 340y/310m, M: 380y/348m, L: 405y/367m, XL: 440y/402m, 2XL: 480y/438m, 3XL: 520y/475m, 4XL: 560y/512m, 5XL: 600y/548m
Scissors Tapestry needle
STITCHES & ABBREVIATIONS:
Terms are in US
CH – chain
ST – stitch
SL ST – slip stitch
SC – single crochet
SCBLO – single crochet in the back loop only
HDC – half double crochet TC – triple crochet
SIZES:
XS to 5XL
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:
(L x W only, for circumference, double the width)
XS: 18” W x 13” L
S: 19” W x 14” L
M: 22” W x 15” L
L: 25” W x 16” L
XL: 28” W x 17” L
2XL: 31” W x 18” L
3XL: 34” W x 19” L
4XL: 37” W x 20” L 5XL: 40” W x 21″ L
GAUGE:
11 rows x 7.5 stitches = 4” x 4”
DIFFICULTY LEVEL:
Advanced Beginner
PATTERN & SIZING NOTES:
– This chunky crochet capelet is worked in the round in a continuous spiral with the exception of the bottom border portion, which is worked in joined rounds
– Use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch in each round to keep track
– Use the following Size Key (*SK*) indicated in parentheses in reference to the size you are crocheting for this chunky crochet poncho: (*SK*: XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL) – I suggest taking a highlighter to mark the appropriate sizing references for the size you’re crocheting, to make it easier to follow the pattern – Stitch count for each round will be indicated in parentheses ( ) at the end of the row
INSTRUCTIONS:
CH the following # of stitches for your size: *SK*: 50, 50, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60 an SL ST together to the first CH to create a circle, CH 1
INCREASE ROUNDS:
Don’t forget to mark you first ST’s in each round!
Increase Round 1: For this round, the CH 1 is counting as the first ST – mark this stitch – then SC in each ST around (*SK*: 50, 50, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60, 60)
Increase Round 2: SC in to the marked CH 1 from the row before, mark this stitch, then HDC in to the next 8 ST’s, then place 2 HDC in to the next ST (so you have 9 ST’s and then the 10th has 2 HDC in it) and then repeat the following grouping for the rest of the round (HDC in next 9 ST’s, 2 x HDC in the next ST)
(*SK*: 56, 56, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66, 66)
Increase Round 3: Repeat this grouping for the round: HDC in 10 ST’s then 2 x HDC in the next ST (*SK*: 62, 62, 72, 72, 72, 72, 72, 72, 72)
Increase Round 4: Repeat this grouping for the round: HDC in 11 ST’s then 2 x HDC in the next ST (*SK*: 68, 68, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78, 78)
**For Sizes XS, Skip ahead to the Body Rounds, for all other sizes see below**
** For all the sizes of this chunky crochet capelet, you should end your increase rounds with the following number of ST’s:
(68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
Don’t forget to mark you first ST’s in each round!
For Size S: Do 1 more increase round by doing:
– Increase Round 5: HDC in 12 ST’s then HDC in 1 and repeat for the round (74)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size M: Do 2 more increase round by doing:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size L: Do 3 more increase rounds by doing:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Increase Round 7: [HDC in 14 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (96)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size XL: Do 4 more increase rounds by:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Increase Round 7: [HDC in 14 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (96)
– Increase Round 8: [HDC in 15 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (102)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size 2XL: Do 5 more increase rounds by:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Increase Round 7: [HDC in 14 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (96)
– Increase Round 8: [HDC in 15 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (102)
– Increase Round 9: [HDC in 16 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (108)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size 3XL: Do 6 more increase rounds by:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Increase Round 7: [HDC in 14 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (96)
– Increase Round 8: [HDC in 15 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (102)
– Increase Round 9: [HDC in 16 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (108)
– Increase Round 10: [HDC in 17 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (114)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size 4XL: Do 7 more increase rounds by:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Increase Round 7: [HDC in 14 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (96)
– Increase Round 8: [HDC in 15 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (102)
– Increase Round 9: [HDC in 16 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (108)
– Increase Round 10: [HDC in 17 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (114)
– Increase Round 11: [HDC in 18 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (120)
– Then skip ahead to Body Rounds
For Size 5XL: Do 7 more increase rounds by:
– Increase Round 5: [HDC in 12 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (84)
– Increase Round 6: [HDC in 13 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (90)
– Increase Round 7: [HDC in 14 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (96)
– Increase Round 8: [HDC in 15 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (102)
– Increase Round 9: [HDC in 16 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (108)
– Increase Round 10: [HDC in 17 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (114)
– Increase Round 11: [HDC in 18 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (120)
– Increase Round 12: [HDC in 19 ST’s then 2 x HDC in 1 ST], then repeat [ to ] for the round (126)
– Then move on to Body Rounds
BODY ROUNDS:
The following applies to all sizes for this chunky crochet ponho:
Don’t forget to mark you first ST’s in each round!
Body Rounds 1 to 16: HDC in each ST around (*SK*: 68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
– When you reach the end of Body Round 16, find your starting chain tail at the neck line, fold the capelet in half with this tail at the middle so that you can find the straight line down from it and find the stitch at the bottom of the capelet which lines up with your tail. Mark this ST. (the reason for this is that the starting stitch of our rounds drifts to the right as we add rounds, so we are trying to create a new starting stitch which lines up with the seam of our foundation chain)
– From your working ST, HDC in each stitch to the next marker EXCEPT in the last 4 stitches before the marker where you will do SC’s instead. We are now moving on to the border, spiral rounds end and joined rounds begin.
BORDER ROUNDS:
* reminder that spiral rounds end and we are now going to work in joined rounds for the remainder of this chunky crochet capelet
* the CH 1 at the beginnings of these border rounds count as a stitch
* These border round instructions apply to all sizes
Border Round 1: SL ST in to the back loop of the marked ST and CH 1 (then mark this ST), SCBLO in each ST around, SL ST in to the CH 1 marked ST and CH 1 (*SK*: 68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
Border Round 2: SCBLO in each ST around , SL ST in to the CH 1 marked ST and CH 1 (*SK*: 68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
Border Round 3: [TC, SC, TC, SC] and repeat [ to ] for the round, SL ST in to the CH 1 marked ST and CH 1 (*SK*: 68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
Border Round 4: SC (NOT in the BLO, do both loops for this round) in each ST around, SL ST in to the CH 1 marked ST and CH 1 (*SK*: 68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
Border Round 5: SCBLO in each ST around, SL ST in to the CH 1 marked ST, tie off your work (*SK*: 68, 74, 90, 96, 102, 108, 114, 120, 126)
– Weave in all your ends and voila, a super cozy, chunky crochet capelet!
