Aberdeen Plaid Poncho Pattern by Two of Wands

Fall is *just* around the corner, and with that comes cooler temps and cozy knitwear to layer. The anticipation of this season gets me more excited than anything else, and I wanted to start it off with a bang this year by releasing two extremely special designs – the Aberdeen (crochet) and Glasgow (knit) Plaid Ponchos. With a beginner level base fabric that is transformed into mesmerizing plaid using a simple weaving technique, these ponchos are sure to turn heads all season long. The best thing about the Aberdeen Plaid Poncho is that it takes just ONE stitch to construct the entire thing! Scroll down for the free pattern, click here to purchase the printer-friendly PDF, or click here for the full yarn kit with pattern included. If you’re looking for the knit Glasgow Plaid Poncho, click here.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may recognize this plaid technique that I first introduced with my Waterbury (knit) and Rosebridge (crochet) Plaid Blanket Scarves in 2020 and then again in 2021 with my Moonstone Plaid Blanket (knit) and Wildwood Plaid Blanket (crochet). It’s such a simple way to add incredible visual interest and create a fabric that looks WAY more complicated than it actually is (which happens to be my favorite kind of technique!).

I’ve been wanted to try the technique on a garment for ages, and a light poncho seemed like the perfect transitional weather piece to apply it. These are such a lightweight but cozy layer to top any outfit, and it’s the perfect way to cover your shoulders in the event of a slight chill. The twisted fringe adds so much personality, AND with just one end to weave in on the whole project even amidst so many color changes, it’s the perfect way to top off this project.

The finishing details of weaving and twisting the fringe do take a bit of time, but the base of the poncho whips up so fast that it all evens out to be fairly low on the time commitment scale for something of this level of beauty. And even though those last steps seem to take a little longer than the actual crocheting, the process of watching the plaid and fringe come to life is SO FUN that it will keep you engaged and excited the whole time.

The opportunity to feature lots of the new colors of Color Theory was another reason I opted for the plaid fabric. This yarn is my second-born (it debuted in 2022 after my first-born Hue + Me launched in 2020), and this summer is the first time we added to the original palette of 18 colors. Six new colors dropped in July and to say I was thrilled would be a massive understatement! I couldn’t wait to work these babies into my upcoming projects. Between the last two patterns I released and these ponchos, I’ve showcased all six – my Castaway Cardigan features Lagoon, the Serata Wrap features Paradiso, the crochet Aberdeen Plaid Poncho features Beaujolais, Fig, and Spice, and the Glasgow Plaid Poncho features the final color, Citron.

Like Hue + Me, there are seemingly endless color combinations to put together with Color Theory. These figures always blow my mind, but out of the now 24 colors in the palette, there are literally 10,626 ways to put together four colors for this poncho!! If that sounds overwhelming, don’t fear because I have put together my top 12 combos in addition to the ones I used for the Glasgow and Aberdeen Plaid Ponchos to narrow it down for you. Let’s have a look:

This is a beginner level crochet pattern and the techniques involved are the double crochet stitch and weaving.

MATERIALS

3 (4, 4, 4, 4) skeins Lion Brand Color Theory in Beaujolais (619-113BG) for Color A
1 (1, 1, 1, 1) skein Lion Brand Color Theory in Satellite (619-149X) for Color B
2 (3, 3, 3, 3) skeins Lion Brand Color Theory in Fig (619-146AU) for Color C
1 (1, 1, 1, 1) skein Lion Brand Color Theory in Spice (619-133BH) for Color D
(worsted, weight 4; 246yds/225m per skein)

Size US J/10 (6mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle

GAUGE

12 sts + 7 rows = 4”/10cm in double crochet, blocked

FINISHED DIMENSIONS

Sizes: XS/S (M/L, XL/2XL, 3XL/4XL, 5XL) to fit bust size 28-34 (36-42, 44-50, 52-58, 60-62)”/71-86 (91.5-106.5, 111.5-127, 132-147, 152-158)cm

Pictured in a size S on model with 34”/86.5cm bust

A Width laying flat: 25 (27, 29, 31, 33)”/63.5 (68.5, 73.5, 79, 84)cm
B Length: 18 (19, 20, 21, 22)”/46 (48.5, 51, 53.5, 56)cm
C Neck circumference: 20”/51cm

ABBREVIATIONS
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms.

Ch – chain
Dc – double crochet
Rep – repeat
RS – right side
Sl st – slip stitch
St(s) – stitch(es)
WS – wrong side

NOTES

Poncho is worked flat in back and forth rows - turn at the end of each row. To change colors, work the last yarn over of the last stitch of the current row with the new color. Leave 15”/38cm tails at the beginning and end of each color change of the body to be used for fringe. The ch 3 at the beginning of each row counts as a stitch, so you will skip the first stitch of each row and work the final double crochet into the turning chain of the previous row. Vertical stripes are woven in after crochet base is complete. Fringe is twisted using a rope technique. Pattern is written for 5 sizes: XS/S (M/L, XL/2XL, 3XL/4XL, 5XL)

BODY

With color A, ch 146 (158, 170, 182, 194).

Row 1 (WS): Starting in 4th ch from hook, dc across row. (144 (156, 168, 180, 192) sts with skipped 3 ch counting as a st)

Row 2 (RS): Ch 3 (counts as a st), dc across row (last st goes in turning ch from row below).

Rep row 2, changing colors as follows:

Rows 3+4: Color A.

Row 5: Color B.

Rows 6-9: Color A.

Rows 10-12: Color C.

Row 13: Color D.

Rows 14-16: Color C.

Rows 17-20: Color A.

Row 21: Color B.

Rows 22-25: Color A.

Rows 26-28: Color C.

Row 29: Color D.

Rows 30-32: Color C.

Rows 33-36: Color A.

Sizes - (M/L, XL/2XL, 3XL/4XL, 5XL) only:

Row 37: Color B.

Row 38: Color A.

Sizes - (-, XL/2XL, 3XL/4XL, 5XL) only:

Rows 39+40: Color A.

Sizes - (-, -, 3XL/4XL, 5XL) only:

Row 41: Color A.

Row 42: Color C.

Size 5XL only:

Rows 43+44: Color C.

All sizes:

Fasten off, leaving a long tail to seam the top shoulder of the poncho.

CONSTRUCTION

Block work to the following dimensions:

Width: 48 (52, 56, 60, 64)”/122 (132, 142, 152.5, 162.5)cm
Length: 21 (22, 23, 24, 25)”/53.5 (56, 58.5, 61, 63.5)cm

Place markers along the top edge 42 (48, 54, 60, 66) sts in from either side, leaving 60 sts between them. Fold work in half with WS facing in/RS facing out so that the side edges meet and the last row worked is at the top edge, doubled over with the markers aligning.

Using the long tail and a tapestry needle, seam from the outer edge of the top row up to and into the marked sts by lacing the tail in a zigzag under both loops from the bottom up of the 1st st on the left, then the 1st st on the right, then the 2nd st on the left, then the 2nd st on the right, and so forth. The last st worked on either side should be the marked st, leaving 60 sts in total circumference for the neck.

Fasten off. Secure and weave in only the tail used for seaming.

Secure each tail at the sides of the poncho with a knot.

WEAVING

Video support for this technique can be found here: https://youtu.be/TLT6g4i91_A

Long strands will now be woven vertically between the crochet stitches to create the plaid effect.

Cut the following number of 72 (74, 76, 78, 80)”/183 (188, 193, 198, 203)cm lengths of each color: 50 (54, 64, 70, 70) color A, 12 (12, 12, 12, 16) color B, 76 (84, 84, 90, 98) color C, and 5 (5, 7, 7, 7) color D. The best way to do this is to pull the center end out of the ball and hold it together with the outer end so you can cut 2 lengths at a time.

Lay the poncho flat with the open side to the left and the neck at the top right. Following Color Chart 1 from left to right and starting where indicated for your size, thread 2 strands of color C (A, A, C, B) together onto a tapestry needle. Begin weaving over and under each row in between the 1st (edge) and 2nd sts along the left side from the bottom edge up and over the shoulder to the bottom edge on the back side. Pull the lengths so that they are even at either bottom edge (approx. 15”/38cm long) and fabric is not gathering. Thread a 2nd double strand of the next color onto the needle and weave between the 2nd and 3rd stitches of the fabric, this time going under and over opposite rows to create a woven effect. Each square of the chart indicates 1 double strand to be worked between 2 sts.

Continue with double strands of each color, following Color Chart 1 and weaving under and over opposite rows each time. The last strand indicated in Color Chart 1 should be woven just prior to the first st of the neckline.

The remaining lengths will be woven into the fabric from the neckline down, rather than from the bottom up. Rotate the poncho so the neckline is now at the bottom. Begin with 1 strand of the 1st color indicated at either edge of Color Chart 2 and fold it in half. Use a lark’s head knot to attach it between the 1st 2 sts of the neckline – to do so, insert the crochet hook from the back to the front between the 2 sts and place the folded loop of the strand around the hook, then draw it through the space, then use the hook to grab the ends of the strand and draw them through the folded loop. Thread the ends onto the tapestry needle and weave them under and over down to the bottom edge as established to maintain the woven look. Each square of the chart indicates 1 folded strand to be worked between 2 sts.

Continue in this manner, following Color Chart 2 around the neckline. The last strand indicated in Color Chart 2 should be woven just prior to the last st remaining before Color Chart 1 ended on the other side, leaving no spaces available.

Before proceeding with fringe, lay the poncho flat to ensure there is no puckering or flaring and that the dimensions haven’t been compromised too much. The weaving will have caused the width to increase slightly and the length to decrease slightly. The final dimensions should be approx:

Width: 25 (27, 29, 31, 33)”/63.5 (68.5, 73.5, 79, 84)cm

Length: 18 (19, 20, 21, 22)”/46 (48.5, 51, 53.5, 56)cm

FRINGE

Video support for this technique can be found here: https://youtu.be/H6FM4phCFi4

Trim all strands along the bottom edge to the same length, approx. 10”/38cm.

Treat each double strand as if it were one. Starting with two leftmost double strands, twist each separately in the same direction that the yarn twists until it buckles easily when you give it a little slack. Then twist the two together in the opposite direction, forming a rope. Knot at the end to secure.

Rep across entire bottom edge with two double strands at a time. There will be 1 double strand as well as the initial tail from the foundation ch left at the end – treat the single strand as if it was one of the double strands to twist these final 3 strands together.

Trim ends for a clean edge.

Cut the following number of 20”/51cm lengths of each color: 8 (10, 10, 11, 11) color A, 4 (6, 6, 6, 6) color B, 8 (8, 8, 8, 8) color C, and 4 (4, 4, 5, 5) color D.

Fold each strand in half and use a lark’s head knot as explained above to attach each next to the corresponding tail colors along the side edges of the poncho. Use the technique above to create twisted fringe, incorporating the tails into the fringe by holding 3 strands together at a time rather than 2.

Trim ends for a clean edge.

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