I am in love with this crochet oversized cocoon shrug and poncho pattern! This color design was inspired by a recent trip to the desert outside the city.  This location had a beautiful desert landscape.  The normal sandy brown colors were everywhere of course, but this location had heavy white salt deposits sprinkled in this sand and stones and HUGE black horse flies or black bees everywhere that I had never seen before.  I don’t really like bugs, but these were so exotic and beautiful to me that I took in the whole atmosphere together and put it into my crochet sweater.  I wanted various browns, with white and black just like what I saw out there in the desert.  And I knew I needed some texture like bobble stitches to represent all the stones of the desert. I had a hard time deciding if I wanted to make a poncho or shrug but I ended making the poncho first and the crochet oversized cocoon shrug after.

Crochet Poncho

The crochet poncho is created by making two of the panels and simply sewing or crocheting them together halfway, leaving the front open.  If you wanted a high low fit, you could make your seam slightly longer in the back.  

Crochet Oversized Cocoon Shrug

The crochet oversized cocoon shrug is composed of sewing or crocheting the two panels together. Then we fold the rectangle to create arm holes and sew or crochet that seam.  Finally, we add some cuffs to the bottom of the sleeves using front post and back post double crochets.  

Both looks are simple in construction.  They are composed of two panels that can be sewn or crocheted together to create the poncho or cocoon.  I knew I wanted bobbles of different sizes to represent the various stones of different sizes in the desert.  So I used 3 different sized bobble in the panel for the collar area of both.  And of course, who doesn’t love granny stitches!?  They work up so fast and are so relaxing to crochet. I was so in love with my crochet oversized cocoon shrug and then my step dad purchased it for my mom for Christmas. So now I need to make another one! 

Pattern Notes

• ● The video tutorial focuses on a crochet oversized cocoon shrug One Size Fits  S-L and One Size Fits 1X – 3X,  notes for more fitted versions and shorter versions are also given.
• ● It is recommended to use one light and dark version of the same color with black and white to achieve that blended color effect, but of course you can be creative and use the colors as you wish. 

Materials

• ● 7.0 mm Hook
• ● Medium Weight 4 Yarn, colors shown are: 
• I Love This Yarn Linen – 1400 yd (S-L), 1600 yd (1X-3X)
• I Love This Yarn Toasted Almond – 450 yd (S-L), 650 yd (1X-3X)
• I Love This Yarn Black – 450 yd (S-L), 650 yd (1X-3X)
• I Love This Yarn White – 175 yd (S-L), 375 yd (1X-3X) 
• ● Scissors
• ● Stitch Markers
• ● Yarn Needle 

Stitches Used

• ● Ch – Chain
• ● Sl st– slip stitch
• ● Sc – Single crochet
• ● Dc– Double crochet
• ● Dtc – Double treble crochet
• ● Bo – yarn over, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two, repeat six times in the same stitch until you have 8 loops on your hook, yarn over, pull through eight loops, chain one
• ● Dc7together– yarn over, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over pull through two, and don’t finish dc, repeat in the next six stitches until there are eight loops on the hook, yarn over and pull through eight loops, chain one
• ● Dtc7together – yarn over twice, insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over pull through two, yarn over, pull through two and don’t finish dtc, repeat in the next six stitches until there are eight loops on the hook, yarn over and pull through eight loops, chain one
• ● Fpdc– Front post double crochet
• ● Bpdc – Back post double crochet

¹***Instructions are written using A, B, C, D to note colors. Feel free to change these colors for different combinations. It is recommended to use one light and dark version of the same color with black and white to achieve that gradient color effect, but of course you can be creative and use the colors as you wish. To join a new color, work to last two loops on hook of previous color. Create slip knot in new color and draw through the last two loops and proceed with new color. Feel free to choose the color change method of your choice. The chain 1 that closes the bobbles will be pulled tight and skipped in the following row to avoid increasing.

Panel

Foundation: With A, chain 152 (164). 

Row 1: Sc in 2nd chain from hook, 1 sc in every stitch across. In total, 151 (163) sc. Row 2: Chain 1, turn, 1 dc in every stitch across. In total, 151 (163) dc. 

Row 3: Chain 2, turn, dtc, 7 dtc in next stitch, 1 dtc in next 3 stitches, 7 dtc in next stitch, 1 dtc in next 3 stitches, 7 dtc in next stitch, 1 dtc in next 3 stitches, repeat until there are 2 stitches left, 7 dtc in 2nd to last stitch, 1 dtc in last stitch. 

Row 4: Chain 2, turn, dtc, dtc7tog, 1 dtc in next 3 stitches, dtc7tog, 1 dtc in next 3 stitches, dtc7tog, 1 dtc in next 3 stitches, repeat until there are 8 stitches left, dtc7tog, 1 dtc in last stitch. 

Row 5: Chain 1, turn, dc, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in next 4 stitches, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in next 4 stitches, repeat until there are 3 stitches left, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in last two stitches. In total 151 (163) dc. 

Row 6: Chain 1, turn, dc, 7 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, 7 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, 7 dc in next stitch, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, repeat until there are 2 stitches left, 7 dc in 2nd to last stitch, 1 dc in last stitch. 

Row 7: Chain 1, turn, dc, dc7tog, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, dc7tog, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, dc7tog, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, repeat until there are 8 stitches left, dc7tog, 1 dc in last stitch. 

Row 8: Chain 1, turn, dc, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in the next 4 stitches, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in next 4 stitches, repeat until there are 3 stitches left, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in last two stitches. In total, 151 (163) dc. 

Row 9: Chain 1, turn, dc, bo, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, bo, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, bo, 1 dc in next 3 stitches, repeat until there are 2 stitches left, bo, dc in last stitch. 

Row 10: Chain 1, turn, dc, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in next 3 stitches, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in next 4 stitches, repeat until there are 3 stitches left, sk 1 (the chain 1 pulled tight), 1 dc in last two stitches. 

Row 11: Chain 1, turn, 2 dc in first stitch, sk 2, 3 dc in next stitch, sk 2, 3 dc in next stitch, sk 2, 3 dc in next stitch, repeat until there are 3 stitches left, sk 2, 2 dc in last stitch. 

Row 12: With B, chain 1, turn, dc, working in spaces between the dc groups, 3 dc in first space, 3 dc in each space across, dc in last stitch. 

Row 13: With C, chain 1, turn, 2 dc in first stitch, sk 1st space, sk 3, working in spaces between the dc groups, 3 dc in next space, 3 dc in each space across until there are 3 stitches left, sk 2, 2 dc in last stitch.

Row 14: With B, chain 1, turn, dc, working in spaces between the dc groups, 3 dc in first space, 3 dc in each space across, dc in last stitch. 

Row 15: With A, chain 1, turn, 2 dc in first stitch, sk 1st space, sk 3, working in spaces between the dc groups, 3 dc in next space, 3 dc in each space across until there are 3 stitches left, sk 2, 2 dc in last stitch. 

Row 16: With D, chain 1, turn, dc, working in spaces between the dc groups, 3 dc in first space, 3 dc in each space across, dc in last stitch. 

*Repeat rows 11-16 until there are 22 (28) granny stitch rows with color changes, A-B-C-B-A-D repeat, until row 32 (38) is complete. Row 32 (38) should be color B. Then repeat granny stitch rows for 5 rows with color A only, until row 37 (43) is complete. Cut and tie off. Repeat rows 1-37 (1-43) for a second panel. 

Border 

With B, attach yarn to the slip knot in the foundation chain to go in the direction to work in the sides of the rows on the chosen right side. Place 3 sc in the corner stitch. Working in the side of the rows, place 1 sc in the side of row 1 which was sc height. Place 3 sc in the side of every dtc row. Place 2 sc in the side of every dc row. Count the amount of sc that were used in the first side with the side of rows. There should be approximately 75 (87) sc in the sides of rows. Follow these rules to achieve this amount of sc on the opposite side (the sides of rows) of this panel as well as the 2 sides of rows for the second panel. Once the next corner is reached, place 3 sc in the corner stitch, turn and place 1 sc in each stitch. Place 3 sc in the corner stitch. Place the same amount of sc as the first side using the same rules. Place 3 sc in the next corner stitch and 1 sc in every stitch along the foundation chain. Sl st in sc. Cut and tie off. Repeat for the second panel ensuring that there are the same amount of sc on each corresponding side of the panels. 

With C, attach yarn to a different area than the attachment of the previous step so that the tail can be crocheted over in this step. Place one sc in every stitch while placing 3 sc in the corner stitches to turn each corner. Sl st in sc. Make sure that there is the same amount of sc on the corresponding sides to maintain the proper rectangle and to be able to sew/crochet corresponding sides of the two panels together neatly. 

Poncho 

Configure the two panels together so that either the bobble sides are parallel to each other in the middle, or the granny stitch sides are parallel to each other in the middle based on preference. Starting with the corner most stitch, sew or crochet the two panels together from the 

inside of the garment to the middle stitch of both panels. The poncho will be sewn or crocheted only halfway and fasten off, leaving the front half not sewn or crocheted together.

Shrug 

Configure the two panels together so that either the bobble sides are parallel to each other in the middle, or the granny stitch sides are parallel to each other in the middle based on preference. Sew or crochet the entire middle together on the inside of the garment.

Fold the two corners on opposite sides of the seam towards the seam as shown.

From the inside, sew or crochet the two sides together leaving the middle 24 (36) stitches open for the arm hole. There should be 12 (18) stitches on each side of the seam. For a custom fit of the arm, measure the widest part of the forearm area and leave that amount of length open in the middle making sure there’s an equal amount of stitches going from the seam and that there is an even number of stitches in the armhole.

Do not fasten off. Turn garment right side out so that working yarn is now on the right side. 

Sleeve 

Row 1: Continuing with C, chain 1, 1 dc in every stitch of the round of the arm hole, sl st in dc. In total, 24 (36) dc. 

Row 2: Chain 1, fpdc, bpdc, repeat until the end of the round, sl st in dc. 

***Repeat row 2 until row 15 is complete, or to the desired length. Cut and tie off. Repeat seam and sleeve for other arm.

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