Do you remember when I started this project? It was at the very end of last year, ten days before Christmas. It has been a magical project, seven weeks of crocheting bliss, and everything about it has given me pleasure. The yarn, oh the yarn! Such a beautiful, luxurious yarn to work with. I used many colours for this creation (19 ish, possibly more), it's Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, the leftovers from my last ripple blanket with the addition of two shades of soft grey. I would love to give you exact shade details, but alas so many of the colours have been discontinued and aren't available any more.
I have been toying with the idea of making a poncho for some time now and have a few poncho images saved to my Crochet Dreams board on Pinterest. The decision to finally make myself one this Winter came about through necessity ie I am often very chilly here at home in the evenings and early mornings! My wish was for something warm, cheerful and blankety that I could wrap myself up in, to keep warm when the house is cold. It has never been my intention to wear this poncho out and about, it will stay here in the Attic I think, much as my blankets do.
I have loved making these rows, truly I have. The bigger they became, the more I loved immersing myself into the rhythm of pure crochet pleasure. Stitch after stitch after stitch after stitch, all that brilliant colour play and repetitive hooky action was extremely pleasurable.
The pattern for this poncho (which I have named the "Home Poncho") is of my own devising. It is simple but effective, and a little different from the usual "granny stripe" type ponchos that are out there. In a nutshell, the pattern consists of two rows of trebles, followed by a more open row which is a {1 treble, skip 1 stitch, chain-1} repeating pattern. There are two increase points at the centre front and back which creates the classic poncho V shape.
It didn't really take me all that long to get through the rows (seventy in total), but the edging took quite a while especially as I was very indecisive about what exactly I wanted to do there on the edge. I did quite a bit of sampling, flapping about with a complicated lacy scallop idea until the maths drove me crazy and I threw the sample in the bin. I knew I didn't want tassels, but I did want something pretty and delicate.
In the end I came up with a combination of chain loops and a flattened out bobble type stitch. There are 230 bobble-type stitches in my edging, that's quite a lot! And as they all ended up a little bit curly and tight I decided to put in the effort to pin-and-steam each one. Uh-huh, each and every one.....
This is the reverse side, and you can see the method here. A folded up towel on the ironing board, a box of Very Useful T-Pins, some careful pinning out, then some gentle steam action with a cool iron. This method of blocking really does work, it's absolutely fabulous and a little bit miraculous. You can read more details about it in this post, the main thing to remember is that the iron DOES NOT touch the crochet! No iron contact!! It is all about the pfffffffff of the steam.
Oh look, see how pretty it looks? Lets have a little Edging Moment shall we........
.......Ta-dah!!!!!!!! Love it, love it.
The other bit of detailing I decided on was a simple cord to thread through the spacey crochet rows at the neck edge. The cord is made with a foundation chain, then a whole load of slip stitches down it's length, although I did add a little something at the ends look.....
....I made two little flat bobble leaves which echo the edging pattern, then added some teeny-tiny flowers. The tie doesn't actually do up or gather or tie anything, it is purely for decoration.
I am really excited to show you now how it all came together. I just love it so.
I love the pretty duck egg blue edging.....
....with it's neat little flat bobbles.
And I love the neck edge too with it's decorative flower cord.
All in all, this is a very happy, warm, snugly, cosy, homespun creation.
Shall we take a look at it in it's entirety then?
Shall we look from the top to the bottom and take it all in?
Ok.
Here
it
is..................................
Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My colourful Home Poncho.
I spread it out look, so you can really see the shape of it. It's quite big actually, measuring 100cm from top to bottom and 110cm across the widest point. I wanted it to feel snugly and generous when I wear it, covering up my lap and arms when I sit at my desk to write during these cold winter evenings.
I managed to take a few pics of myself wearing it, even though I really didn't much want to. But I felt I wanted to show you the scale of it, and to give you some idea of how it feels to wear it.
So funny really, this business of blogging. Mid afternoon yesterday, there I was out in the back yard with our old decorating step ladders dragged up from the cellar and my little point and shoot camera set on a timer. I had ten seconds to dash from the step ladder to the wall, to get myself in position and not look like too much of an eejit. I kind of managed it. And I've had my hair cut!
Wide arms now please Mrs Attic, smile for the camera, work that poncho!!!
Ahhh that's better, lets use the chair instead, and take some lovely colourful, detailed pictures now....
....ooohhhhh, mmmmmm, I like that one! Yummy scrummy!
About the colours, cos I know someone will ask....chosen totally at random as I went along. I picked one colour after another as I went, no planning whatsoever, other than with the pale duck egg blue (my favourite colour, sadly now discontinued, boohoo). I had three balls of that colour so deliberately saved that for the edging. Some colours I ran out of part way through so they only appear a couple times, remember this was a stash-bust project so I had to work with what I had. But overall, I am delighted with the way the colours worked, even the greys pleased me (shock horror!)
So. I think that's about all I have to say about the Home Poncho. I am wearing it right now as I sit and write at my drafty cold desk, and it feels divine. I have already been asked loads-and-loads of times about writing up the pattern. All I can say is that I will try, but I am not promising. This is a complex design with numbers and stuff, and truthfully my head hurts a little just thinking about trying to actually write the pattern out. My priority now is to make a new tute for the Bower Bird, I will do that next before I do anything else. But thank you for all the interest you have shown in this project, it's been a fun share for sure.
Lots of love, thanks as always for calling in to see me x
Did anyone ever get this pattern? Can beginners do it? If so, I would like the pattern. My ex mother in law made these years ago but passed away before I could learn.
Posted by: Tere | November 10, 2015 at 12:35 PM
Wow, what a lovely, beautiful poncho. I like it!! :)
Posted by: Ian Michelow | November 01, 2015 at 01:18 AM
Is it possible to get this pattern? its gorgeous you are my most favorite, i love the way you see colors.
Posted by: Pam Albin | October 23, 2015 at 01:26 AM
Love your poncho. Like everyone else, where can I get the pattern?
Posted by: tfleischer | October 08, 2015 at 06:46 PM
Such a beautiful poncho ! I would love to have the pattern, is this possible ? I would be so thankful. Greetings Nicole
Posted by: Nicole Knauer | October 05, 2015 at 05:53 PM
Hi,
What a beautiful poncho. Would you be able to share the pattern with me please
Kind regards
Kath
Posted by: Kathryn evans | October 01, 2015 at 02:19 PM
i love this.
May i have this pattern?
Greetings from Belgium
Posted by: vermeulen | September 26, 2015 at 10:27 PM
This is the most beautiful poncho I've seen. I would love to know where I can purchase your pattern. Thanks!
Posted by: Judi Schleiden | August 31, 2015 at 05:07 AM
Hi I love this poncho and would love to make it as I am in Ontario ,Canada and it gets cool in the fall and this is perfect . please I would love the pattern how can I purchase your pattern . Thank you
Posted by: Karen | August 26, 2015 at 02:40 AM
I would love the pattern for this poncho please. Thank you :)
Posted by: Trish m | August 23, 2015 at 05:24 AM
Ms.Lucy, have you read any of the comments from your Cheerleaders on your blog,their all Screaming for the poncho pattern. Not one person made mention of your difficulties taking a selfie with your old ladder or that you ran out of your favorite yarn boo hoo, & you continued to share "your" story, only nobody was interested, they "are" interested in your pattern's. I don't understand this blogging stuff & posting your work without posting a pattern or link or availability for purchase. Do bloggers post for Praise?
Posted by: Rita | July 24, 2015 at 10:54 PM
I would like the pattern that is the most colorful poncho I have ever seen I would love to make one
Maggie
Posted by: maggie davis | July 22, 2015 at 09:03 PM
Please send me the pattern for this poncho. I love the colors. Can a beginner do this?
Posted by: Gale stone | July 18, 2015 at 06:08 PM
Please send me a pattern on this poncho . I made one like this in the 70's but I can't find my old pattern.
Please would you share it with me.
"Sis"
Posted by: Sis Mumaw | July 02, 2015 at 09:03 PM
I knitted a poncho like this a few years ago. Would just LOVE to do your poncho as well. I just can't do this without a pattern. Where can I find a pattern? Please please and thank you.
Posted by: Hester | March 08, 2015 at 08:38 AM
please tell me there is a pattern for this as I so want to make it Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease xx
Posted by: sandra lowe | February 21, 2015 at 11:51 AM
BTW I have ordered some wool yarn to attempt to make this poncho without a written pattern. Just going to look at the pictures and trial and error the starting chain. Wish me luck!
Posted by: Donna Graves | February 16, 2015 at 06:56 PM
Does anyone get an answer to their questions? I must be missing her responses or she doesn't respond. Not quite sure which it us.
Posted by: Donna Graves | February 16, 2015 at 06:52 PM
I have been looking for a beautiful colorful poncho and came across yours this evening. I am 60 years old and have been crocheting for years. Could you please tell us all where we could buy the pattern? God Bless
Betty
Posted by: Betty Pomroy-Martinez | February 16, 2015 at 03:14 AM
Hi Lucy, this poncho is just exquisite! Did you get to write the pattern for this? I would love to make it but dont have enough experience to increase without a pattern. The colours you use a pure happiness
Posted by: Antonela | February 06, 2015 at 01:56 AM
This is just beautiful! I so wish I had the pattern.
Posted by: Theresa Bauserman | January 22, 2015 at 12:04 AM
Hello, It is gorgeous! Do you have a written pattern for this poncho? Thanks!
Posted by: Donna | January 09, 2015 at 05:27 PM
My friend has agreed to try to make this for me...she needs to know how many stitches to begin with, scale to use, and what number to make the turns on...please. How many skeins of each color did you use...or I guess how many skeins in all, approximately?
Christine in NH
Posted by: Christine Spaulding | January 05, 2015 at 05:03 PM
Can you give info on the flat bobble trim? Stitch? Pattern? thanks so much. Your work is inspiration to me. Beautiful.
Posted by: Jennifer Goodwin | January 05, 2015 at 03:47 PM
Would you PLEASE post a pattern for this Work Of Art Home Poncho, I want to make one so very much. Thanks from the USA.
Posted by: Christine Murphy | December 27, 2014 at 03:51 PM