My daughter, a seven-year-old fashionista in spe, came from school the other day: “MAMA! Can you knit me such a round thing, you know, all around the body is just knit knit knit, and only your hands peek out in front!”. Oh Gott. What was that? It took us a while to google all kind of knit drapes before we realised: it is a poncho she wants! “This is so beautiful!” said she. All right. I´ve realised it´s time for me to step into a new territory of becoming my daughters´ personal dresser: designer, knitter, seamstress, maker. Just as my mom did it for me, and her mom did it for her, and her father did it for all, and as far as the story tells us, there was always someone in the family who knew how to keep people warm and make them happy. A new dress is like a new beginning. So let´s get on to it!
Finding a good poncho pattern that is not a square sewn together in a hanging drape of no shape, turned out to be like looking for a needle in a haystack of knitting craze out there. Mais voila, after days of search, here it was: a Mac & Me Pattern #133 Little Back Bay available @ yarn.com !
I used Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky in Jasmine, Silver Mink and Azalea. You can just follow the pattern, the yarn works in the same gauge. To get the lower color cut, I just changed the color when I started to shape with short rows (see pattern). The back I left in one color.
The letters I sew in after I finished and blocked the work, following Debbie Bliss letter pattern from her book Blanket, Bears and Bootees available on Amazon and elsewhere. Enjoy!
