The Sycamore Poncho

Howdy- just a short little post today. I just today finished Lily Chin's Sycamore Poncho which is from the Fall 2010 issue of Interweave Crochet. I started it a while ago- maybe October? But it, like many things, was put away in favour of holiday projects. I've been in the mood to finish something biggish, so I began working on it again a few days ago. It's made from almost exactly 2 skeins of Knitpicks tonal sock wool, 100g each skein. The pattern called for a size I/9/5.00mm hook & that's what I used to get gauge. It's a nifty pattern, with 2 panels of solid crochet (made from a stitch new to me- the extended single crochet) & 2 panels of lacy double crochet, that can be worn any way you like. The only modifications I made were to extend the single crochet panels, because it just looked too short to fit me properly when I reached 49 rows, so I went on until I reached 60. That made the lacy panels wider, too (I had a spare skein of the sock wool on hand just in case, but didn't need it, although I finished each side with only a yard or so left of each skein). I liked the construction, & basically like the way it looks, although the model in the picture illustrating the pattern must be about a size 1 (I am not) based on how it looks on her...

The poncho is modeled here by Roo bear, made for me in the late 80's by my friend Roo (of course :). On me, it falls to just above my waist & just below my elbows. I will wear it with dresses, so it should be ok. I like it best with the lacy panels front & back (top picture), partly because I like the neck slit going from front-to-back, & partly because it's warmer to have the solid panels on my arms. I made it because I get chilly around the house once Fall/Winter arrives. I actually started 3 projects last fall to deal with this problem, but 2 are of my own design so they have taken more vetting along. I'm getting ready to continue on the next one (Spring is coming- will I make it in time?) & really looking forward to it.

What inspires me the most about the Sycamore Poncho is that, having made one, I can use the principle behind the design to design my own- how about panels of lace or motifs instead of solid single-crochet & double crochet. Stay tuned...