Lizzy Grace's Poncho

I was in the middle of another project when I got a wild hair to make a poncho for a little girl. I can give you a million crazy things that sent my brain in that direction, but none of them really matter. I have lots of little girls in my life, and I thought a poncho would be fun. After a lot of research, I  found tons of patterns, but none really fit what I wanted to do. I wanted to make it in one piece, no stitching panels together. (I still fail when sewing is involved.) I found one for an infant, but I didn't really want to make one that small, so I decided to use that for a starting off point and see what I could do.

For this project I used the following:

1 Skein Red Heart Super Saver Yarn Watercolor  244 yards
1 Skein Red Heart Super Saver Yarn Medium Purple 364 yards
A little soft white, or off white yarn ... I had some Loops & Threads Impeccable in Aran
Size 9,  24" circular needles. I have this really nice Boye NeedleMaster Interchangeable Needle Set that is great for always having the right size for the right project.
2 double pointed size 9 needles
1 tapestry needle
4 Stitch Markers in two colors

K = Knit
P = Purl
SSD = Slip on stitch from left to right needle, then slip the next stitch. Insert the left needle into the front loops of the slipped stitches and knit them together from the position.
K2TOG = Knit 2 Together
VDD = Slip 2 stitches from left to right needle, remove marker, knit the next stitch, slip the two previous stitching back over the stitch you just knit, replace marker
You also need to know how to make an I-Cord.

Using Watercolor Cast on 240 stitches to the Size 9 Circular needles
Row 1 P all the way around.
Row 2 K2TOG Yarn Over all the way around
Row 3 P entire row
Row 4 K entire row

Row 5 K1, SSD, K114, K2TOG, place marker, K2, SSD, K114, K2TOG, place same color marker, K1
Row 6 K entire row
Row 7 K entire row

Row 8 K1, SSD, K to 2 stitches before marker, K2TOG, K2, SSD, K to two stitches before marker, K2TOG, K1

Repeat Rows 6 - 8 until you run out of the Watercolor. Tie off and start using Medium Purple

Continue repeating pattern (decreasing every third row) until the piece measures about 15"

Begin Working Back and Forth for Neckline

Row 1 K1, SSD, K to 2 stitches before marker, K2TOG, K2, SSD, K to two stitches before marker, K2TOG, K1
Turn Work
Row 2 P entire row
Turn Work
Repeat Row 1 and 2 until the opening is about 5" long ending on a Row 1

Count your stitches and divide by 4. Count that many stitches from either end of the row and add the two other colored markers. You should now have 4 markers, each about a quarter of a way around the piece.

Row 1 Purl entire row
Row 2 K1, SSD, K to 2 stitches before marker, VDD, K to 2 stitches before marker, K2TOG, K2, SSD, K to 2 stitches before marker, VDD, K to 2 stitches before next marker, K2TOG, K1
Repeat Row 1 and 2 until the new seams you are creating on the two sides (shoulders) measure about 4"(ending with a Row 2 which is the Knitting row)
Turn
Row 1 K entire row
Row 2 K2TOG Yarn Over entire row
Row 3 K entire row
Bind Off

With the Medium Purple, create a 3 stitch I-Cord about 36" long and weave through the "lacy" part of the neckline. 

Then create a tassel by winding the yarn about 15 times around four fingers held slightly apart. Cut about a 6" piece of yarn and slip it through the thick loop of yarn you have made. Cut through the opposite end of the loop. Thread the end of the tied yarn into the tapestry needle and stitch the tassel onto the I-Cord, weaving the rest of the end into the cord. Repeat for the second tassel.

I used my check book to create the fringe. (I figured it should be useful for something.) I took the Medium Purple yarn and wrapped it over and over around the long side of the check book. Then I cut through one end of the loop created.

 For each stitch of the very bottom row, pull three pieces of fringe through, one piece at a time. Insert the crochet needle from back to front, hook one strand of fringe from the center and pull half way through, thread the cut ends through the loop created and pull tight. Repeat, with 3 strands in each stitch. And repeat. And repeat. This is a great mindless thing to do if you are watching a good movie.

I like making the I-Cords and I had read that you can use them to make designs, so I decided to add one to this. I took the Aran yarn and made about a 36" cord. I took the cord and shaped it into a flower and stitched it together. Then I took the medium purple and created about a 26" cord. I fit this cord inside the white design and stitched it into place. I went back to the Aran and made about a 7" cord. I wound that into a tight spiral and stitched it into the center of the flower.

I placed the flower just a little off-center and stitched it onto the poncho.

Next weekend one of my girliques has her tenth birthday. Here's hoping her present fits.

This was my first attempt at writing down a pattern. I hope you were able to follow it. If I confused you, as I'm sure I did, give me a shout. I'll be happy to try to explain what I did.

Jeannie