Latest Fashion Craze: Ponchos!

Have you looked around lately to see what the latest fashion is?
     Even though it's still summer, these items are proudly being worn.
          And stores are promoting them as "must haves" for the new school year.

What are they?  Ponchos!  Ponchos! Ponchos!

I remember as a kid, that my mother's best friend, Alice, crocheted me a poncho.  I lived in Colorado at the time, and mostly used the poncho for twirling around these bars they had set up on the playground.  I have no idea how I never lost my stomach contents doing all that twirling, but the poncho was one of my favorite garments, right next to my baby blue pants set.

In recalling the details of this poncho, my mind is telling me that it was similar to a granny square look -- not a bunch of granny squares, but one huge one with a hole in the middle so I could stick my head through.  And it had draw strings with huge pompoms at the end.  I'd lay my money down that it was yellow; my mother's favorite color for me.  (I'll have to ask her if she has any pictures)     

Now my email addy, and the CGOA's (I'm their Volunteer Correspondent) is flooded with requests for patterns for crocheted ponchos.  I hadn't any.  But fortunately someone posted a website, a Journal really -- also known as a Blog -- that is collecting links for them (I'm saved!!  LOL) and I checked it out and I'm impressed.  There's a growing list for crocheted ponchos (marked with a "C") and knitted ones too (marked with a "K").  You can check it out to by  going to faery crafty's journal at (copy & paste) http://faerycrafty.blogdrive.com/archive/140.html

Come this fall, I'll be teaching a "Design Your Own Poncho" two part class -- those taking it should have a lot of fun.  Yesterday, while teaching in Stamford, Haley, one of my students, started designing one herself.  She picked out her yarn colors based upon some beads she fell in love with and intend on using for the trim.  She worked up a small swatch using the colors and I think it will come out stunning. 

Half the fun, I think, is picking out the colors and the yarn textures to use that suits your likes.  If you know me, or getting to know me by reading my Journal here, then you know I'm an advocate for "doing your own thing" and making truely personal works.  I think it's worth playing around with swatches to get the look, the feel, and color combinations you're looking for.  And we're not even talking about incorporating beads yet!  LOL

And, speaking of fibers, thanks to the faery crafty's journal I mentioned just a bit ago, I took a test this morning to find out which flock I follow, and apparently, I don't.  (But we already knew this, didn't we?  LOL)  Read on:

 
You are a - Neutral Sheep! Congrats - you do what you like! You make your own rules, not follow the flock!


Click here to see which flock you follow