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| Handknit poncho. Photo by Sarah Myers, used by permission |
The poncho is a traditional wrap found up and down the Americas, from Chile to Mexico. It is a very simple garment, traditionally a handwoven rectangle with a slit for the neck (or perhaps two handwoven rectangles joined up the center with fancy stitching and separated at the neck).
In this case, I have chosen to handknit this design, which made it easy to add some simple shaping at the shoulder to reduce overall bulk on a small wearer, namely myself! This shaping was achieved by using what knitters refer to as "short rows", which produce a diagonal increase across the garment. It also produces the double row of eyelets seen along the shoulder.
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| photo courtesy Sarah Myers |
Otherwise, I have simply knitted a rectangle, split at the neck into two sections worked separately, then rejoined to work down the back. In other words, it is knit all in one piece with a straight opening at the neck.
Decoration is in garter stitch and stocking stitch. Garter stitch panels edge the entire garment as well as the central motive and neck. The rectangular pattern up the center is in variations of stocking stitch and reversed stocking stitch. Front and back are identical.
When I was quite small, I had a wrap which we called a poncho. It was in red yarn with a sort of netted construction. It was perhaps more accurately called a cape as it was circular with slits for the arms, and it was certainly more for looks than warmth! But I was always fascinated by it.
My recent version is considerably more effective as a wrap. I did, however, make it of cotton rather than wool, which could only really be used for a few weeks each year here in the desert. Already in March, there is no need to dress warmly, except occasionally in the evenings!
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| photo courtesy Sarah Myers |
γλυκια μου Αmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! μια μεγαλη αγκαλια!!!!!
ReplyDeleteενα ομορφο υπολοιπο κυριακης!!!!
αγγελικη
So many thanks dear Aggeliki -- for all your encouragement and kindness!!! Big hugs for you!!!
Deletewow, I love the images that Sarah has taken, just so natural and beautiful. It is so nice to see this other facet of you, Amy, as I thought you were all about gardening and rather one-dimensional, how wrong I was! My mother was an excellent knitter and she knitted me a poncho as a child and even a pair of hot pants (now I am revealing my age!). Sadly, I didn't inherit her skill, although I think with me it is just impatience. If I drop one too many stitches I have been known to throw the knitting across the room!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like me with sewing...! So glad you enjoyed this, Ann; I do love to knit; and it was special to revisit something that had intrigued me as a child. Thanks so much (thanks from Sarah, too, whose patience with a rather difficult model was wonderful)!
DeleteYou have inspired me to take up my knitting needles again and I am going into town later today to buy wool!
ReplyDeleteOh, good :) Yarn shopping is always such fun --I hope you found some you really like and have a wonderful time with it!
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