Friday, September 28, 2012

Making::a poncho.




I've been making a poncho.

And while I've been making my poncho I've been thinking a lot about how great it is to have the skills to make things yourself. When you know how to make something, you can make it exactly the way you want it and when you want it.

All winter long I've been wearing my Mara shawl. I love my Mara. Its possibly the most successful, in terms of amount of wears, thing I've ever knit. Its charcoal grey and goes with everything. It's snugly. Its knit from local Bendigo Woollen Mills wool. Its a gorgeous pattern. And people are always asking me about it.

But when you are a crazy busy mama/farmer-girl, shawls aren't really the most practical accessory. I am forever tucking Mara's ends back around me, or tying them up all over again.

So about a month ago it occurred to me that I needed a poncho.

A poncho would do the same snugly job as Mara, but wouldn't ever come undone.

So I did a search of ponchos/capelets/cowls on google images. I looked at heaps of them until I came up with what I wanted for myself. I decided it had to be about elbow length, not too tight around the neck and definitely no skivvy bit, light grey for trans-seasonal wearing and cables and ribs for interesting knitting.

Then I did a ravelry search, found a pattern that ticked all my boxes, found some wool in my stash and cast on.

I'm not a great or very patient shopper and I know that had I chosen to pound the pavement searching for the poncho of my dreams, I would have come home empty handed and irritated.

Instead, after a week or so of enjoyable, meditative knitting, I'll have a cute poncho to wear. It'll be made to my personal specifications and I wont have to wait until the fashion gods decide that its on trend and in shops.

And I know that making your own doesn't always equal a bargain, but in this case the end result will cost me twenty three dollars which I think is pretty reasonable indeed.

Making really excites me. I love it!

Growing and cooking do for the same reasons too.
Right now I'm heading to the kitchen to heat up some soup we made from vegies we grew.
Yum!

What are you making at the moment?
Do you wanna make a poncho too?
My pattern details are here. Let's start a poncho trend. How fun!
Are you obsessed with the make like I am?

Happy weekending. xx

25 comments:

  1. It looks wonderful Kate - big, clear, beautiful photos are the best. Happy the instructions worked for you...x

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    1. ...oh, and the poncho's not bad either ;) x

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    2. poncho isn't bad either....sheesh! x

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  2. I love everything about this poncho! I made myself a shrug last year and its the most worn thing I've ever made myself, I also get loads of questions and compliments when I wear it. This winter weather calls for soups, yum! I've made a baked tomato pasta sauce and chocolate cake tonight..x

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  3. Love the color and the cables!!!
    It's a pity I live in JK.....
    Happy weekend, xxx Alessandra

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  4. I love the poncho Kate. I have a store bought black one that I used to wear over shirts and things if I went out somewhere but not one to just wear everyday. I think it looks beautiful, and the color looks fantastic. I think cables make everything look nice and I can just see you snuggled up wearing it. It would have been perfect to wear it today with the horrible weather we have endured today. Hope you stay cosy warm and gets lots of knitting done!

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  5. It's gorgeous and i can't wait until i'm proficient enough at knitting to make whats in my head. Knitting aside, it is amazing what you can make for yourself given the will. Despite having no skills me and the bloke have made a folding outdoor table out of an old door. We just cant stop marvelling at it, and ourselves!

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  6. I had to wait until it cooled down here to even read this post. It was so hot here today!

    Your poncho is lovely, can't wait to see it finished!

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  7. Let's bring the poncho back! I'm in.

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  8. We are a bit out of poncho weather here bit yes I'm all about the make! Love it!!!

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  9. The poncho is looking beautiful. Cables always look fantastic. I agree with the grey too... goes with everything.
    I can't stand the thought of shopping. Last time I made myself go and came home with nothing, because it was all too trendy, too expensive or terribly made. I just couldn't justify buying anything. Making on the other hand...
    I'm finding minutes here and there to sew myself some summer pieces. It's slow going, but seeming the weather is still so wintery, I figure I've got time on my side.
    Happy weekend to you.
    Kitty x

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  10. I'm making a poncho too! I started it back in June, ran out of wool, and only just reordered some, so hopefull I'll be back on track soon! here is my rav link http://www.ravelry.com/projects/mamashara/knock-knock-knock-penny

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  11. wow looks really nice...at the moment I'm busy making a blanket, a must make because winter is on it's way.
    I have wanted to make a poncho for some time now but for me I would have to search for the perfect crocheted pattern...i can't knit :[

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  12. awesome post (as always my friend) The poncho looks like it is going to turn out great! And I am all about 'the make' not necessarily because i'm a picky shopper or wanting something to be just right, but because I love the sense of pride I feel when I were something I've knitted :)
    I actually bought the yarn and pattern for a capelet a few months ago, and have yet to start, but i'm still excited for it nonetheless- its a capelet with ribbing around the neck/shoulders, a cabled body, and a wavy lace edging knit up in cotton. So pretty!
    xo

    here is my latest post sharing my current knit: http://www.thorntonjournal.blogspot.com/2012/09/name-painting.html

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  13. Hello, greetings from Alberta , Canada.. A poncho right now is a great idea, as we are well under way with fall weather.. Excited to see a pic when your done. Cheers. Jan

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  14. Hi Kate - stunning colour!!! I have two ponchos and they're awesome. Great for pulling on but not as restrictive as sweaters. Am getting into shawls but like you say, you need a decent shawl pin to keep it from falling off every 5 minutes!!! I look after 18 three year olds at preschool and my shawl usually ends up being used as a doll's blanket! Have fun with your poncho! Can't wait to see it.... lol xxx

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  15. Kate, that is pretty much why I sew for myself - firstly so I can wear what I want, not just what's in fashion at the time, and secondly so I don't have to face the horrid shops & get frustrated. I do wish I had more patience for knitting, I'd live to knit myself a poncho - maybe next winter :-)

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  16. I am knittingly-challenged. I also live in Queensland so it's not really an issue, knitted goods aren't much use here. That said, I do have a woollen poncho I bought in Byron Bay about eight years ago and I pretty much live in it during winter. It's ever so snuggly.

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  17. Hi Kate. I'm just finishing my second Mara shawl as a present for one of my buddies. But as I was getting near the end, I couldn't help thinking that it may not be as practical as she may like it to be, and that perhaps I would have been better to make her a poncho! Sounds just like you were describing! Great looking pattern and I can't wait to see how yours knits up.

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  18. I saw a white poncho in a shop window here in Hong Kong today, and thought of you. It was very bling bling, and I am sure the price tag reflected that!
    I am always trying to learn to make new, different things. I love, and try, to give handmade presents all the time now. I am working towards making my most ever handmade Christmas presents this year, I hope I can achieve this.
    Happy poncho-ing to you!

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  19. Learning to knit is on my to do list as soon as we get the goat and bee situation settled on the farm front.

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  20. Learning to knit is on my to do list as soon as we get the goat and bee situation settled on the farm front.

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  21. Learning to knit is on my to do list as soon as we get the goat and bee situation settled on the farm front.

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  22. I love that poncho Kate! I have a 200gm ball of nice tweedy charcoal from Bendigo Wool Mill....will have to see how much you use in yours before I launch into mine. Looks like it will be gorgeous for next winter! :-)

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  23. Terrific point here that you can enjoy the entire process of making your item and then have something that's exactly what you wanted rather than something you had to settle for in the shopping process. What a terrific poncho!

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Thanks so much for stopping by...

I do read every single comment you leave and appreciate it very much, but I should let you know that I can be a wee bit on the useless side when replying to comments, that's just me, everyday life sometimes gets in the way....so I'll apologise now, just in case.

Kate XX

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