The poncho, which dates back to 500 B.C and the pre-Incan Andes, is basically just a big rectangle with a hole in it. I made the poncho pictured above (Pattern by Patti Gonsalves, available for free here) as one long rectangle and then simply folded in half and sewed it together part way.
I made this poncho (Pattern by Denise Black, available for free here) by crocheting 2 rectangles and then sewing them together. This was due to the nature of the stitches; had I just crocheted one long piece, they wouldn’t have lined up correctly.
Both were extremely easy to make and, like a simple scarf, just involved crocheting rectangles in the same stitch over and over. What I prefer about the poncho however is that when you are finished you have a piece of clothing rather than just an accessory. Because it is so simple, it is also really easy to design your own; switch up the stitches used, change the length, or add decorative buttons, fringe, or even a hood!
So for your next lazy TV watching project, consider the humble poncho instead of your usual scarf; you won’t regret it!
