Crochet guide
How a crochet poncho is made
A crochet poncho is a loose cover for the shoulders with an opening for the head. Many are made from one or two plain rectangles that are seamed, and some are worked in rounds from the neck down. This guide explains each shape, the neck opening and the size. It is not a pattern.
On this page 10 parts
The shapes, side by side
| Shape | How it is put together | Seams |
|---|---|---|
| Two rectangles | Two panels are sewn together, leaving an opening for the head | Two |
| One rectangle, seamed | A long rectangle is folded, and one end is sewn to an edge | One |
| One piece with an opening | A rectangle is worked in rows, with a gap left in the middle for the head | None |
| Top down | Rounds are worked from the neck toward the hem, with increases | None |
| Joined squares | Small squares are made and joined around a neck opening | Many joins |
Many ponchos are plain rectangles, with no increases and no decreases. The shape comes from how the pieces are sewn.
Two rectangles
Make two rectangles the same size. Lay one on top of the other. Sew them together along the top edge, but not all the way across. The part left unsewn is the neck opening, and the seams sit on the shoulders.
Some patterns join the two rectangles at a right angle instead. A short end of each rectangle is sewn along a side edge of the other, which makes two seams.
A whip stitch is a common seam. See whip stitch and joining and seaming pieces.
One rectangle, folded and seamed
One long rectangle can make a poncho with a single seam. The rectangle is folded, and one short end is sewn to a long edge. The seam sits on one shoulder, and the part of the long edge that is not sewn becomes the opening for the head. The poncho hangs with a point on one side. It can be worn with the point at the front, the side or the back.
One piece with an opening
A poncho can be a single flat piece with a hole in the middle. It is worked in rows. At the row where the neck falls, a length of chain is made over a run of skipped stitches, and the next row is worked across the chain. The gap that is left is the neck opening. Nothing is sewn.
Top down, in rounds
A top-down poncho starts at the neck and is worked in rounds toward the hem. It has no seam. The rounds grow with increases. Some published ponchos place them at two points, one at the front and one at the back. Others spread them evenly around the yoke, the part over the shoulders: in each round the increases are set at even spaces all the way around, as they are in a flat circle. More rounds add length.
The neck band can be worked first, as a strip of ribbing, or added after the body is done.
Joined squares
A poncho can also be built from small squares. The squares are made first, then joined in an order that leaves a neck opening. Joining squares covers the joins.
The neck opening
The opening has to be large enough for the head to pass through. The crochet hat size chart lists head sizes.
In a seamed poncho, the opening is the part of the edge that is left unsewn. A longer seam makes a smaller opening, and a shorter seam a larger one. Pin the seam and try the poncho on before you sew it, or try it on before you fasten off the seam.
A border or a collar is often worked in rounds around the opening once the seams are done. Necklines and collars explains how a collar is added.
Width and length
A rectangle worked in rows gets its width from the starting chain and its length from the number of rows. More chains make it wider. Add them in the multiple of the stitch pattern. More rows make it longer.
A top-down poncho is made longer by working more rounds.
Measuring for crochet clothes explains how to compare a pattern's measurements with the body, and Crochet gauge how to make the piece come out the size the pattern says.
Fringe and borders
Fringe is a common finish on the bottom edge of a poncho. See fringe and tassels. The neck and the bottom edge can each take a border, worked in rounds. Adding a border shows how a border is worked onto an edge.
Where to go next
- Measuring for crochet clothes, for choosing a size.
- Necklines and collars, for a collar or a cowl at the neck.
- Joining and seaming pieces, for the seams.
- Fringe and tassels, for the hem.
- How a crochet sweater is put together, for clothes with sleeves.