Something Different--A Tutorial

Surprise.  I'm back.  And surprise again.  Instead of trying to sell something, I'm giving something away.  It's a pattern, but you'll have to suffer through my first attempt at a tutorial--complete with a ton of pictures.  Many years ago my sweet mother-in-law very patiently taught me to crochet, but I never did much with it until just recently.  One of my favorite things to crochet is the AG doll poncho and hat. I have made and sold a countless number of these.  I make it using a simple double crochet.  The two main pieces of the poncho are sewn together and I like to add the fringe and the pom-pom on the hat. You could use any stitch or crochet pattern that you like as long as the two rectangles are approximately 

4 1/2 by 12 inches.  So here goes.

Step One

Using a size H crochet hook and any yarn that you like, chain 42. 

Row 1:  Beginning in the 3rd ch from the hook, 40dc.  This will give you a total of 41 dc.  

Rows 2-7:  Ch 3. 40 dc across.  (I like the rib design that is formed by dc into the front loop of the even rows and into the back loop of the odd rows.)  Cut the yarn about 8 to 10 inches long and do not weave in or trim.

Make 2 of these.

Step 2

Place the rectangles so that they form an upside-down L.  Make sure that the original chains are to the outside of the L and the nice finished edge of the 7th dc rows are to the inside.  With the rights sides up, overlap the two rectangles with the finished edge on top.  Then stitch them together with the tail left from Step One.

Tie this tail to the short tail of the other rectangle.  Do not weave in or trim.

Flip the L over so that the wrong side is now up.

Fold the long side all the way down.

Fold the short side to the right edge of the long side.

Again, overlap with the finished edge on top and stitch.  Be careful not to sew all the way through to the other side of the poncho.

Step 3

Tie on yarn and sc around.  Be sure to do 3 sc in each corner. 

At this point, you can finish around the edge any way you like--leave it plain, add a ruffle or add fringe.  My choice--the fringe.

My fringe is approximately 2 inches. It will take around 110 4-in. pieces.   Fold a 4-in.  piece in half and pull through each sc and pull ends through the loop.  Pull through from the wrong side of poncho.  Even out the ends and pull tight.

Wrong side

Right side

Step 4

Chain 100 for tie.  Thread one of the tails into a large darning needle and weave in between the dc around the neck.  Make a tassle on each end by using 3 of those 4-in. pieces. Fold them in half and pull through the chain at the end to form a loop.  Pull all 6 ends and the tail through the loop and tighten.  Trim.

Tighten the tie to gather the neckline just a little.

Now let's make the hat.

All dc should be into the back loop to match the rib design of the poncho.

Ch 3, dc 8 (9 dc) into a magic circle.  Join with a slip stitch into ch3.  Pull end of magic circle until there is no hole.

Row 2: 2 DC in each dc of row 1.  Join with a slip stitch into top of ch.3. (18 dc)

Row 3:  Ch 3, 1dc into same stitch as ch 3, 1dc in next stitch.  Then 2dc, 1dc around and join. (27 dc)

Row 4:  Ch 3, 1dc into same stitch, 1dc, 1dc.  Then 2dc, 1dc, 

1dc around.  Join.  (36 dc)

Rows 5, 6:  Ch 3.  DC around and join.

Row 7:  Ch 3.  SC around.

End with row 7 or add row 8:  Reverse sc into both loops of 

each sc.

To make the pom-pom pull 10 arm lengths of yarn from skein and wrap evenly around 2 circles cut from corrugated cardboard.  The diameter of the big circles is 3 1/2 inches.  The diameter of the little circle cutout is 1 inch. 

Work scissors in between the circles and cut.

Cut a 12-in piece of yarn.  Slide it in between the circles and tie as tightly as possible.

Pull the circles off.  Bring the ends of the yarn around and tie again.  You want this to be as tight as you can get it.

Fluff and trim until you're satisfied with the size and shape.

Not trimmed

Trimmed
Using the darning needle or crochet hook, pull the long yarn that is tied around the pompom to the inside of the hat and tie tightly.  Note:  There will be 4 loose ends inside the hat.  Thread each onto the darning needle and push them into the pompom and trim.

Hope you enjoy making these as much as I do.  If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment.  Also, I would love to see yours, so send me a picture.