a new Poncho | McCall's 6209

I love my new Poncho!

This was part of my November 2013 plans for the Make a Garment a Month Challenge and I just finished it today.

Thank you to my husband for taking these photos as we hiked a back trail to a little hidden meadow on our property.  The poncho was perfect for our chilly mid-40'sF, South Carolina, Sunday afternoon.  LOVE the pockets!!!!!

Years, and years ago, I had a poncho I loved and decided I wanted to create one for the casual lifestyle I live today.  First I drew my plans on a piece of graph paper.  This has been a great tool as I've referred back to this simple drawing time and again to keep me on track of my 'vision'.  Also, note that the fabric came from Wal-Mart and cost $4.30 and was a gracious plenty wide at 58".  This was the perfect width for my poncho, as I used every-single-bit, including the selvages - these turned out to be the icing on the cake!

McCall's M6209 pattern was used for the 'base' poncho, cut a small, view B with no scarf attachment and decided in the end not to include a hood.  My fabric is so weighty, I was afraid a hood would not work well..... and I wasn't sure I really needed a hood anyway.

McCall's M6209

This pattern is noted as a '1 Hour' pattern, and if you made the poncho 'as is', it would probably take you around 1 hour.  I added a few little details, so it took me longer - obviously!

In the photo below, you can see the 'fringe' effect the selvage edges gave me.   I was careful to lay my pattern pieces straight over the selvages to include this beautiful 'fringe'.  

Front

Then, with the smidgen of selvage I had left, carefully measured, and measured again, before cutting to use as binding for the neckline.

In the photo below, the back was very voluminous, so I took it in a little.  Still learning the vocabulary and not sure what to call what I did.... pleat?  It gave the poncho a little more dimension/definition in the middle back, as you can see by the way it is hanging on the hanger here.

Back

Pleat?  (Help anyone?!)

My new poncho HAD to have pockets.  If one wants to hike in the woods, one needs pockets - and these are perfect.  These are self-drafted from a photo found on Pinterest via Carolyn.  Liked the idea of a cocked angle placement, which made for an even more comfortable fit for my hands.....

.....and lined them with a piece of flannel for more coziness.  I really think the pockets and the fringe 'make' this poncho.

I made the pants too.

As I'm in such need for daily basics, and because I'd just made a khaki elastic-waist pair of pants for the MAGAM new complete outfit, I made a chocolate brown pair of pants from the same OOP Simplicity 7131 pattern as I knew they'd fit.   These were also out of Wal-Mart fabric in a lightweight-twillish fabric that cost $1.00 per yard.  One of the thing I like about these pants, is that they sit at your natural waist. 

I truly cannot express the feeling of wearing one's own handmade clothes, that was created with a 'vision' and seen through to completion, to feel confident to wear in public..... that is one's identity.

UPDATE 4.18.2014 ~ I've added a big button to the pocket....

....and knitted an accompanying scarf...

 ...now my poncho's perfect!