Design A452 - Ischia & Elephants Daydream Poncho

I've had a couple of weeks' break from making anything, as we were busy ensuring that we had everything needed for our youngest to move into University accommodation, about 50 miles north of where we live. It's a big change for all of us, as our eldest had stayed living at home while studying for her degree at a local University.

Another poncho has been made, and this time I have chosen to use a slightly lighter-weight yarn. Actually, I have sorted out yarn to make a number of these ponchos in a lighter-weight yarn.

The first one is made using two different colours of Colinette Banyan, which is not quite a vintage yarn, but it is no longer part of their current range. Colinette Yarns was established in the 1970s by Colinette and Geoff Sansbury, who ran it together for years, creating interesting yarns and even more interesting hand-dyed colourways. I don't know if Geoff is still around, but Colinette passed away around 2015/2016. The company is now run by their son, Sam, with a much smaller range.

So, the colourways I have put together for this poncho are the multi-coloured/multi-toned Ischia and the softer, but not completely solid, coloured Elephants Daydream.

Ischia

Elephants Daydream

The design consists of six crochet panels, which are then joined together to form a cohesive piece. Additional crochet is added to both the top and bottom, and the piece is finished off with fringing/tassels.

The panels are joined in a way that creates a visible, textured line of stitches between each panel, and are an integral part of the design. The poncho is designed to be worn square, allowing a whole crochet panel to drape and cover each arm. However, it also looks good when worn in the traditional triangular poncho style, if you prefer. The construction is designed primarily for the square method. It is pretty generous in size but isn't overly long in the body length, so depending on your bust size, it may only just cover "your girls" if you're quite busty, or it may hang down to your waist if you're quite petite. It is designed for adults. Please pay attention to the measurements across the neck opening and measure around the top of the breastplate/shoulders, including the arms, to ensure it stays in place without falling straight off you or the person you are buying it for and landing on the ground.

I didn't take any work-in-progress photos. I began on 21st September and finished on 23rd September 2025. This one is 49% Cotton, 51% Viscose, and the measurements are 14" across the neck, for a 28" opening and 15" from the neck to the bottom of the crochet (not including the tassels). I have enough of the yarn left over to make something else, but smaller, at a later date.