Sew a child's poncho
Use an old fleece or recycle an old coat to create a comfortable, easy-to-wear poncho
Country Living has teamed up with designer Sarah Moore to bring you a series of step-by-step inspiring craft creations.
'These are really useful garments for children because they can put them on, and take them off, without any help – but they’re a stylish cover-up for adults, too. This merino blanket version is soft and warm, with a colourful lining made from an old headscarf.'
You will need
● square of thick, warm blanket
● tape measure or ruler
● tailor’s chalk
● pinking shears or sewing scissors
● egg cup for the scallop template (optional)
● square headscarf
● sewing machine and thread
● bobble trim for the front edge
● pins
1 Measure and chalk a square shape onto your fabric – when folded in half, it will be the length of the finished poncho. If you have a finished edge to your blanket, make this the front hem.
2 For the sides, decide whether you would like a straight hem (use a ruler), zigzag (do freehand) or scallop (draw around the edge of an egg cup to create the pattern), then cut.
3 Lay your square of fabric out flat, right-side down, and pin the scarf on top in the middle of the poncho.
4 To make an opening for the head, mark a T-shape in the centre of the fabric using chalk; the length of the top of the ‘T’ should be the same as the width of the neck on one of the wearer’s T-shirts. Pin through the two layers along these markings.
5 Leaving a 1cm margin, sew around the T-shape using running stitch, removing the pins as you sew, then cut along the chalk line with pinking shears or sewing scissors to make the opening.
6 Sew each corner of the scarf in place by hand or machine and remove all the pins.
7 Stitch the pompom trim to the inside front hem so it hangs down under the finished edge, then add optional details to the shoulders, or a corsage.
Tip: Use new fleece fabric or recycle material from an old wool coat if you don’t have a spare blanket.
