Here's my version of the Two Harbors Poncho I've knit for my daughter for Christmas.  Before I sent it off I wanted to get some modeled pictures so you can see how it looks on two very different people; my neighbor who is young and tall, and me, not so young nor am I tall.  I wore it to church this morning and had a few people try it on and it looks pretty darn great on most people.  (Ahem, sometimes I will wear the gift before I gift it, don't tell!)  My 16 year old neighbor LOVED it, I love it, I know my daughter will love it and I have a feeling my 15 year old granddaughter will love it too--it's a pattern that transcends the generations.

From the start I knew I would make a few changes--I didn't like the look of the two-toned collar in the original pattern and also felt it was too high.  I told my daughter I would knit just an inch of ribbing at the neck using the same color throughout.  She asked if there was any way I could eliminate the neck ribbing altogether?  Adding an i-cord bind off to the neck opening made it perfect.  The pattern is one-size-fits-all and could not be any easier.  Other than changing the neck I made the pattern exactly as is.  If I decide to make it again for me, I might make it less wide, but I'm not sure as I do like that it's super over-sized.   I would however, not make this any shorter as this poncho needs to be on the short side or it can look frumpy.  Two Harbors uses an aran weight yarn, but it still needs to be drapey and that can be tricky in a thick yarn.  Just make sure you pair the right yarn with this pattern, you don't want this poncho stiff.  With so much stockinette, it was just begging for a yarn that was earthy and beautiful so I went on the hunt at my LYS.  Imperial Yarn's Columbia was a perfect choice in a luminous Pearl Gray, a lovely oatmeal/gray combo.  It's not quite a tweed, but like a tweed there is some slight color movement in each stitch.  While it doesn't feel particularly soft when knitting, after blocking it became much softer and more drapey.  Many might think Columbia is best suited for outer wear but I personally think it's soft enough to wear against the skin.  I generally like bouncy yarns knit with smallish needles and this doesn't fit into either category, still, it was a very enjoyable knit.

Recently a knitting company that sells individual patterns online asked me what I felt was a fair price for an individual pattern.  I replied that $3-4 for a simple pattern and up to $6-8 for a complicated adult pattern seemed fair, after that and I start to feel ripped off.  This pattern was $9, the most I've ever paid for an individual pattern.  Still I bought it because my daughter loved it. The pattern is simple with no sizing at all, however, no matter how simple this is, it's still the designer's original idea and shouldn't we pay for originality?  I've never seen anything like it, have you?  Perhaps it's fair to pay a little extra for this?  Your thoughts?  What do you feel is fair and what will you pay for a pattern?

As for my Christmas knitting, it's a cake walk from here on.  I've got my daughter's poncho finished and my granddaughter's hat and scarf is done which you'll see in my next post.  My son's vest has just the arm and neck ribbing to do.  I feel so well-prepared!  Today might be the day I go around and take some photos of my Christmas-decorated house.   We have a big, wet, storm today.  It's a rare, dark day in my house so I turned on the inside and outside Christmas lights.  Rainy days and Christmas lights make me happy.

Two Harbors Poncho

 Imperial Yarns Columbia
is one of a half dozen yarns from Imperial Yarns.
100% USA grown in Oregon, from start to finished product.
I loved looking through their awesome website and plan to try another yarn soon.

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