Ying, Your Poncho Is in the Mail!

Knit PH didn't meet in February, that gave me more time to finish the poncho I made for designer Ying Su. The crocuses are up, the daffodils are ready to set bud, a few star magnolias have already spent their bloom, it’s a perfect spring day here in Brooklyn... what's wrong with this picture? It’s supposed to be winter yet it’s been phenomenally warm since the fall. So far this millennium has proven to be a mysterious era for weather.

Ying Su’s classic A-line poncho evokes a by-gone era — espionage, fast cars, and mysterious women. Knit from top-down, I ran two colors of lace-weight wool with Paton’s Ram's Wool (4 @ 140 yds), and Karabella Merino Superwash (4 @ 91 yds) to create a marled stone texture. Alternating two shades of superwash white gives it very subtle stripes. I imagine Nancy Kwan throwing this on while making her get-away from Matt Helm with a stolen attaché case stowed beneath the passenger seat.

The front has an original fern leaf pattern flanked with twisted columns that travel from the turtle neck collar down to the hem. The back has simple 3 X 1 ribs. The fringe adds weight to the hem and an early '70s elegance.

I didn’t realize how big this poncho grew until I washed and blocked it — large enough to conceal a large dagger. I had to use a bigger box than the one I bought. Now all Ying needs is a pair of white rimmed sunglasses, driving gloves, and a gun. Well... I hope we actually get a real winter soon, this poncho is very warm.