Pembina Poncho

Pembina Poncho by Janine Myska

What is Being Made

The Pembina Poncho is a beginner-friendly crochet poncho designed by Janine Myska. This garment features a two-color colorblock construction, combining a taupe top section and cowl with an olive bottom section. The poncho is worked in worsted weight yarn and is suitable for crocheters new to garment construction.

Craft and Technique Overview

This project is created using the crochet technique, which involves interlocking loops of yarn with a single hook. Crochet is an accessible fiber craft that builds foundational skills through repetitive stitch patterns. The Pembina Poncho demonstrates how simple stitch combinations can be used to create wearable garments with visual interest through color blocking.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns Used

The Pembina Poncho incorporates the following crochet elements:

• Double Crochet (dc) - A fundamental crochet stitch that creates a taller, more open fabric compared to shorter stitches
• Waffle Stitch - Used in the bottom section to create texture and visual dimension. The waffle stitch gauge swatch measures 4 inches wide and 4 inches tall across 9 rows, providing a reference for fabric density
• Foundation Double Crochet (FDC) - A technique for creating the initial chain and first row of double crochet stitches simultaneously, eliminating the need for a separate foundation chain

The pattern is constructed by working the foundation, then following pattern instructions for rows 2 through 4, with rows 3 and 4 repeated until the desired height is achieved.

Materials and Tools

The Pembina Poncho is made using worsted weight yarn, specifically Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca in two colorways:

• Colour A (Olive) - Used for the bottom section, requiring 4 to 4 skeins depending on size (665 to 860 yards total)
• Colour B (Taupe) - Used for the top section and cowl, requiring 5 to 6 skeins depending on size (990 to 1235 yards total)

Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca is a medium weight category 4 yarn composed of 90% acrylic and 10% alpaca fiber, offering a blend of durability and softness.

The pattern is worked with a Size I/9 (5.5 mm) crochet hook for the waffle stitch sections, with a smaller hook specified for the top and taupe sections. Gauge is critical to the fit of this garment: the blocked gauge measures 13 double crochets by 7 rows over 4 inches when worked with the smaller hook.

Pattern Details and Sizing

The Pembina Poncho is offered in multiple sizes, with yardage requirements ranging from 665 yards for the smallest size to 1235 yards for the largest. This scalability makes the pattern adaptable to different body sizes while maintaining the same stitch techniques and construction method.