Square Fashion

Keeping up with runway fashion trends is not my thing.  For decades what delights me is what I wear.  There is the occasional "must wear" for specific events or command performances and typically those ensembles do not put a smile on my face.  Thus, I am sometimes not quite in step with the latest look.  Especially considering that there is probably not a trendy look for a short, slightly puffy aging Cajun.

Lately, I have once again become enamored with the square and rectangle method of creating garments.  Wiggle being the most recent example.  Having designed and knitted that one rather quickly, I wanted another quick to make pattern that would work well with a recent Koigu purchase.  When I saw the colorway of the KPPPM, I bought enough to crochet a long vest.  But I have a crocheted long vest and while it was a pleasant experience, the thrill of something different was calling me. 

Enter Lily Chin's Sycamore poncho published in Interweave Crochet, Fall 2010.  A quick ten days (give or take) resulted in a lovely fall layering piece.  The pattern claims "half a dozen way to wear."  So far, ways 4, 5 & 6 remain a mystery. 

All in all, I am thrilled.  The main body is worked in extended single crochet (esc) which blocks so differently from plain old single crochet.  The best thing about the pattern is that you work a rectangle with a huge hole then add rectangles to each side and voila!  A  huge square shaped poncho.  It might not be cutting edge fashion, but it is squarely my fashion.