Going once, going twice…..SOLD to the lovely woman with great fashion sense!
That’s what I’m hoping to hear when the Stone Point poncho I knit is sold as an auction item for my boys’ school, The Waldorf School of Philadelphia. The annual Spring Auction is in a few weeks and it’s one of the larger fundraising events at our school. WSP values handwork tremendously and I thought a hand knit item would be a special contribution to the school’s fundraising efforts.
This knitted project did not go without a few lessons. My first and only gauge swatch came out much larger than the recommended gauge for the pattern, so I went down a needle size. My first lesson: I should have knit another gauge swatch. Second lesson: I need to read the pattern. I thought that I had added an extra repeat in my poncho but after another look and discussing with my friend and LYS owner Lisa (who is also knitting the poncho) I clearly did not do that! I thought there were 3 repeats total in the pattern when there are actually 4. I knit a total of 4 repeats which made the poncho come out to specs after blocking, but I didn’t get the extra length I was hoping for.
There was a moment of freak out before blocking, but I was assured that Luma had a lot of stretch and give, and the post blocking row gauge would work out. Again, had I knit a second (blocked!) gauge swatch, I would have known this, and saved myself from a moment of panic!
The pre-blocked poncho came to about 13 inches tall. After blocking it was 22 inches! It took all my pins to block it well, and the finished project looks great and it will look amazing on the lucky bidder! Now, I just need to think about what the starting bid should be? What do you all think?
A very special thank you to Courtney and Kate for donating the Luma yarn and allowing me to knit up the poncho for auction.
Photos by Linette Kielinski Photography
