So Cute!!

There are some great things about a knitting machine. Number one, it knits quickly. Well, IT doesn't knit quickly, I still have to do it, and sometimes it can take me a long time still. LOL. But it's fabulous for quick gifts, such as those slippers. However, the selection of patterns is not as great as for handknitting. And, some knitting machines are very fancy and can do things mine can't. So, often, I have to create my own pattern. Sometimes I'm fine with that, other times, I just want to knit!
There are a lot of little (and not so little now) girls in my family, and some of them have fall/winter birthdays. I love it when I can make something that will work for all of them. The following poncho is one such thing.

Awhile ago (Aug 2008 or 2007), I bought a large cone of Patons Lancette during their tent sale. I liked the colour, but once I knit up some, I decided it wasn't really my cup of tea. But perfect for little girls--it's pink, shiny, and slightly hairy. I knit up some swatches, although the yarn is enough on it's own that plain stockinette would have been fine too.

This is the first of the ponchos, for my niece Abby's 7th birthday. It's two rectangles, and bordered with some single crochet and then a ruffle (3 dc in one sc, 5 dc in the next sc). This is a close up of the tuck st pattern (from a MK stitch dictionary). I have to put the appropriate needles into position myself, but it's still quick, and easy on the LK150.

So easy, I did the math for a smaller one, and knit the two panels in under an hour. The crochet takes longer than the knitting. The next one is for my cousin's 1 year old. It's so tiny!

And the cone is still HUGE!!