How to Sew a Poncho Easy – Poncho Sewing Pattern and Fabric
Ponchos are very comfortable clothing items to wear and can protect you from chilly weather no matter which country you live in. Plus, they are very stylish, colorful, and easy to make. it will only take a little experience to make one for yourself.
Ponchos are a good sewing project for beginners. They are so easy to make, you can give new life to an old blanket with a few alterations. Plus, if you use the right fabrics, you can make a reversible one that is extra warm. You don’t have to wash it as often.
To learn how to make a poncho just continue to read our article. It is an easy fun to make sewing project that provides you with a sense of fashion style as well as protection from either warm or chilly temperatures. It is very breathable as well.
How to Sew a Poncho 101
How do you Make an Easy Poncho
Basically, the majority of ponchos designs are very easy to make. After all, it is just a piece of fabric with a hole in the top for your head to go through. The tricky part is making sure that the hole is neither too big nor too small.
The first step is to gather your supplies. All you will need is approx. 1 yard of woolen material, a sewing machine, the right color and kind of thread, straight pins, and a yardstick. Don’t forget the scissors.
Next, cut the fabric into 2 pieces measuring 36 by 18 inches in size. Depending on your size, you can make alterations to that measurement. Now to make the hem you fold the long side over 1/2 inch then another 1/2 stitch in place.
On the short side, stitch a line 1/4 inch from the edge to stop any unraveling from taking place. Do the same for both pieces. Once that is done, one piece is laid out vertically while the other is placed next to it horizontally.
Now move the horizontal piece under the vertical piece giving it about an inch overlap only. Move the horizontal piece up so that there are 1 1/2 inches of the vertical piece below the bottom of the horizontal piece.
At this point, you flip the pieces over and then fold the extended vertical section over half an inch then another fold 1 inch in size. Both pieces should be flush at this point. Pin in place and stitch.
Flip the pieces over again and fold the ends over till they meet. Pin and stitch. Finally, fold the last end under and stitch in place. Don’t forget to remove the pins after stitching each section. And you are done.
Easy Poncho Sewing Pattern
Believe it or not, there are a lot of easy poncho sewing patterns you can work with. The difficult part is deciding on which one would be the best look and design for you. What makes wearing a poncho so popular is the versatility of the material.
You can let it hang loose, use a belt with it, add fringe, shorten the neck a bit and leave a peek a boo spot open, and so on. Plus, you can use just about any design the fabric comes in to make a unique poncho that fits your personality.
Here are a couple of links to help you get started in finding an easy to sew poncho pattern. The first has one from Martha Stewart and the second has 10 others you can try out.
Fleece Hooded Poncho Pattern
To do this project you will need the same materials as the previous section listed except that you may need about 2 yards of material instead of one. To make the poncho part, fold the material in half and make a large triangle.
Now, after making careful measurements, cut your neck hole while the cloth is still folded. The shape should be in the form of a half-circle and in the fabric along the fold.
The piece you have just cut out should measure 12 by 24 inches in size. The next step is to take that piece and sew one of the open edges that run perpendicular to the folded side. The folded side is your top of the hood with the sewn side on the back.
Next, you turn the hood right side out and sew the back and two sides to the poncho. That is all there is to it. You can add fringes if you want or leave the fabric like it is. If you want a no-sew version, just use fabric glue instead of thread to seal the edges and connect the fabric pieces.
Asymmetrical Poncho Sewing Pattern
The first step in making this style of poncho is to trim the cut edges and square them off. Then trim any excess fabric off the selvage side to create 2 identical pieces. Their finished measurements should be about 3’4” by 5 feet.
The third step is to place the right sides together and sew all the way around the edge leaving an 8-inch gap on one of the shorter sides. Now trim the corners to a 45-degree angle to reduce bulk.
After that, pull the fabrics out through that hole and sew it up. Fold the fabric in half when you have finished that task, and machine sew until you have sewn enough fabric with a little bit left over for your head to pop through.
Add some buttons if you want and get ready to wear them. These instructions may go better if you have the video that accompanies them. The tutorial is in British English and metric.
DIY Poncho with Sleeves Sewing Pattern
A poncho with sleeves is usually called a poncho shirt and it is made from lighter weight material than other poncho projects. The fabric should be light, airy, and drape well when you put it on.
These instructions are a one size fits all style and you need to start by cutting out the front and back pieces. To have enough material for this project, you should have 2 1/2 to 3 yards of it.
Then you need to cut out the sleeves and the bias tape for your neckline. Once the tape is cut, fold it in half wrong sides together and press. Now create a circle with this tape and match up the side seams.
The next step is to open the fold, pin the right sides together and sew before refolding. Now place the front and back right sides together, pin and sew the shoulder seams. Press another time.
After pressing, place the neckline binding right sides together around the neckline and match up with the raw edges. Pin sparingly. As you sew, you should stretch the neckline and use a stretch stitch. Fold the binding again and towards the inside of the shirt and press again before sewing with a stretch stitch.
Once that is done, line up the curve of the sleeve with the armscye on the shirt, then pin the right sides together and sew. Do the same for the other sleeve. At this point, you need to fold the shirt’s right sides together, match the sleeve with the side seam and pin and sew.
Now fold the sleeves under at a 1/2 inch mark, press, and sew using a stretch stitch. Fold the hem under towards the wrong side at the 1/2 inch mark and press and you are done.
To see the pattern pieces just click this link.
Best Fabric for Poncho
The best fabric to use will be the one that is best suited for your purpose. If the poncho you want to make is for hiking or other outdoor activities, you will want to go with a fabric that is a bit thicker and heavier along with providing you some rain protection.
For indoor ponchos, you should go with a lighter, durable fabric like cotton, linen, bamboo, or something similar in the synthetic department. You will want to look good as well as be comfortable as you go about your day.
Shirt ponchos with sleeves, the fabric should be on the medium to the lighter side of the weight scale. It should drape well and allow your body to breathe. It should also be flexible and have a little stretch for it to move with you instead of restricting your movements.
Finally, a Fall or Winter poncho should be thick enough to keep the chill from reaching your body. It should also drape well and be a size that allows you to move freely without losing any weather protection.
In other words, you have a lot of freedom to choose the fabric you think is the best for your project and purpose. The material should be durable as loose-fitting clothing items tend to get caught on sharp objects when you are not looking.
How much Fabric do you Need for a Poncho?
This will depend on several factors. the size of the poncho will be the most influential aspect as well as the design of the poncho. You will need more material if you are adding sleeves or a hood to the design. You will need less if your figure is on the smaller side of things.
For average easy to make standard ponchos you can get away with about 1 yard of material, unless you are really tall. For those with hoods and sleeves, up to 2 yards will be necessary and primarily because you usually can’t buy fabric fractioned.
For the asymmetrical, count on about using up to 4 yards of material and for larger people, you may need to add quite a bit more. Children’s ponchos will take a lot less fabric in every case unless you are making one for a teenager.
Check with the pattern you choose to get specific amounts of material you will need to make their poncho. Each one will be different depending on the style and the design.
How do you sew a Poncho Together?
There are several ways to do this task. The first is easy as you can use your sewing machine for all the stitches if you want. Just select the right stitch pattern to give the seams some durability, strength, and a little bit of stretch if need be.
Then you can hand stitch the poncho together and this may be a preferred option for certain sections of the poncho depending on the design. A combination of machine and hand stitching is also a good option.
A third way to sew a poncho is by not sewing. If the design works out well and the seams have little stress on them, you can do a no-sew option. A little or a lot of fabric glue will hold the seams together and make sure no stitches are ever seen. That is because there are none.
Any of the three options are good and which one you are most comfortable with and have the time to do will be the best option for you.
How to Make Poncho with Hood
This is not hard to do and if you follow the instructions we gave in an earlier section of this article, you will see that even a beginner can handle this project without too much trouble.
There are two ways to go about making a poncho with a hood. One is to use the same material and cut the hooded section from the main body of the poncho. This will give you about a 12-inch clearance all the way around and have the hood looking exactly like the rest of the clothing item.
Or you can use a different piece of fabric, with a different color or design on it, to add a little something extra to the look. Just cut a piece from that fabric that will meet the size you need for the hood and either hand stitch or machine sew it into place.
Make sure to create the top, sides, and back of the hood before sewing it into position. Making a poncho, even this style, is not rocket science and should not take you more than an hour approx., to do.
Hooded Poncho Pattern
One thing about making ponchos, it is not that difficult to add a hood if you really want one. That means you can use a regular poncho pattern then find some instructions on how to make a hood.
Another good aspect about hooded ponchos is that they are great designs if you want to knit or crochet one for your child. These patterns are easy to follow and if you can do either you should be able to make a cute robin hood or another hooded poncho for your kids.
To get you off on the right foot, here are 2 links you can find free patterns and the patterns should not be that difficult. The first one is found here and the second one at this location.
For adults, Etsy seems to have a nice selection of patterns to choose from and if you do not like shopping on the internet, your local fabric stores should have some at a reasonable cost.
Everyone’s preference will be a bit different so make sure you find the one you like and fits your personality.
How to Make a Poncho with a Collar
If you do not need a hood a collar can be very stylish when done right. When you are using regular fabric the directions are the same for this option as it is for the previous ones we have already mentioned. The big difference will be not adding the hood but adding a collar.
The good news is that you can use any fabric for the collar as long as the color matches the body of the poncho. One example would be using denim and the easiest method would be to follow the fold and cut method we described earlier.
After you get the head hole cut out, you need to measure the denim material, and that can come from an old pair of jeans (the pant legs are the best spot to find the old fabric). You want a length of roughly 35 inches long by 4 to 6 inches wide.
Once you have the cut, you need to fold the fabric twice until the edges meet and then pin. repeat this on the other side of the material and sew both with a zig-zag stitch. Now fold the denim in half and place the neckline of the poncho inside the fold so that half is on one side and half on the other.
Pin in place as go and when you get to your starting point have a little overlap and sew those ends together. Finally, sew the collar fabric to the poncho fabric, and you are done. There are a few more details which you can get at this website.
Making a Poncho with Sleeves
The key element to making this style of poncho is not going to be the amount of fabric you will need. it will be the amount of patience you have as this can get a bit detailed. We have already given you some instructions on how to do this in a previous section and as you read those instructions you will see what we mean.
There is a lot of folding, pinning, and pressing to do, which will take up a lot of your time. Plus, you have to make sure the side seams, the armscye, and the sleeves all line up perfectly. If not, you may have to do them again.
You also have to choose the right fabric as you want the poncho to be comfortable and not binding at the seams or around your arms. Then you do not want it to be too heavy either.
How to Sew a Poncho Without a Pattern
If you have read every section up until this point, you will see that making a poncho is easy, and just about anyone can do it. You really don't need a pattern to create your own poncho. You just need some sewing experience, a little creativity, and some common sense.
Even adding a collar does not need a pattern to be followed. If you can do a collar on a regular shirt, you can do it on a poncho. The key is to make sure the fabric goes on smoothly and there are no ripples, bends, or folds.
Making a poncho is common sense sewing and if you are creative, it should not be any trouble for you at all.
How to Make a Poncho out of a Sheet
This would be a very lightweight poncho and one that could be worn in the Spring and Summer seasons. It is not hard to do and if you read the section on folding the blanket in half, then that is the method you should use for this project.
The key would be to make sure the head hole is neither too large nor too small. When you are done the cut-out fabric piece should measure roughly 12 by 24 inches. But that size can be adjusted for your figure, height, and so on.
Adding sleeves to this fabric would be the difficult part and you can follow the instructions we already gave as well.
Some Final Words
When you are a novice sewer and want to gain some confidence in your sewing talent, make a poncho. These sewing projects are easy, you can use old fabrics and design them any way you want.
Just take your time and build your confidence as well as your sewing skill.
