Viva Poncho: Twenty Ponchos and Capelets to Knit

Disappointing.. sending to Goodwill.

This book has several great patterns with wonderful pictures. The patterns are all up-to-date and they show you ways to change it up a bit and make it your own. I just completed one of the caplets and love the way it turned out! There are even basic instructions on how to knit the various stitches that each pattern requires, in case you need a refresher. I would definitely recommend this book for someone who was looking to go beyond knitting a scarf.

This book has great 'do-able' patterns and wonderful photography. I love to just flip through it for inspiration. A few of the patterns are a little too funky for real life, but most of them are very wearable with very clear instruction and little tips in the margins. The is the BEST book I've found for ponchos!

I love this little book. The projects are diverse from simple and quick to complex. It is written so that it would be easy to convert to any yarn of similar weight. After the first review I earmarked 6 projects I would love to try. I had the great fortune of learning to knit shawls under the tutelage of Joanne Schroeder who is one of the foremost knitters of shawls. As an accomplished shawl knitter, I found this book exciting for the variety of projects from easy and quick to complex and with a great variety of yarn weights. Fifteen years ago when I began knitting there were very few yarns appropriate for the warm weather of Oregon. This book shows ponchos and capelets appropriate for all environments. The directions are straightforward and easy to understand. Excellent photography. This would make a great book for shawl enthusiasts, beginners, and anyone looking for projects that tend to be free from sizing and careful shaping.

For anyone else who is confused by the plethora of new "poncho" knitting books, hopefully my efforts will help you with your decision. I spent a considerable time in a couple of bookstores and local yarn stores in an attempt to select which poncho pattern books were the best. Having scoped out what I believe is everything on the current market, this one is definitely the best. Why? Well, there is a whole range of styles and designs. In addition, the patterns, while of varying levels, are easy to follow. This is the only one of the poncho books where, for me, the hardest decision is which one to knit -- there are several that I would love to have for this fall.