How to make a poncho

1. Materials & tools

Materials (women's M)

• Main fabric (wool, fleece or light blanket fabric) — about 150 cm wide × 150 cm (59 × 59 in)
• Bias tape for the neckline (single-layer) — about 70 cm (28 in)
• For the lined version: lining (cotton, double gauze, etc.) — the same amount as the main fabric (no bias tape needed)

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Adult clothes” → “Poncho” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the body width (shoulder), length, neckline width and front neckline depth. Presets cover child, women's M and large. To make it lined, switch on Lined and the cutting notes change to outer and lining.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Place the center of each pattern piece on the fold of the fabric and trace the cutting line and the stitching line.
2. Cut
   Cut one front and one back, each on the fold. The front has the deeper neckline, which is how you tell them apart. For the lined version, cut a front and a back from the lining as well (4 pieces in all).
3. Finish the edges
   Single-layer: fleece does not fray, so you can skip this; for anything else, finish the raw edges of the seam allowances. Lined: no need — the allowances end up hidden inside.

4. Sewing

There are two ways to make it. Single-layer (fleece, wool): 4-1 → 4-2 → 4-3. Lined (cotton etc., no edge finishing): 4-1 → 4-4 → 4-5.

Sewing steps in pictures 16 steps, one at a time

4-1. Sew the shoulders (both methods)

1. Place the front on the back, right sides together. Sew each shoulder from the outer edge in toward the middle, and leave the neckline open. For the lined version, do this for the outer fabric and the lining separately.
   See it in pictures
2. Press the shoulder seam allowances open.
   See it in pictures

4-2. Finish the neckline (single-layer)

1. Bind the neckline with bias tape. Ease it around the curve without stretching it.
   See it in pictures

4-3. Hem the edges (single-layer)

1. Make a narrow double fold, 5 mm then 5 mm, from the 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowance along the hem and the open sides, stitch, and you are done. Fleece can be left raw — or cut into fringe.
   See it in pictures

4-4. Sew the outer and lining together (lined)

1. Place the outer and lining right sides together, match the shoulder seams, and sew all the way around the neckline.
   See it in pictures
2. Sew all the way around the outside edge (sides and hems), leaving a gap of about 15 cm (6 in) in the back hem.
   See it in pictures
3. Clip into the seam allowance around the neckline curve, and trim the allowance off the four corners at an angle.
   See it in pictures

4-5. Turn and finish (lined)

1. Turn it right side out through the gap, push the corners out with an awl, and press.
   See it in pictures
2. Close the gap, then topstitch 5 mm (¼ in) from the edge all the way around the outside and the neckline, and you are done.
   See it in pictures

✏️ Sew each shoulder from the outer edge in and stop at the neckline. Sew straight across and your head will not go through. Make the lined version from two different fabrics and it becomes reversible.

5. Tips & variations

• Fringe: in fleece or wool, snip the hem into 1 cm (⅜ in) strips for a fringed, handmade look.
• Make it reversible: use a print for the outer and a plain fabric for the lining, and wear it either way out.
• Add a hood: attach the hood pattern from the kids' hoodie to the neckline instead of binding it.
• For kids: pick the Child preset for an easy layer on school mornings.