Unfinished Poncho

I got Knit & Crochet: Ponchos, Wraps, Capes & Shrugs! out at the library, and decided to knit the Rainbow Poncho. I came the closest I've ever done in using the actual yarn specified in the pattern. It calls for Noro Kureyon, and I had a bunch of Noro Big Kureyon (the same yarn just in bulky weight). I had bought it specifically for a poncho, though at the time of purchase I didn't have a pattern yet. So I was excited when I saw this pattern.

This yarn is really, really cool. 100% wool, with long color blocks which create the striping in the finished project. The colors of this colorway (#7)are gorgeous and subtle and go so well together. I used the same yarn in two Calorimetries I knit earlier this year.

I obviously had to make a few changes based on the yarn weight difference. Rather than 80 stitches on size 10 needles, I cast on 60 on size 15 needles. Then I knit, knit, knit, knit, knit, for what felt like forever. Finally I finished the main body. The only part left to be done was the collar. Here's the almost finished product (the red at the top being the waste yarn for the provisional cast on):


When I got to this point, I actually started wearing it without finishing it. The weather turned cool (then hot, then cool again). And I couldn't decide what I wanted to do with the collar. I thought it looked pretty good with the open neck, and tossed around the idea of just picking up the provisional cast on and then just binding off again. But then I was convinced to do up the collar as the pattern called for, since this is a warm snuggly piece of clothing, and the collar would make it more so. I've done the collar up now and binded off and everything, but I still think it's unfinished. First off, because I haven't sewed buttons on yet, but more so because I don't really like the way the collar turned out. I didn't go for long enough, due to the regular/bulky difference issue. I finished it several rows early, thinking it was long enough, but it wasn't. The collar is supposed to fold over, and it's not long enough to. Plus, I used size 13 needles for the collar, and it just seems too loose. So I think I'll take it all out and redo with size 11, and make sure I make it long enough this time to fold over. Of course, until I do, I'll probably keep wearing it. We'll see if I ever get around to it.