Sew a poncho in 20 minutes

Sewing a poncho: Even beginners can sew a cuddly, warm poncho in no time at all without a pattern, just by using my picture tutorial!

The most important things at a glance

• In this post, you will learn which fabrics are suitable for sewing a poncho
• In the picture tutorial, I show a very simple variation that allows even beginners to sew a cuddly, warm poncho
• In the post, you will find the measurements for ponchos for children and adults
• There is also a sewing video in which I show you how to sew the poncho step by step
• Sewing level: Beginner
• Sewing time: 20 minutes

Why should I sew a poncho myself?

Quite simple: Because you know best which poncho combines perfectly with your wardrobe. You decide on the fabric type, the color, the material, and the finishing method.

And with that, you naturally also determine how warm your self-sewn poncho should be. You will find suitable fabric recommendations for ponchos and capes further below. And to make it even easier, you can even sew the poncho without a pattern.

Especially cool: In this tutorial, I will show you how to adapt the poncho to any body size – and very easily using a measuring tape. In this way, you can sew cuddly ponchos for women, men, and children in no time at all!

A poncho like this is perfect for the transition period – but also for providing extra warmth when worn over a jacket or coat. Plus, it looks super stylish. :)

Can I sew a poncho as a beginner?

Of course! A poncho is the perfect first project for beginners! You can edge the slit of the poncho with bias tape, as I show you in the instructions. If you want it even simpler, you can finish this edge with an overlocker. It’s quick and done in no time.

Stitching on the pom-pom trim takes only a few minutes because you don't even have to pin it in place. You see: It's not rocket science! :)

And such a successful project naturally makes you want more! Perhaps you will sew a matching shirt or dress for your cuddly poncho next?

Read more here about the topics sewing a shirt and sewing a dress!

Is there also a pattern for a cape?

Yes, at SewSimple you will find a pattern for a women's cape. This is a bit more elaborate to sew and easily replaces a coat or jacket in the cold season!

It is also sewn from jacket or coat fabrics and comes equipped with a turtleneck or hood. It also has large pockets that keep your hands nice and warm. :)

What fabrics can I use to sew capes and ponchos?

There are quite a few types of fabric you can use to sew ponchos. If you have never done it before, I recommend starting with non-stretch fabrics. They have more stability and don't distort as easily when sewing or wearing.

For simple ponchos that can be used as changing capes, you can use fleece; otherwise, I would prefer to fall back on natural fibers like cotton (there is also cotton fleece!) or wool blends. Here too, some synthetic fiber is usually involved: it ensures that the fabrics wash well, are easy to work with, and retain their shape.

A little tip: If you love sustainable sewing and are into upcycling, you can also sew your poncho from a wool blanket!

Fabric recommendations for ponchos and wraps

You can sew ponchos from 1001 fabrics. It always depends on how warm you want your poncho to be. And what you want to combine it with. In this section, I will introduce you to different fabrics and explain what you can use them for.

Suitable fabrics

• Wool fabric^*: a classic for ponchos. It is light, soft, water-repellent, and balances temperatures well. It is more breathable than tightly woven or knitted coat fabrics and is therefore somewhat lighter and not quite as warming. Boiled wool fabrics are perfect for transitional pieces and children's ponchos.
• Coat fabrics – great for stylish capes and ponchos. Coat fabrics come in countless variations, with stripes, solid colors, or checks. Classically, coat fabrics are blended fabrics consisting of natural fibers like virgin wool, viscose, cotton, or linen and a touch of synthetic fiber, which provides durability and stability. Ponchos made of coat fabrics can also be wonderfully used for the cooler season and for "more adult" outfits.
• Bouclé fabrics^* – for fine ponchos with which you can really shine: Bouclé is a rather loose weave, which sometimes has one slightly tricky characteristic: it frays easily. For the poncho project that I show you in this tutorial, however, that is no problem: the fabric edges are edged with bias tape and pom-pom trim, giving them nice stability.
• Sweat fabric^* – uncomplicated ponchos for sports, school, and leisure time can also be sewn from sweat fabric. And if you want to skip edging the seams, you can simply finish everything with the overlocker or the overlock stitch on your sewing machine.
• Fleece fabrics^* – an inexpensive alternative to expensive wool blends; however, you should make sure that your fleece fabric also contains natural fibers so that no heat build-up develops. Cotton fleece, for example, is wonderfully warming, soft, fluffy, and lovely to work with.
• Knit fabrics^* – a good opportunity to try out sewing with knit fabrics! Knit fabrics have a beautiful drape and are suitable for flattering, soft ponchos.
• Tweed: For distinctly stylish ponchos with a classic appeal

Reading tip: You can learn more about fabrics and their use in my post Which fabric for what?

Materials needed

For a poncho 150 cm wide and 160 cm long, you need:

• 160 cm outer fabric, 140 - 150 cm wide (preferably a nice, warming woven fabric)
• approx. 170 cm cotton bias tape^* (4 cm unfolded)
• approx. 3 meters pom-pom trim or fringe trim^*
• Marking pen^*
• Sewing thread^*
• Rotary cutter^*
• Fabric scissors^*
• Ruler^*
• Fabric clips^*
• Pins^*
• Iron and ironing board (read more about practical ironing aids)
• Sewing machine

This size is perfect if you are at least 1.70 m tall. If you are shorter, 140 cm of outer fabric in a 140 cm width will probably suffice.

What measurements should I use for a child's poncho?

Would you like to sew a child's poncho? That is easy with this tutorial, because here you can adjust the size of the poncho individually to any body size.

Here's how: Measure the width of the poncho from wrist to wrist.

For the length, take the length from the shoulder to a hand's breadth below the belly button.

You can, of course, make the poncho longer or shorter, depending on what is desired and practical.

By the way, you can also sew a towel poncho with this tutorial by simply sewing two towels together halfway in the middle. Strengthen the end of the slit with a bar tack. That is easy to do by sewing back and forth several times using a zigzag stitch with a stitch length of 0.

How should I prepare the fabrics?

First off: You are on the safe side if you wash and iron your fabrics beforehand. But: Hot ironing with plenty of steam is generally sufficient as well.

However, I basically always wash my fabrics before sewing. Before I put them in the cupboard, I attach a note with the measurements, care instructions, and composition of the fabrics. Then I know that when I take a fabric out of the cupboard, I can get started right away.

Which sewing thread is suitable for ponchos?

For this project, I recommend a sewing thread that matches the color of your fabric. I used a black sewing thread from Mettler here, which conjures up a beautiful, unobtrusive seam. And because my poncho is in shades of blue and black, I used a black bias tape, which is sewn on with black thread.

If you like contrasts, you can also provide a small eye-catcher right here by using a contrast thread, for example, a fiery red.

My tip: Don't waste time with low-quality thread, because the slit seam of the poncho, in particular, should be edged with a durable seam. And you can only get that with high-quality thread.

A highly recommended thread is the sewing thread from Mettler^* – a firmly twisted, glossy thread that creates incredibly clean seams.

Would you like to sew the poncho with an overlocker? Then try out an edge seam with a soft, contrasting-colored woolly nylon thread!

Do you already know the SewSimple sewing book?

What must my sewing machine be able to do?

It is perfectly sufficient if your sewing machine has the basic functions: straight stitch and zigzag, nothing more is needed to sew this poncho. It is important that you equip your sewing machine with a new, sharp needle that can handle several layers of fabric.

A good 80 or 90 universal needle will definitely do the job. Just like the universal or zigzag foot.

Before you start, you should refill your bobbin. We are about to sew several long seams, so it would be a shame if you had to stop in between to wind a new bobbin, right? ;)

Can I sew a poncho with an overlocker?

You can sew the entire poncho with an overlocker; that is no problem at all. Then you skip the bias tape and pom-pom trim. Instead, you can edge the poncho with a ladder stitch or a wide 3-thread overlock stitch. Of course, also with any other stitch of your choice.

At this point, the wave stitch of my Babylock Acclaim would immediately come to mind, which produces fantastically beautiful edge finishes, take a look:

But other edge stitches are also perfectly suitable. If you equip your overlocker with a beautiful woolly nylon thread^*, you get dense, soft edge seams that are really worth seeing.

What is the best way to start now?

Have your washed, ironed fabric and the necessary utensils ready.

Make sure you have a sharp pair of scissors at the ready, capable of handling the somewhat heavier fabric for your poncho. My small fabric scissors unfortunately fail occasionally, which is why I use these heavy professional fabric scissors by Paul^* here.

If you want to know more about scissors and how to use them, read my post Scissors for Sewing.

YouTube video on sewing a poncho

Bonus: How you can wear your self-sewn poncho

Here are a few suggestions on how you can wear your self-sewn poncho.

By the way, the poncho isn't just wearable as such: you can also combine it like a completely normal scarf. Clever, right? :)

If you like, you can also hold the front pieces of your poncho together with a decorative pin, a brooch, or a shawl pin. It also adds a visual highlight!

Conclusion

Wow, I'm so happy with my new poncho! I prefer to combine it with a shirt and a simple denim jacket; it just looks so classic. And it's just perfect for the transitional seasons.

So you see: Sewing a poncho is really easy and goes super fast! That's why it's also the ideal project for beginners. Because in just a few minutes, you can hold your first self-sewn piece of clothing in your hands. So: a sense of achievement included.

That makes you want more and gives you the confidence to really get started with sewing clothes, right? Feel free to also read why it is definitely worth sewing your own clothes.

Let me know in the comments how the sewing went!

Happy simple sewing

yours, Sabine

Frequently Asked Questions