Martha?

[HollyM]

My darling Miss Martha was wearing a poncho upon her release last night. I can't find a picture clear enough to tell, but it sure looks crocheted to me!
<a href="http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=999535&tw=wn_wire_story" target="_new">Martha's Free</a>

Whadda ya think?

This is the best one I could find. My mom said she heard Martha had been crocheting in prison, so maybe???

Holly

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

I heard that the other inmates made it for her

[HollyM]

Just for kicks, I went over to Martha's website.
On their message boards they had a special thread set up for Welcome Home messages. There were over 100 posts asking about the poncho! <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/eek.gif" /> Lots of people asking if it was knit or crochet and if there would be a pattern published.

Since she's stuck at home (mostly) for the next 5 months, maybe she'll actually read those posts and let us know<img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/roll.gif" />

Holly

[Julie]

There was a bunch of chatter on Crochet Partners today, about that poncho. That might be where some of those posts are coming from at Martha's forum. I do like it, I had to to a little chattering about it myself this morning to Donna. It's DEFINITELY crocheted, how could it be anything but?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/yarngirl/th_martha3.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/yarngirl/martha3.jpg)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/yarngirl/th_martha1.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/yarngirl/martha1.jpg)

[xantha]

there was a huge thread in livejournal's crochet community about it, too. What yarn? I think it's this, in this colorway. No, I think it's this. And it's this stitch pattern, etc. :)

amusing! Sure looks crocheted to me, and they say that's what she was learning while she was in there, so...

-jess

[HollyM]

Oooh, Julie that 2nd picture shows the texture much better. I do think it's crocheted. The yarn??? Maybe Bernat Galaxy??
That sent me to the Bernat site. <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/sherlock.gif" />
<a href="http://www.bernat.com/patternbook.php?PBS=530125" target="_new">Cowl Poncho</a> could be a close relative of it. Her's has a scalloped edge instead of fringe and the neck isn't as bulky....but close, no?

Holly

[Julie]

I thought Bernat Galaxy too, though with her budget it could be just about anything. But if you wanted the look, it would be a great thing to start with! :D!

[threeolivemartini]

galaxy was the first thing i thought too .. so .. i think i might try to mimic this one.. cause i really like the edge

[Nashville Crocheter]

I really like her poncho too! I really like the scalloped bottom. If anybody does get the patttern please post it.:angel

[YaYa Yarnhood]

I think you could modify this, www.lionbrand.com/pattern...oncho.html (http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/cjif-poncho.html) - add an increase in the front and back as you go around each time to get the V thing going on, and a larger scallop at the bottom? You think?

[cinfulkarmah]

It looks like a granny poncho with a neckline added to the top and a scalloped border added to the bottom.

[threeolivemartini]

you know what .. anne i think you are right!

[clearwaters]

I heard one news item, I don't remember which channel - they said the poncho was a $400 chenille item. She was released at midnight, but didn't leave until 12:30, to give her a chance to change into the clothing her daughter had brought for her.

[rebeccav]

hmmm,bummer to think she didn't make it herself :blush
i'm also agreeing with anne on what it appears to be :yes

[Me&P]

i found this tidbit to share:

Guess Where Martha Got That Poncho?

The image flashed across TV screens nationwide--over and over and over again. Martha Stewart walked out of prison in the middle of the night to a waiting private jet. The glaring, bright bank of TV lights showed just how good she looked, dressed in jeans, stylish boots, and a fashionable gray poncho. Excuse me, Martha, where did you get the poncho?

Check it out! Martha in the poncho that's making headlines.

The unlikely source was revealed on Monday during Martha's pep rally-type talk to her employees at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. It's an Alderson original. As in the prison in Alderson, W.Va., in which Martha so famously made her home the past five months for lying to investigators about a stock trade. She revealed that a prison friend made it for her with yarn she bought from the prison commissary. The friend gave her the going away gift the night before her release--unwrapped because there is no wrapping paper or ribbons in prison--telling her to "wear it in good health."

See a photo gallery of Martha's odyssey, including a close-up shot of that ankle bracelet she has to wear for the next five months while she is under house arrest.

Now everyone wants that poncho. Martha promised to try to get the pattern from her still imprisoned friend. The Web site, SocialiteLife.com, pronounced, "Martha Stewart has just been released from prison and she's making a bold fashion statement by bringing back the crocheted poncho."

[truelove730]

Saw on CNN news last night that Martha is going to look into finding the pattern for the poncho. That was all it said as it was on the bottom scrolling news bit.

[HollyM]

Hey!
Did you all see that Lion Brand is going to be releasing a pattern for this?

After receiving the largest number of requests ever for a pattern, Lion Brand is creating a Homespun® pattern to match the poncho that Martha Stewart wore for her return home this week. Our newsletter and web site next week (we’re working as fast as we can!) will feature the pattern for the new poncho.

And there is a big, clear! picture of Martha holding up the poncho on their website.

Holly

[Empress Busy Bee]

That's awesome!

[threeolivemartini]

i think its awesome but to me that poncho didnt look like it was made from homespun.. but i guess you could use what you wanted as long as you have the pattern *eg*

[BklynVonne]

The poncho looks crocheted to me...I especially like the border! :)

I'm sure with the flood of requests, MS is trying to accomodate. At the very least, it's good public relations; more importantly, I think it would be nice for the person who made it to benefit as well.

Lion Brand is on the bandwagon to 'duplicate' the poncho...

[HollyM]

Yeah, the pattern is the important part!!!

My first guess on yarn is still Galaxy, but it's so hard to tell for sure from the pictures. There are a few colors of homespun that it could be and maybe the color shifts are giving the illusion of the bumpy texture that Galaxy has.

I will say, it's been fun trying to puzzle this out <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/sherlock.gif" />

Holly

[MsSunflwr]

I have attempted to re-create this poncho. I posted a photo on my blog (and I'm going to ATTEMPT to attach a photo here) What do you think?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/Nina_Kate/Finished%20crochet%20items/floor.jpg
my version of the Martha poncho (http://www.ninakate.blogspot.com)

[YaYa Yarnhood]

Bernat has posted the pattern on their site as a free .pdf download. It is done in Bernat Galaxy...

Bernat Pattern - Match "Martha's" Poncho (http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=1446&PHPSESSID=7d546516780e3c3d8b8e2090f25a33af)

[YaYa Yarnhood]

It is also now on the lionbrand site in Homespun...

Lionbrand "Coming Home" Poncho (http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/chs-scallopEdgePoncho.html)