Good morning! My DD (3-1/2) has fallen in 
with Wool Ease in Red Sprinkles It [I]is[/I] adorable, but I am having a really hard time finding a child’s poncho pattern that uses worsted weight yarn. Most are bulky weight. Do you all think I could find a pattern for a bulky weight poncho and knit with two strands held together of the worsted weight and get a decent poncho out of it? I am new to this and don’t want to screw anything up!
I made a poncho for my daughter based on a pattern on the Lion Brand website. Basically you just make two rectangles and then sew them together, and add fringe. It could be made with any yarn, just have to figure out how big to make the rectangles. It’s very basic, but came out kind of cute.
Last year (about this time) (september/october archive of my blog)
i wrote about the 8 basic styles of poncho’s.
my 2 favorites are
trapizoid, and almost square.
both are so simple and basic, you hardly need a pattern.
make a gauqe swatch. (most knitters get about 16 to 18 stitches in worsted weight). lets say your gauge is 16 stitches =4 inches.
the top opening of the ponch has to be loose enough to pass over your daughters head --or about 15 to 17 inches! (it can be smaller, BUT you must use a stretchy cast on! --a tight cast will ruin the poncho!)
so to make a 16 opening, (16 stitches =4 inches 4X4 =16 inches.
16 (stitches) times 4 =64 (you might need more or less. but about 60 to 68 stitches is about the right number to cast on.(LOOSELY!)
then an inch or more of edging… ribbing, seed stitch, garter… [B]your choice![/B]
(you can join into a round before the edging, or you can knit the edging, join into round (and be possitive you haven’t twisted!) after the edging.
[B]In EITHER CASE–join into round.[/B]
Place beginning of round marker. (this will also mark CENTER BACK)
and place second marker half way round (if you have 64 stitche, it would be after stitch 32 (and before stitch 33) this will mark center front.
(if you have 66 stitches, it would be after stitch 33… yada yada)
Now you just knit and increase (every other round)
to make the poncho, you increase at markers…
M1 before marker, k1, make one. (2 increases) do the same at both markers-- for a total of 4 stitches increased, EVERY OTHER ROUND.
the alternate round is just plain knitting (or not… you can knit in a pattern if you want!) Just keep working till poncho is long enough (18 to 24 inches is about right… but it can be shorter or longer!)
the resulting poncho is the same as "amy singers’ poncho (knitty.com) or the same as the Yarn Harlots poncho, or the same as the one i knit for miss B, (grand daughter) and for miss M (neice)
Miss B’s was done in red heart worsted (with noveltyyarn for edging) --(note–i K2 between M1’s (and i use a YO for my M1’s) 
by choosing your yarn, your cast on, your type of increase, and how many stitches in center front (no more than 3–unless you make the center front a cable!) and all the other details… the result will be YOUR DESIGN.
its hardly rocket science… (the design) the shape is basic, the process is basic… the finished result (good or bad)is a result of the choices you make… (i love LB sparkles… i did a scarf in the hunter green color (now discontinued!))
the poncho was one of Miss B’s favorites’-so muchs so, she got a second almost the same, a few years latter!
Here are some patterns for worsted weight:
http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60549A.html
http://www.ptyarn.com/childponcho.html this one is knit with two strands of smaller yarn together, looks like one strand worsted would be the same.
TY so much for all of the wonderful info! I am very excited to make her poncho now and will try what you have suggested. I really, really appreciate your taking the time to be so helpful!!!
Diane and Mary - ty both also for the info! I just love these forums!!!