Knitted poncho

I recently came across this Neon Roll With It Tweed Yarn By Red Heart (4 ply medium) yarn.  It caught my eye because it's so colourful and soft.

I knew I wanted to do something with it ... but what?  I've got enough scarves, sweaters, etc.  So I decided to make a poncho ... I've never knitted one before.  I based it on this pattern.

I cast on 76 stitches using 5.5mm needles. Join in round, placing a marker on first stitch.

Seed stitch the neck edging:

• 1st round: *K1. P1. Repeat from * around.
• 2nd round: *P1. K1. Repeat from * around.
• 3rd round: As 1st round.
• 4th round: K1. Place marker between stitches. (K1. P1) 17 (17-18) times. Place marker between stitches. K2. Place marker between stitches. (K1. P1) 17 (17-18) times. Place marker between stitches. K1. Markers for center back and center front (2 stitches wide) are now in position.

Begin increasing rounds:

• 1st round: K1. Slip marker. Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into back of loop. Knit to next marker. Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into back of loop. Slip marker. K2. Slip marker. Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into back of loop. Knit to next marker. Make 1 stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and knitting into back of loop. Slip marker. K1. You've increased 4 stitches. 
• 2nd round: K1. Slip marker. Knit to marker. Slip marker. K2. Slip marker. Knit to next marker. Slip marker. K1. 

Continue repeating 1st round and 2nd round until poncho measures desired length ... mine is 33.5 inches long at center back.

• 1st round: *K1. P1. Rep from * around.
• 2nd round: *P1. K1. Rep from * around.
• 3rd round: As 1st round.

Cast off and weave in loose ends.  It took three balls of 5.29 ounce/150 grams ~ 296 yards/271 metres yarn.

*****

Because I wasn't following the knit/purl pattern (as per the pattern), when I was finished, I cast the stitches ... but the bottom curled.  Grrrrr!  So I undid the casting off and put it back on needles again.  I did the seed stitch for three rows (as above) to matching the neck, figuring it wouldn't curl because of the knit/purl combination ... but it did (you can see it in the third picture above).  Grrrrr!  I considered undoing the seed stitch rows and finishing with a few garter stitch rows.  That  would have been a lot of work so I thought I'd try ironing the curling to see if it would flatten out ... and it did.  Yay!