Sewing instructions for the BERNINA Surf Poncho – with free pattern

Ready. Set … BERNINA. Spring is here – time to really get going! With the current BERNINA campaign in Switzerland, you can get going like our new brand ambassador Ditaji Kambundji, European champion in the 60 m hurdles, and with full sewing power. Today we’ll show you how to sew a cool surf poncho. The pattern (cutting instructions) is available as a free download.

Sew a surf poncho – your sewing project to get you out and about

How about a self-sewn surf poncho made from bamboo terrycloth? Whether after a swim in the lake, a surf session or just for chilling out – this poncho is the perfect summer companion. You decide how you want your poncho to look like. Decorate it with embroidery, cool decorative stitches or patchwork elements… From simple to creatively expressive, everything is possible!

I’m going to show you how to sew the surf poncho with a stylish patchwork finish. The free pattern (cutting instructoins) is available to all readers, regardless of where they live.

Sew a surf poncho, free pattern (cutting instructions) and material

Since the poncho mostly consists of rectangles, it is very easy to cut and a paper pattern would be a waste of resources. You can download the fabric cutting instructions for the surf poncho here:

Free pattern (Cutting Instructions) surf poncho

Fabric requirements (140cm width)

Materials

• Thread
  • 1 sewing thread Mettler Seralon
  • Overlock thread: 1 Mettler Silk Finish Cotton, Multicolor; 2 Seracor overlock threads
  • Basting thread

• Eyelets:
  • Size XS/ S /M 10 pieces, Ø 11 mm
  • Size L/ XL 12 pieces, Ø 11 mm

• Cord:
  • Cotton cord Ø 8-10 mm
  • Size XS/ S /M 2 m
  • Size L/ XL 2. 2 m

• Patchwork fabrics:
  • 6 colours each 5 cm (2 inches) x 145 cm (57 inches)
  • Fabric (bamboo terry cloth, towelling or something else fluffy)

Patchwork steps – the Seminole technique

In this technique, you first sew long strips together, cut them into segments and then reassemble them. This creates a intresting geometric patchwork pattern.

Cut 6 strips of 5 cm x 145 cm (2×57 inches) each.

Lay out the 6 strips in the desired colour or pattern sequence and sew them together lengthwise.

Recommended settings and accessories:

• Use the Patchwork Foot #97 as the presser foot. Use foot #97D if your machine has a dual feed.
• Stitch plate: Straight Stitch Plate
• Seam allowance: exactly ¼ inch (aprox. 6 mm)
• Stitch length: 1.9 mm

Patchwork Foot #97

For patchwork projects with seam allowances of 3 mm (1⁄8”), 6 mm (¼”) and 7.5 mm (1/3“) ✓  Three notches on the side for precise guidance ✓  For 9 mm machines ✓ 

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Press the seams open so that everything lies flat and can be put together nicely.

Straighten the edges and cut the strips in half.

Sew them together again (see picture below) so that 12 strips form one panel.

Now cut the sewn-together strip panel into equally wide segments of 5 cm (2 inches) each. Depending on the desired pattern, this can be done straight or diagonally. The strips are made up of 12 sections.

Take two of these cut patchwork strips and sew them together on the small side to make one long strip consisting of 24 sections.

Sewing the borders

Our surf poncho has patchwork stripes in three places: on the hood, on the neckline and on the bottom edge.

The required length of the borders measured by the number of squares can be found in the following table.

Note: In these instructions, we are sewing the poncho in size M.

Sewing the borders for the hood and neckline

For the hood and neckline, sew 2 long patchwork strips together on the long side for each, right sides facing. This creates an offset patchwork pattern.

Sewing the border for the bottom edge

Here you need two borders with three strips each. Proceed in the same way as for the hood and then sew on a third row. For an irregular patchwork pattern, separate two squares from the third strip at the beginning and sew them back on at the end.

Cut two rectangles of 14 cm x 94 cm (5 1/2 inches x 37 inches) each. Take the border pieces and sew them to the two backing strips.

Sew side seams of the border and backing pieces together to form one long tube, matching the finished poncho width. Depending on the size that you need, you might have to cut off a section (don’t forget your sew allowance!)

Cutting the bodice of the surf poncho

Follow the cutting instructions in the PDF guide (link above) and cut the front and back pieces separately. The hood is cut once on the fold. Take the measurements for the neckline from the table in the instructions.

Sewing the surf poncho

Now finish all the side seams and the shoulder seams with the overlock or a zigzag stitch.

Mark the armholes and side openings on both sides according to the pattern and leave them open. Adjust the seam allowance on both sides to the border width:

Using theThree-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50 and a stitch length of 3.5, close the side seams and bartack the seam ends.

Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50

With three soles for sewing, quilting and topstitching ✓  Perfect fabric feed and even stitch formation ✓  Seam guides help you sew with precision ✓  Materials that are stretchy or tend to stick ✓ 

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Now it’s time for the side slits & armholes. First, press the side openings flat, then topstitch them on the overlock stitches.

Do the same with the armholes.

Finishing the bottom edge

Now place the hem border tube that you created at the beginning onto the poncho hem, right sides facing. Pin it evenly at a distance of 5 inches to the bodice hem (12.5 cm) and sew it on with a seam allowance of 1/4 inch.

The back of the hem border is now folded around the bottom edge and pinned in place. Fold in the hem so that the previous seam is covered on the inside. Then topstitch from the front side in the seam shadow, making sure you catch the backing.

Sew the border to the hood

Cut a rectangle for the back in the size 10×79 cm (4 inches x 31 inches). Sew the border and stripes together, right sides facing.

Pin the border to the hood hem at a distance of 3 inches (7.5 cm) to the edge, right sides together, and then sew it on.

Fold the backing over the hood edge. Here you baste the backing by hand the same way you did with the bottom edge. Do not sew with the machine yet, since you still have to attach the hood to the neckline.

Sewing the neckline border

Now use pins to mark the center of the collar cut-out and the outer edges 4 cm to the left and right.

Using the Patchwork Foot #97 and a stitch length of 1.9, sew the border to the poncho, from the neckline edge to the seam after the 5th square (6th square for sizes L and XL).

Cut into the terry fabric up to the marking, taking care not to cut into the cotton fabric or the seam!

Fold the border over to the reverse side. Fold over the 1/4 inch seam allowance on the long sides and then sew in place using hand stitches.

Pin the end piece to the border slit end, sew it on with a straight stitch and cut it back after sewing (only the terry cloth).

Sew on the rectangle of fabric or patchwork by folding it over and in. Sew it on with hand stitches.

Sew the hood onto the poncho

Then sew the hood to the neckline and overlock the seam allowance. You have to partly remove your basting stitches at the hood for this step.

Finish the hood border the same way you did with the bottom edge (from the front in the seam shadow). Sew on the end pieces at the neckline with hand stitches.

Quilting the patchwork border

The surf poncho is almost finished! Now the Seminole patchwork is quilted using the freemotion technique. The BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR) is particularly useful here. Of course, you can also use other presser feet to make this pattern. I will show you two variations.

• Preparation: Secure the three layers of the border in the centre with pins.
• Thread colour: Select a medium colour value for the patchwork.
• The thread colour should ‘disappear’ so that the play of light and shadow on the quilting stands out, not the thread. For this tutorial, we use a light bluish-grey .

Variation 1: Quilting spirals with the BSR

You can pre-draw the desired pattern with a trick marker, for example spirals – as shown in the picture above.

We use the BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR).

BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR)

Perfect for free-motion quilting with a controlled stitch length ✓  The sewing speed adapts automatically to the speed of the moving fabric ✓  Automatic control of the stitch length ensures absolutely even stitch formation ✓  For 5.5 mm & 9 mm machines with BSR function ✓ 

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Select BSR mode 1, lower the feed dog, bring up the bobbin thread through the fabric layers first so that it cannot nest on the underside, and knot the threads by hand when you are done. Quilting gloves make guiding the fabric easier.

Caution: After a few stitches, check the thread tension on the underside and adjust if necessary. You can also use scrap pieces to test your settings first.

Variation 2: Quilting waves

Select stitch 1319 from the patchwork category of your BERNINA sewing machine and quilt 3 rows evenly spaced, for example using the Reverse Pattern Foot with Clear Sole #34 or the Three-Sole Walking Foot with Seam Guide #50.

Reverse Pattern Foot with Clear Sole #34

For forward and reverse-feed stitches ✓  The clear sole ensures a good view of the sewing area ✓  The red markings allow accurate and careful sewing ✓  For 5.5 mm and 9 mm machines ✓ 

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If you want to achieve very regular waves, then you can use the following trick. Draw a wavy line in the centre of the border using the quilt ruler and trick marker. You can then quilt along these wavy lines with the presser foot. Then quilt two more wavy lines at the same distance above and below the centre wave, either by marking these waves with the trick marker again oder by using accessories, such as the Seam Guides in Shaft left and right or Echo Quilting and CutWork Foot #44C.

Echo Quilting and CutWork Foot #44C

<div class="product-desc"> Ideal for a host of creative sewing projects ✓  For echo and shadow quilting, free-motion quilting, thread painting and free-motion embroidery ✓  Concentric circular markings and a crosshair for precise positioning of stitches ✓  Excellent cutting results on CutWork designs ✓  For 5.5 mm and 9 mm machines ✓  </div>

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Seam Guides in Shaft left and right

For beautiful evenly spaced seams ✓Left for Overlock, Cover-, Chain- and Combostitches ✓Right for Cover- and Chainstitches ✓

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Last step: Attach eyelets and cord

Attach the eyelets in the centre of the patchwork squares according to your manufacturers instructions and finally thread in the cord. Knot the ends so the cord can’t be pulled through the eylets. Your surf poncho is finished – that was easy! The swimming season is coming. What do you think, will you sew a surf poncho like this?

Ready. Set. Create. Spring belongs to you – and your creativity!

Love, 
Tanja