Crochet options

I have been exploring the possibilities of crochet for a while now and I can safely say that I am very much in love with the craft and I completely disagree with those who see crochet as a craft for the home stuff only. I love crocheting for my home, but I also love, absolutely love to use crochet for making garments.

To crochet garments successfully you have to make a few important choices. Here is my 2 cents worth:

- choose a thinner yarn than you would for knitting to get the same thickness in your finished product. The way the knots are created in crochet creates a bulkier fabric. Instead of a worsted pick a sport, instead of a sport pick a fingering, instead of a bulky pick a worsted.

- crochet with a hook slightly larger than the one recommended by the manufacturer. Pick a hook that is at least one or two sizes bigger than the recommended hook. Crochet a couple swatches with the different hooks and pick the hook size that gives you the best drape, that creates a soft, supple fabric that will make a comfortable garment.

- worsted spun or woolen spun? For very defined stitches pick a worsted spun, but for garments, my favorite is a woolen spun, or a yarn with a halo. This softens the very defined appearance of the crochet stitches.

Here is a little sample of the fun and beauty of crochet. This is a sample for a child sweater design I have been working on. The yarn used here is Cascade's wonderful Tangiers in 2 contrasting colorways creating a fun play on textures and colors.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Gatsby Vest - New Pattern

I am so happy! The Gatsby Vest pattern is ready. I just uploaded it to Ravelry!

The pattern is clearly written, with beautiful pictures highlighting the features of the vest.

A fun contrast between the striped front of the vest, and the solid back.

A comfy fit at the tummy.

Comfortable armholes for fun playing.

Best of all, the pattern comes in sizes 3 months to 6 years!

You can click the "buy now" Ravelry button to purchase it. Happy knitting!

The Gatsby Vest

I always find it hard to write after a long time with no writing. It is not the I have nothing to write about, just that my writing muscle is asleep, and my inner critic quite ready to strike down each and every sentence I write! But I am determined to share with you my progress on my new pattern, the Gatsby Vest. The knitting is done, the testing is done, and the pattern is undergoing its final editing. I find this the hardest stage, checking and rechecking. My favorite moments when I create a new design, are the moments when I get the inspiration for a new project, the actual knitting (I like to knit the project myself first to see how it feels), and then the photographing.

This was a very fun photo shoot with mr. L., my youngest son modeling. We had a lot of fun playing with pine cones, and running around in the playground. He did not seem too puzzled by the camera, as i you can clearly see! The great thing is that it also showed the vest in action.

 The vest covers the back and the tummy perfectly, and it is comfortable, while giving that classic touch I love so much for young children, and it is perfect for a boy. There are so many wonderful patterns out there for girls, but very few for boys. Not to say that it would not work for a girl, but the simplicity of the lines, details, and colors make it a perfect boy garment. After all, the Great Gatsby inspired the vest! One thing I really enjoyed about knitting the vest, was how easy and fast it was to knit. The contrast between the striped front of the vest, and the solid back, kept me entertained, and before I knew it I had a finished vest for mr. L. to enjoy! The fact that it is knitted using a worsted weight has something to do with how fast it knits up...

OK, back to work on the pattern. I will live you with my favorite picture of mr. L. wearing his vest.

Meet the Trouvillaise in Petite Purls

I have been unduly quiet, I know, but I am back. Thank you for checking on me.
I am coming back to my blog with something I am really proud of.
I am so happy to share with you my secret project laTrouvillaise, a classic looking bathing suit I designed for the summer 2010 edition of Petite Purls.

I wanted it to have the feel of my childhood holidays in Normandie, I wanted it to be fun, cheerful, and easy to wear, perfect for playing...

To knit a bathing suit, there is no better choice than Cascade Yarns' Fixation. Just the right amount of stretch for a perfect fit. I picked the colors after the color palettes so often found in the early 50's. The possibilities are endless though, and why not a 2 color palette...

I designed the bathing suit to have a comfortable fit, with wide shoulders to protect them from the sun, and nice legs to avoid the bathing suit riding up with even the most emergetic games.

I am sure you all recognize Miss SockPixie as the model. We had so much fun together taking these great pictures of her wearing La Trouvillaise. We were so lucky, we only had a short window of time to take the pictures, and the heavens smiled on us. The weather was incredible that day.

Miss SockPixie is in love with the bathing suit, and has been wearing it secretly around the house only since this was a secret project. She can hardly wait to go the beach and wear it.

I won't hold you any longer. I know you will want to go check this wonderful new issue of Petite Purls. It is full of beautiful projects for our little ones. Happy Summer Knitting!