The stars must have been aligned just right this year because I found myself a few weeks before Christmas with all my gifts made or bought and no new projects to do! With delicious anticipation I went for my idea book where I sketch out concepts for future projects.
One of my sketches was for a cute tunic-length, empire-waist jumper that I had been dying to try to make. I gathered up some long-forgotten yarn and went to work fashioning this garment I had seen in a clothing catalogue. Because I had been seeing so many awesome sweaters in stores this season with knitted cables I decided to try my hand at crocheted ones.
Unfortunately you can not see the cables in the pictures, but the straps, top edge and empire-waist band are all cabled. The bust section was done in a solid stitch and the bottom was done in a variation of a shell stitch.
In the interest of further experimentation I tried a different technique for increasing on the lower portion- each third row I went up one hook size. The effect was exactly what I had hoped for- the shells got bigger and the skirt section tapered out gradually.
After finishing the jumper I decided to try my hand at some embroidery.
When I was young my dad taught me how to embroider and cross stitch, but I hadn’t done either in a very long time. Fortunately I had the perfect project to showcase some decorative stitching in mind.
Every day on my way to work I pass by a bridal shop that displays their dresses in the front window. Recently one of the wedding dresses in the store was displayed with a beautiful wide satin belt that reminded me of an obi belt- the belts worn over traditional Japanese kimonos.
So I cut some cotton fabric into a wide sash-like belt and traced a Celtic knot pattern onto it with a fabric pen. Using a stem stitch I followed the traced lines, working the pattern along the top and bottom of the belt.
Next I ironed on some interfacing on both the front and back pieces of the belt before sewing them together.
Lastly I added a wide ribbon to tie the belt closed.
You’d think that after two projects finished I wouldn’t have time to do anything else before the holidays, but I found myself on Christmas Eve looking for a quickie project. I dug out one of my lonely skeins of yarn and threw together a ¾ length shrug using the same mop head stitch I used to make a shawl for my mother. Incredibly it used almost exactly a whole skein and although it’s a tad cold outside for only a ¾ length shrug it will sure come in handy this spring.
-Lyzard
