It's kind of surreal, actually. This sweater has been kicking my ass for years. YEARS! But I finally, FINALLY finished!
First things first, you must admire the project that nearly broke me:
Go For Baroque pattern by Jennifer Hansen from Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet. Can also be found for sale on Stitch Diva's website.
1200+ yds of Bernat Baby Sparkle in white. Size D hook.
One wrist maiming, eye blurring, years-in-the-crocheting sweater finished? Priceless.
******
So here's the story...
A couple of years ago I was just really getting into crocheting and had bought my first book Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet The Happy Hooker. Suddenly there was an abundance of very cool patterns at my disposal so what could I do but dive right in with hook at the ready. As is my style I overreached my level of expertise with almost every pattern I attempted, but I managed to struggle through almost every one, learning a lot with each attempt. This was the first one I completely failed at- time and time again.
I went and bought what I (at the time) believed to be a fingering weight yarn, or at least what I thought was "close enough." Boy was I wrong. I think it was Patons Brilliant, or something along the same lines. I do know it was sparkly and very red and I could already picture myself wearing my new sparkly red lace sweater out, even if I had to wear it to the grocery store.
Needless to say it didn't work out. I must have started and frogged that sweater 3 or 4 times before I got it through my thick skull that not only was my yarn not going to work for this pattern, but I was in WAY over my head.
I believe I still have that yarn.
I forgot about that pattern for a while... Or blocked it from my memory...
A couple of years went by. One day surfing the net for patterns I chanced upon the Baroque Jacket pattern for sale on the Stitch Diva website and it rekindled my need to master that pattern!
I bought new yarn.
It had been a couple of years and I had learned a TON about crochet. I had reworked published patterns and even figured out a few of my own. It was almost second nature to me now to fiddle with each new pattern I tried to tailor it to my tastes. This pattern should be pretty easy for me now, I figured.
I started in being careful to follow all the instructions explicitly.
My first attempt resulted in a frogging after I had finished the upper back piece and figured out that it was going to be way too small for me. Grinding my teeth I carefully checked my measurements with the pattern and began again.
This time my measurements were right, but I was finding my yarn choice frustrating. It's a very pretty yarn, with a nice sheen and a surprisingly cushiony feel for an acrylic yarn, but it split around my hook with almost EVERY STITCH! I persevered however and continued to put in the time and effort making the sweater grow in tiny increments.
Finally I finished the back and started in on the sleeves. Things were starting to look up, I was hitting the home stretch and the end was in sight! I was elated until I tried it on.
The sleeves didn't even graze my wrist bones when I pulled on the edges, and the back was creeping up towards my bra strap! I was devastated. It was almost guaranteed that the slightly elastic quality of the yarn and my tight crocheting had gotten me into a mess. Again.
I thought about balling the whole thing up and shoving it into the blackest corner of my craft room closet. I thought about frogging the whole thing and going out to buy (yet again) a different yarn so I could start over (again.) I wondered if there was some minor Catholic saint of Crochet who bestowed miracles on the frustrated and downtrodden hookers of the world I could pray to. In the end I just did what I always do... I fudged it.
A few hundred added rows later the back reached my hips and the sleeves fell right to the base of my hands! The lapels could stretch beyond my armpit region and close around my waist! I actually had made a wearable sweater! Better than wearable- it was damned cute!
And I have finally completed my sweater! ...Boy am I tired!
-Lyzard
