As usual Washington can’t quite make up its mind as to the real season. Things are blooming and busting out all over and I’m starting to get a little panicky about my ever increasing list of projects to do!
First on my list (and still on my hook) is a new design I’ve been working on for what I like to call my Lotus Blossom Cardigan. This has been the largest undertaking for me and I think the strain is starting to show. (I’d take pictures of my haggard face as proof, but no one needs to see that!)
Somehow I figured that I was ready to come up with my own pattern in fingering weight yarn and a minuscule E hook! What was I thinking? Actually, I was thinking about how beautiful this knit sweater is: Myrtle by Snowden Becker. I saw it on Ravelry and was instantly in love, but my experience with knitting either involves broomstick lace (a crochet technique that uses a knitting needle) or throwing my pathetic attempts at knitting across the room in disgust. My first thought (after being utterly bummed that it was a knitting pattern) was to remake it in crochet. Shouldn’t be hard, right?
I know, I know. I can hear you all laughing at me already. Still, I thought I was up to the challenge and I was ready to prove myself.
I pulled out my dress-maker’s dummy and all my stitch dictionaries and started playing around with a cone of fingering weight wool. After several abortive attempts I settled on a lovely edging pattern (changed slightly so it would work as an insert) that reminded me of the graceful blooms of a lotus flower. Thus the sweater-in-progress had a name.
Here I ran into my first issue... Lace insertions are lovely, but impractical. Impracticality won out though and after I had made each insertion I pinned it to my dummy. I figured that I could fill in the blanks, so-to-speak, with a simple stitch (I chose a crocheted moss stitch) and attach the insertions as I went. In theory this should work just fine, but it really makes for a complicated pattern and with such a small yarn and hook I’ve already reached row numbers in the 100s for the body of the sweater.
Now I’m finally working on the sleeves, but the shaping of the sleeve cap makes me want to cry. In fact I’m ready to throw the whole thing out in frustration, except for the fact that the sweater is beautiful and I’m so... damned... close! If I can finish this one sleeve, do the other and then the edging I should be done!!Then the hard part begins.
I really want to share this pattern, but as it is the instructions are terribly complicated and after the headache of making up this pattern I don’t think I’m up to the challenge of grading the pattern for other sizes. My only hope is that there is someone on Ravelry willing to do some serious tech editing on my pattern for a price I can afford (which isn’t much lately.) If that isn’t an option I may release the pattern for free in only the one size and hope I don’t have terrible, glaring errors in my instructions.
At this point I just want to be done with it!!
Of course this is only one pattern out of a long line of patterns.
With the weather clearing I really need to get on another pattern I plan on making before summer hits. This one should be less stressful than the Lotus Blossom Cardigan, but I’d like to try to do it in Tunisian crochet which I have to figure out a little better before I attempt anything serious. Basically it’s a tunic-length sweater with an empire waist, a scoop neck and sleeves that puff out near the wrist before the fitted cuff. I already have a luscious merino & silk yarn so it’s just about getting started ASAP!
Then of course I have a few patterns from other people I’d like to get done too! Interweave Crochet’s Citrine Skirt is number one on my list for spring and summer, but then again I’ve got to get going on this lovely triangle scarf by Chriss Smith: Bit of Lace Hemp Triangle before the spring too!
I’m sure I have other patterns lurking in my crochet bag, but for now those are the top of my list (and the only ones I currently have yarn for.) As for my other crochet patterns, I believe Ginny is now up on our mirror site http://reliquaryarts.wordpress.com (and for sure up on Ravelry) for free and the Bettie Sweater is in its final stage of testing. I’m hoping to have the Bettie Sweater pattern ready for sale by the end of next week, but unfortunately I can only offer it on Ravelry. So if you’re interested come join us on the best site for crocheters and knitters everywhere- it’s free! (www.Ravelry.com)
More updates soon on the Lotus Blossom Cardigan, unless I jab that damned hook in my eye before then.
-Lyzard
