E's Sunday Swing Coat Revisited

Hey, y'all!

Remember E's Sunday Swing Coat?  I'm happy to report that the birthday girl herself recently posed for a special photo shoot.

Check out those eyes!  Oh, yeah...and the coat.

 

'Til next time,
OCB

Joni Flower Tunic from Vintage Crochet

Hey, y'all!

I'm getting a bit more adventurous in the patterns I'm trying these days.  There are so many sweaters and other things I've wanted to make for years, but I've been too scared to commit the time to make them.

This one is from a book I love, called Vintage Crochet.  The pattern is called the Joni Flower Tunic, and I've been drooling over it for about three years now.

I chose to stay with the ecru color that's featured in the pattern, because it's one of my favorite colors to work with.  Unfortunately, the pattern is written for DK weight cotton, which I just can't seem to find around here...at least not at a decent price or in as many colors as I'd like.  And, a problem I run into frequently, all the cute stuff is written for skinny gals...no plus sizes here.

So I modified things, but only a bit.  I used worsted weight cotton from Lily Sugar 'n' Cream and followed the instructions for a size M.  Using the larger yarn and the same hook, I was able to successfully make this for myself, typically a size18-20.

A word of warning if you decide to purchase this pattern or use it from the book: watch the repeats.  The pattern is written a little wonky, getting out of sync with the total number of repeats in quite a few places...especially in the flower mesh pattern.  If you count your stitches and use markers, you'll be fine.  Just don't skip the double-checking on this one, guys.  If you do, you'll be sorry.


'Til next time,
OCB

Short-sleeved Summer Sweater

Hey, y'all!

Well, I've officially broken my New Year's resolution to post here once a week.  I was out of town for work all of last week, and I left the memory card with all of my pictures at home.  I'll try to be better, I swear!

As my first attempt to make it up to you, I'd like to share my recently completed short-sleeved summer sweater:

 

I based this on a pattern I found for the Jetsetter Sweater in Crochet Today's May/June 2012 issue.  I lengthened the body, removed the neckline trim, shortened the sleeves and modified it to make a larger size.  The whole thing was crocheted using Lily Sugar 'n' Cream worsted weight cotton yarn and an H hook.

I really love how the variegated yarn patterned itself across the piece.  What do you think?


'Til next time,
OCB

Color Block Sweater

Ok, y'all.  This thing has been a work in progress for I-can't-tell-you-how-long.  One night last week, I decided to let it graduate to the next step: a finished project.

I saw the pattern for this sweater in Crochet Me a couple of years back and instantly fell in love.  Parts of it didn't work for me, so I tweaked and full-out changed quite a few things.  The result is this super-cozy, totally-me color block sweater:

For anyone who is interested, I made it with Caron one-pound skeins of no-dye-lot worsted weight acrylic yarn.  All of the stitching is done with an H hook, and there was a hell of a lot of sewing involved...not my favorite.  When I make my next one, I'll be modifying even further to remove that part as much as possible.

But, I gotta say, I had great timing.  The weather here is transitioning into that perfect sweater temperature, so I can see this baby getting a lot of use over the next few months.


'Til next time,
OCB

Holding Myself Accountable

It's Fall, y'all!  My favorite time of the year. 

Somehow, I just can't seem to find the time to finish this sweater I've been wanting for the last couple of years.  I'm really close...seriously, about half a sleeve to go...but I keep finding other things to do with my time.  Go figure.

This is my way of holding myself accountable, I guess.  The next time you see this baby, I'll be wearin' it.  :)

~OCB

Happy International Crochet Day!

Today is International Crochet Day, one of my favorite days of the year!

My mom and grandma taught me to crochet when I was a little girl.  I drifted away from it due to boredom and frustration more times than I can count, but somehow the timing was just right after I had my own daughter.  I asked my mom to - once again - show me the basic stitches, and I was off and running...haven't stopped since.  I've found over the last couple of years that I absolutely love to crochet.  In fact, I find it difficult to remember a time when I didn't love this craft.

To celebrate, I think I'll sit myself down with the sweater I've been working on and see if I can't finish off that lower left sleeve...it's the last bit I need to do before I put the whole thing together, and the weather here is getting delightfully fall-like, especially in the morning and evening hours.

Fall is my favorite time of year, and I'm starting to get excited.  Cooler weather means snuggling up under a hand-made blanket with a mug of hot tea, reading a good book...or snuggling up in front of a favorite movie and working on those heavier projects I don't want to deal with in the summer months.

Since International Crochet Day falls at the beginning of that seasonal transition, I really couldn't be happier to see it come around again.  Not only is it a reason to celebrate this craft I love so much, but it's also a sign that the bright colors and crisp weather are on their way.

Short-Sleeved Shruggy Sweater Thing

Mm-hmm.  I'm gettin' all technical on ya with the names, now.  :)

I love cardigans and sweaters of all kinds.  My problem is that I tend to run warm, so here's my solution...at least for the summer months when all I really need is a little something for when the office AC tries to turn me into a girl-sicle.

When I decided what I wanted to do, I visited the ol' Mountain-O-Yarn in the basement and picked out one of my favorite colors of Red Heart Super Saver.  It took about 3 of the 5-oz skeins to complete, and I'm typically a 2X or size 18-20.  In my neck of the woods, that would make the total investment about $9, plus time.
The really cool part?  I already had this yarn from a trade or previous craft store raid, so it was essentially free.  Bonus!

It's really comfy, too.  I think I'm going to end up making another one or two in different colors.

If you want one, you know where to find me.  ;)

Tickled Pink

Over the summer, I decided to embark upon a seemingly monumental task: the creation of my first sweater.  I finished it in early- to mid-August, and today is the first day it's been cool enough in northern Illinois to sport it.

So sport it I shall.

The Princess's Pink Top

Just a little somethin' I've been tinkering around with lately...

She likes to poke all the little holes with her fingers...this shirt is a stimmy wonderland.  ;)