Crocheted Items From Patterns
Originally posted 05/06/2010
For my first blog post, I decided to talk about the items I have crocheted from patterns. I have used five patterns since I first began learning how to crochet. I have learned a lot from using patterns, especially four of them--the main thing being I do not like using patterns.
The first pattern I ever used was for a hat. I followed the directions closely and ended up with, well, a hat. While not hideous, it did slightly resemble the shape of those weird red hats worn by Devo in the "Whip It" video. What I learned: I can, for the most part, read a pattern.
The next pattern I used was for Lion Brand's Short and Sweet Child's Cardigan. The pattern was very well written and easy to follow. The finished cardigan actually looked like the picture from the pattern. The cardigan was worked up in five separate pieces and then sewn together--two front pieces, the back, and the two sleeves. Since I was just starting out I had no idea what kind of difference the type of yarn makes on a finished object. I used the cheapest yarn I could find--Red Heart Super Saver. While the cardigan is cute, it is stiff as a board. What I learned: Yarn matters, and I don't like sewing pieces together.
For my first blog post, I decided to talk about the items I have crocheted from patterns. I have used five patterns since I first began learning how to crochet. I have learned a lot from using patterns, especially four of them--the main thing being I do not like using patterns.
The first pattern I ever used was for a hat. I followed the directions closely and ended up with, well, a hat. While not hideous, it did slightly resemble the shape of those weird red hats worn by Devo in the "Whip It" video. What I learned: I can, for the most part, read a pattern.
The next pattern I used was for Lion Brand's Short and Sweet Child's Cardigan. The pattern was very well written and easy to follow. The finished cardigan actually looked like the picture from the pattern. The cardigan was worked up in five separate pieces and then sewn together--two front pieces, the back, and the two sleeves. Since I was just starting out I had no idea what kind of difference the type of yarn makes on a finished object. I used the cheapest yarn I could find--Red Heart Super Saver. While the cardigan is cute, it is stiff as a board. What I learned: Yarn matters, and I don't like sewing pieces together.
Since I made my daughter a sweater, it was only fair to make one for my son. Again, the the pattern for the Boy's Dino Sweater by Red Heart was pretty well written. Also, this time I made sure to choose a pattern that required very little sewing. The body of the sweater was made all in one piece. The only sewing required was to attach the sleeves and sew on the buttons. I skated right through this pattern...until I got to the sleeves. For some reason I just couldn't get the sleeves right. Finally I ditched the pattern and just made the sleeves using the same stitch as throughout the rest of the sweater. Attaching the sleeves wasn't too bad because I crocheted the seams instead of sewing them. I even chose the correct type of yarn this time--I used the same brand and type of yarn given by the pattern. The sweater came out really cute. The only thing that irked me was that the sweater I made (I made the correct size for my son) didn't fit my son the same way as the boy in the photo. Also, my sleeves came out really long since I didn't measure how long his arms were before making them. What I learned: It is possible to crochet clothes without sewing a lot of pieces together, sewing on appliques is really annoying, pattern photos can be deceiving, and measurements are extremely helpful.
For Easter, I decided to make my daughter a dress. I discovered the pattern for Coco's Bobble Dress by the Purl Bee, bought some pretty yarn, and got to work. The pattern was very easy to follow and there were pictures of each step along the way. I used the smallest hook I had but my gauge was still bigger than needed so I had to adjust the number of stitches and rows so it would fit correctly. I used a different yarn for this so it came out thicker than the original. However, it is still really cute and my daughter will be able to wear it in the fall. The dress was constructed in one piece with only the shoulder seams to sew together. I crocheted them together instead. What I learned: Garments can be crocheted with no sewing at all, and creating a pattern is just a matter of mathematics.
So I have used a few patterns, made some cute stuff from them, and learned a lot in the process. The main thing I learned is that if I can "fix" a pattern to fit my daughter, I can make my own patterns. Since my daughter couldn't wear
the dress for Easter, I decided to try just that. But that will have to wait until the next post. ;P
the dress for Easter, I decided to try just that. But that will have to wait until the next post. ;P