Lessons Learned from Cropped Crochet Cardigan

I have added three more photos of my finished cropped crochet cardigan in Premiere. Julia suggested that I add some thoughts on the finished garment, so here is a brief summary of my lessons learned from this design!
Front


1) This was my first top down crochet garment, so I basically learned how to design a crochet garment from the top down.
2) I would have liked the garment to have a bit more of something...more interesting finishing or some more technical construction elements. But since this sweater was my first top down in crochet, I kept the stitch pattern and the shape simple. Now I am ready to tackle a top down design with some shaping and more complex stitch pattern(s)!
3) The yarn restrictions actually forced me to finish this garment. My original design was for a square neck (top down) blouse style top. I chose to use Premiere as well as solid stitch patterns, which did not support a "drapey" top. If I was not part of the CAL, I probably would have changed the yarn and continued down my quest for a blouse style garment. Instead, I stayed the course with Premiere (and my stitch pattern) and came out with a completely different garment! But now I feel more confident about designing my "blouse" style garment with a more complex stitch pattern and some shaping.

Side


Whew! That is it for now, and I hope to move on to my Splendour sweater soon! Thanks again for the CAL's input on my cropped crochet cardigan.

Close-up of Stitch Pattern

Is simpler better?

Well, I think I have officially finished my cropped crochet cardigan in Premiere. It turned out to be very simple. I think I would like it a bit better if it had some more technical elements. It was my first top down crochet sweater so I think it was more of a test run for me.

I tried to add a bit more interest in the front and collar edging. But the more I fussed with the sweater, the worse it looked! I tried a corded edging in both the main color (brown) and a contrast color. Then I tried a half double crochet edging in the brown and as well as a contrast color. Next, I tried two rows of half double crochet. I ended up with just one row of half double crochet in the main color (brown)…not super exciting, but it just seemed simpler was better.

I did lengthen the sleeves a bit based on everyone’s opinion, and I think that looks great. Thank you for all your suggestions!




Now, I am questioning my yarn choice for my Splendour sweater. I would love to get everyone’s opinion. My plan was to knit a top down knit sweater. It would include some lace in the yoke area in a 4ply yarn or a single strand of Kidsilk Haze. The body and sleeves would be knit in Stockinette stitch with a DK weight yarn or a double strand of Kidsilk Haze. I was hoping to use Kidsilk Haze, so I could be a part of the CAL.

I am actually thinking about going back to my original yarn idea (Rowan Cashcotton 4ply and DK). I hope I am not breaking the rules but I have attached a photo of my initial swatch in Cashcotton and my swatch in Kidsilk Haze. I tried some other lace stitch patterns in Kidsilk Haze, but the Little Arrowhead looks the best as well as meets my my design criteria (small number of st and row repeats). Which one does everyone like better?

Little Arrowhead in Cashcotton 4ply and DK


Little Arrowhead in Kidsilk Haze

Change must be in the air!

Well, I have made progress on my crocheted sweater using Premiere, but I have changed both the color and design. The swatch photo is in my original color (peach), but I have switched to the brown color. I also found the yarn a bit too stiff in my pattern stitch (solid shell stitch) to pull off a blouse style top. So, my new design is for a cropped, double breasted cardigan crocheted from the top down. The yoke will be done in half double crochet and the body in the solid shell stitch. What should I call this sweater? I have been making a lot of progress on this sweater, so I will have more photos to post soon. My Splendour knit sweater has taken the back seat for now.

Cropped Crochet Cardigan Swatch


Yoke of Cropped Crochet Cardigan

Splendour Sketch and Swatch

I started on my Kidsilk Haze "top down" sweater. I am using the bright magenta color, which is called Splendour. I think Splendour would be a splendid name for my sweater. I have a rough sketch of Splendour as well as a swatch (in little arrowhead). My design concept was to do a top down sweater with some sort of lace yoke in a single strand. The body would be double stranded in stockinette stitch. Right now I am trying to find a lace stitch pattern that would meet the following criteria:
1) Small number of stitch repeats (in case I want to design the sweater for multiple sizes).
2) Small number of row repeats (again in case I want to design multiple sizes).
3) Gauge of lace is equal to gauge of double stranded stockinette stitch (I want to be able to knit the entire sweater using the same needle just dropping a strand in the front).
4) The stitch pattern looks fine knit from top to bottom.

The little arrowhead lace may meet all these criteria, but I am not sure if it looks good single stranded? I wonder if I need a pattern with better stitch definition?

I also wonder if I need to have some sort of border between the stockinette stitch and the lace? I plan to cast on with a double strand work some short rows for the shoulders and then change to the lace pattern. Should I work a row of garter stitch to give the lace yoke more delineation?

Splendour Sketch


Little Arrowhead Swatch

Hi everybody!

I am so excited to join the CAL. My name is Monica Brown, and I have been designing for about three years. My blog (http://www.m1designs.typepad.com/) has photos of my designs to date. I both knit and crochet, so I am hoping to post both a knit and crochet design. For the knit sweater, I have been playing with the idea of knitting a sweater with two different weights of yarn. My plan was to use a finer yarn for a lace yoke and a heavy yarn for the sweater body. My original idea was to use Rowan Yarn's Cashcotton DK and 4ply. For the CAL, I have decided to try using Kidsilk Haze. I would double the yarn for the body to achieve the DK weight and then use a single strand for the lace. I am hoping to knit the sweater from the top down using Barbara Walker's "Seamless Set-In Sleeve" sweater design. Has anyone used this design?


For the crochet sweater, I plan to use Classic Elite Premiere. Again I hope to crochet it from the top down. I love the square neck, boxy blouses that I have seen in the stores this spring. So, I want to try capture that feeling with a crocheted sweater.


I hope to have my swatches and sketches finished this weekend, so I will have photos to post soon!