By now you know that I’ve stooped to exciting new lows, such as knitting a Missoni knockoff scarf with sock yarn. Here, I wear the fruits of my carpelly tunnelly labors at the market:
(For those who have asked about the Miele knockoff sweater, it’s on a bit of a hiatus because I decided after finishing it that I want to rip out the collar and make it a little narrower, but haven’t gotten around to it. All in all, it kind of looks like you’d expect it to. If you thought you were going to like it, you’d probably like it. If you thought you were going to hate it, you’d probably hate it.)
With that out of the way, I made the rash decision to go back to my roots – crocheting. Crocheting is definitely my “first language” of crafts, having been at it for about 27 or 28 years now. But I’ve never been much for crocheting clothing because in my opinion, most patterns for crocheted (non-accessory) garments look boxy, crafty, or Contempo Casuals circa 1997, none of which are my favorite aesthetic. But then I found this pattern from the Let’s Knit series…
… and thought it could perhaps look edgy over a long-sleeved fitted T, some skinny jeans, a wool cap, and my new knee-high slightly slouchy grey suede boots of which you’d be jealous if I had a picture to show you.
I thought about going with a color, but then decided to opt for my usual standby of charcoal grey to cut the sweetness and frilliness of the pattern. It’s a charted pattern and easy enough, but I can’t read the Japanese instructions so I think my gauge may be off. My version will undoubtedly be slimmer fitting than the one in the picture. Here’s where I am so far after a day or two:
Basically, you crochet two “bib” pieces – one for the front and one for the back, then join them at the sides, and then crochet the border and the sleeves. I’ve made a couple of changes to the design so far, but nothing major.
At this point you may be thinking, “Crocheted sweaters? Is nothing sacred anymore? Is there no low to which the Selfish Seamstress won’t sink while NOT sewing garments?”
Nope. In fact, my next project…
… is curtains.
buh buh BUHHHHHH!
36 comments
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October 15, 2010 at 6:28 am
sisters4saymoreismore
freaking love this! i can’t wait to see the finished project!
~selina
October 15, 2010 at 6:39 am
Trudy Callan
It’s so very pretty. Looking forward to the finished result.
October 15, 2010 at 6:40 am
Misty
I have the same problem with crochet — I’ve been at it longer than knitting (haven’t started sewing yet, but sewing machine is on my Christmas list!) but I can’t find any garment patterns that don’t look like doilies or tablecloths or, well, crochet! So I make doilies and baby blankets instead and reserve garments for knitting.
I’ll be interested to see how this top turns out for you. I think it will look better if it’s a bit more fitted, and perhaps with the styling you’ve suggested it will turn out more edgy and less “I’m wearing a tablecloth” like it appears in the picture above. Maybe it’s just the front bib, but I’m not sure about this one. I can’t wait to see the Miele knockoff and determine if I truly hate it, or if you’ve changed my mind. :)
October 15, 2010 at 6:59 am
Nancy
I had one of those Contempo Casual crochet sweaters, but mine was circa 1990! I actually worked there when I was in high school.
I can only crochet afghans, scarves and hats. I suck at following a pattern. But I love to have something to do with my hands while I am watching a good movie or just TV. I wish I could knit like you!
And curtains?? They better be for YOU! ;-)
October 15, 2010 at 7:00 am
inkstain
Crocheting? I’m in pain, dear Selfish. Please go out right now and get that portable Elna. We’re waiting for you to rip the November Burda preview to shreds and sew up some of the items from September/October. Girl, you are going astray! Where are you that things have become this desperate? I thought you moved to Western Europe, but hell, are you in Latvia that your sewing equipment is taking so long to get to you? If you’re anywhere near a TGV station, get on it and come to me in Geneva. I have two machines.
Yours, Inkstain
October 15, 2010 at 7:24 am
Reethi
Curtains? Really? What has Europe done to you?
October 15, 2010 at 7:30 am
Tanit-Isis
Oh dear. I crochet. Well, sort-of. Let’s just say there’s more chance of me getting seduced into a crochet project than a knitting one. And this is cute, and you’ll look incredibly hot in your slim-fit version.
… stepping away from the crochet hooks…
Also, I agree with Reethi. Curtains? Don’t you have minions for stuff like that?
October 15, 2010 at 8:05 am
Claire Ramsey
I can see things are spiraling downwards very very quickly. When you finish the sock yarn crocheted curtains, I’ll send you a pattern for a knitted screen door. Unless you’re in the market for a knitted canoe.
October 15, 2010 at 8:23 am
Jill
When I was little my grandmother crocheted Easter dresses for me every year. Oh yes. My favorite was the year of the mint green yarn because she also crocheted a matching mint green cape. I looked like a giant walking afghan.
October 15, 2010 at 8:27 am
Hellenne Vermillion
I hope you don’t move on to macrame or those silly loop potholders!
October 15, 2010 at 8:39 am
Kate
Wait. Are you sewing the curtains or crocheting them??? (I’m sure the results will be gorgeous either way)
October 15, 2010 at 8:53 am
Marie-Christine
If you want wearable crochet clothes, you need to look mostly to the UK for patterns, in my opinion. If you want to look like a very chic tablecloth, Japan’s better :-). But I really like the one in progress..
October 15, 2010 at 9:09 am
Angela
I’m not a big fan of crochet garments, too, but that top is gorgeous! Curtains? Ha… I fabric and planned to make some curtains about 3 years. The fabric is still on the roll in my closet. Oops!
October 15, 2010 at 9:29 am
Ruth
Don’t worry friends, I have it all figured out.
The Selfish Seamstress clearly has been watching The Sound of Music… and got inspired by the idea of making clothes from curtains. But then she looked at her curtains, and since they weren’t lovely dark grey wool, she decided that she needed to make new curtains first before turning them into clothes. It’s not great logic, but what can you expect from someone who has been reduced to making garments out of yarn for the past few weeks?
October 15, 2010 at 9:39 am
Colleen P.
Hmmm…that looks suspiciously like a market day tent such as one might find anywhere in England on certain days of the week or daily in Cambridge near King’s College, out back of the mall.
October 15, 2010 at 11:02 am
~Sherry~
I love crochet! But you are right, most of the patterns are really naff!
I just finished quite a nice one but unravelled it because it was such a bad fit – lately I am so annoyed at poor fitting knit/crochet designs that are only 2D!
October 15, 2010 at 11:34 am
inkstain
Ohmigod, if you’re in Cambridge, so are my two boys. Let me know.
Inkstain
October 15, 2010 at 11:54 am
CGCouture
I think your finished crochet project will be very pretty. Ironically, I just decided to learn how to crochet a couple of days ago. I have the stuff, and picked out some patterns on Ravelry, but don’t have any idea what to use as a starting project! Do you (in all your fabulousness) have any suggestions for a beginner? What patterns to use, where to learn stitches? I prefer to start out with something that I will use/wear–I prefer not to make coasters/potholders/afghans/scarves, because I have no use for them. I can’t wait until you can get back to sewing again though…you are always such an inspiration! :-)
October 15, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Susan - KnittersDelight
First off, the scarf looks amazing. As far as crocheting goes, I just can’t do it. No talent in that area whatsoever. I was just telling my knitting peeps on Wednesday how it uses up to much yarn, blah blah blah – when the truth is, I even tried to take a class and couldn’t make it work. With all of that gibber jabber, I’m getting to the real point, which is the fact that you have picked an AMAZING looking sweater to try. I’ve seen a few Japanese patterns that are fabulous and edgy and this one is no exception. Can’t wait to see your finished version with mods.
October 15, 2010 at 1:26 pm
earlus
Arg, what is next? A matching sweater for Mr. Selfish? Is this just a ploy to get your desperate readers to contribute towards expedited shipping?
October 15, 2010 at 1:48 pm
PetitePear
I pretty much don’t care what you do, as long as you blog about it!
October 15, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Katherine
This pattern is truly adorable! Thanks. Now I’m going to have to start scouring Japanese crochet books (in addition to Japanese sewing books)!
October 15, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Vanessa
I’m very jealous you are so clever.
October 15, 2010 at 11:18 pm
Julia
Amazing.. I never thought grey could take crochet from doily to daring.
October 16, 2010 at 8:29 am
Ruth
It’s a slippery slope – next thing you know, you’ll be flicking through back issues of BWOF trying out the craft ideas…
October 16, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Anna
Yay! I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve missed your selfish ways. And I don’t care about about the current state of (or lack of) sewing — it’s all about MY needs anyway, right?
October 17, 2010 at 4:06 am
Gaylene
aaaarrrrggghhh – flash back to the early seventies, going to Sunday School in a ‘delightful’ dress made by my mother: it comprised stitched together crocheted ‘granny’ squares of gold, orange and tan….thanks so much for bringing back THAT repressed memory.
October 17, 2010 at 11:22 am
Elizabeth
I’m guessing that maybe, to help speed your voyage across half a continent and a whole big wide ocean, those dread nemeses of yours — the various sewing geniuses you have been nice to in person but declared your enemies on your blog– chipped in to give you a nice little going away present of, um, yarn? and/or crochet hooks or what knitters amusingly call needles? because after all the Selfish Seamstress would choose only adversaries worthy of not just her skills with a (real) needle but also her formidable wit.
October 17, 2010 at 7:38 pm
Fourth Daughter
oh and if you can scan and post the Japanese instructions, I may be able to help!!
October 18, 2010 at 8:33 am
vicky
you deserve curtains occasionally. Its good for the ego, so I’m told.
That bag your wearing is amazingly lovely!
October 18, 2010 at 10:51 am
Shae
That’s one big doily! Ha, ha very ambitious.
October 18, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Jessica
I’m tempted to copy the Selfish Seamstress [and contribute to this knitter’s impending carpel tunnel] … except I think I’d have to sew it up asymmetrically to get it around my hips [seam up one side higher than the other]. Ah well, another garment better admired on Selfish than on Self!
October 18, 2010 at 9:29 pm
Margaret O'Neal
Hi Elaine,
I just discovered your blog and am really enjoying your sense of humor and also your talent, taste and mean-spirited haikus. Thanks for doing this. It’s inspirational. I’m getting back into sewing, having hung up my machine when my oldest, now 21, started reaching his fingers into the maw of the feed dog to help me sew — as if his crawling around on a floor strewn with pins weren’t motivation enough — Anyway, lately I’ve been doing a lot of knitting — and I am really sick of people requesting hats and scarves.
Margaret
October 19, 2010 at 2:57 am
A plan for fifteen yards of silk dupioni « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] 19, 2010 in project planning | Tags: curtains If I didn’t scare you sufficiently with my last post, allow me to repeat […]
October 19, 2010 at 7:52 am
Janimal
I am too distracted by the fabulous bag over your shoulder in that market picture to talk about curtains.
October 23, 2010 at 5:35 pm
lorrwill
Selfish, do you park your car in that handbag?