Dress in Wave Stitch

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A new dress for Christmas. The embroidered lace bolero is a gift from my mom.

A new dress for Christmas. The embroidered lace bolero is a gift from my mom.

The inspiration for this project begins with the wave stitch.

Crochetology problem:

Use the wave stitch and improvisations thereof for the bodice (section B) of a crocheted sleeveless dress. Use glitter thread in combination with cotton to create an embellished effect. In this project, I used white cotton with gold glitter thread, as well as a very very soft green color of cotton thread.

Schematic for the dress.

Schematic for the dress.

For the straps and upper section of the bodice (section A), select a simple openwork but sturdy pattern, for example, I selected a pattern for a camisole but used two strands of thread for strong fabric.

You may also use a color lighter (rather than glaringly different) than the bodice so that the embellished bodice may stand out but not too much. I used white cotton thread in combination with white rayon thread.

The lower section (section C) of the decorative bodice is now worked in the main body color of the dress. For this project, I selected an aquamarine color cotton thread. The lower section of the bodice uses a very fancy open-work pattern which I found in a magazine.

To create a transition of golden embellishment from the upper to the lower bodice, some gold beads were hand-sewn over the holes of the fancy open-work pattern of the lower bodice. Refer to the photograph for the position of the beads.

The back, waist and hip (section D) of the dress may be worked in variations of basic crochet stitches, for example basic single crochet, back loop single crochet, front loop single crochet, alternating rows of  single and double crochet, single crochet cluster stitch, double crochet cluster stitch, and space and block filet crochet. Continue reading

The Calico Bag

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Update: The pattern for The Calico Bag is now available for download as a PDF file.
See The Calico Bag Free Pattern.
There is also a Crochet-Along for The Calico Bag at CAL: Calico Bag (Turning chains and changing color)
and CAL: Calico Bag (The handle, assembly and finishing).



Nature is an important source of techniques and ideas for patterns and color schemes. Here, I turn to my calico cat, Kitty2, for inspiration. She is now over a year old. We found her in early October last year under a tree outside our apartment, apparently abandoned. She was was inside an open plastic bag indicating that someone had thrown her over the fence and fell right under the tree.

My dear calico cat Kitty2.

My dear calico cat Kitty2.

Now, Kitty2 is a gigantic cat! I took several photos of her and turned her coat markings into a pattern for a crocheted bag. Below is a photo of the finished bag.

The pattern on this side of the bag is based on Kitty's face.

The pattern on this side of the bag is based on Kitty's face.

The body of the bag is made from two sections, front and back, of the same size but different markings. The bag is worked in single crochet, except for a small section where the ginger and white colors mesh (as shown above) where I used front post double crochet alternating with single crochet. It is also possible to make the alternating colors in sc stitches only.

Continue reading