From babies’ wear to lades’ wear

Posted on September 14, 2009 by fats

Using the stitches from a baby garments pattern:

Pattern chart for baby vest.

Make a sleeveless blouse for women.

This crochetology problem, the same problem in “Appropriating stitches from baby patterns”, is presented here with a much simpler solution.

Using the basic baby vest pattern for the upper part of the blouse, I added a pink skirting of simple double crochet stitches interspersed with a few shell stitches. Then I sewed in some tiny round glass beads, long glass beads and pearl beads. As finishing touch, I added some crocheted flowers.

From a baby vest pattern - a crocheted top with pink skirting and flowers.

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Appropriating stitches from baby patterns

Posted on September 4, 2009 by fats

Using the stitches from a baby garments pattern:

Pattern for a baby's shirt.

Make a sleeveless blouse for women.

This purpose of this problem is to learn to look at crochet pattern charts or diagrams, and pick out interesting stitches that could be useful in other contexts. You can begin with the given pattern above and try to see how the stitch is constructed, and how increases and decreases made. Increasing and decreasing are very important techniques in shaping a fabric.

One of the most difficult assembly work I've done so far.

From the given pattern, you may look for other patterns – including motifs – to make up the different sections of your garment.

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Flower pattern for a hat

Posted on September 2, 2009 by fats

Given the pattern for a flower (daffodil):

Rnd 1. *Ch 9 (petal foundation chain), sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next ch, htr in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch (petal made), ch 2 (petal separator); repeat from * 1 more time; ch 9, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in next 2 ch, dc in next ch, htr in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch (petal made), ch 1 (petal separator); do ot join (3 petals);

Form the petals into a ring so you will be ready to work in the free loops on the opposite side of the first petal foundation chain.

Rnd 2. *Working in free loops of petal foundation chain, sc in first ch, dc in next ch, (htr, tr) in next ch, htr in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, 3 sc in ch-space at tip of the petal; working down the other edge of the petal, sc in next sc, hdc in next st, dc in next st, htr in next st, (tr, htr) in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in next ch-space petal separator; repeat from * 2 more times; join with sl st in first sc. Fasten off, leaving a long end for sewing.

Stack one petal round on top of the other so the petals alternate. Use the long yarn end to whipstitch the flowers together around the center hole.

Crochet a hat for child aged 3-4 years.

A simple solution to this crochetology problem is “The Kid’s Daffodil Top Hat” (described below).

The purpose of this solution is primarily to employ a technique that would serve to make a suitable head-shaped cover. In this case, crocheting in the round was used. A different more modular technique could be employed, for example, a more interesting solution is to improvise on the structure and shape of the daffodil to make the hat itself. Another solution is to make several daffodils or several petal rounds to construct a shape suitable for head cover.

The daffodil top hat

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Vintage women’s handbag to child’s purse

Posted on September 1, 2009 by fats

Using vintage crochet pattern for women’s handbag:

BAG-Front Starting at center, ch 5. Join. 1st rnd: Ch 3, 14 dc in ring. Join with sl st in top st of ch-3. 2nd rnd: Ch 3, dc in joining st, * 2 dc in next dc. Repeat from * around. Join. 3rd rnd: Ch 3, * 2 dc in next dc, dc in next dc. Repeat from * around. Join (45 dc, counting ch-3 as 1 dc). 4th rnd: Ch 3, dc in each dc around. Join. 5th rnd: Sc in joining st, sc in next dc, * 2 sc in next dc, sc in next 2 dc. Repeat from * around (60 sc). 6th rnd: Sc in each sc around. 7th rnd: * 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc. Repeat from * around (90 sc). 8th, 9th and 10th rnds: Sc in each sc around. 11th rnd: Sc in next 2 sc, 3 sc in next sc, sc in next 25 sc (top section), 3 sc in next sc, sc in each sc to end of rnd. 12th and 13th rnds: (Sc in each sc to center sc of next 3-sc group, 3 sc in center sc) twice, sc in each sc to end of rnd. Sl st in next sc. Break off.

BACK Work exactly as for Front.

GUSSET Starting at short end, ch 11. 1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. Ch 1, turn. 2nd row: Sc in each sc across. Ch 1, turn. Repeat the 2nd row until piece measures 17 ½ inches. Break off.

With right sides facing, pin Gusset around bottom of Front from 3-sc group to 3-sc group. Working through both thicknesses, make sc evenly across long sides. Join Back in same way.

ROSE (Make 2) Starting at center, ch 5. Join. 1st rnd: Ch 3, 11 dc in ring. Sl st in top st of ch-3. 2nd rnd: * Ch 3, skip 1 dc, sc in next dc. Repeat from * around, join (6 loops). 3rd rnd: In each loop make sc, half dc, dc, half dc and sc. Join. 4th rnd: Ch 1, * sc on back of bar of next dc, ch 5. Repeat from * around. Join. 5th rnd: In each ch-5 loop make sc, half dc, dc, tr, dc, half dc and sc. Join. 6th rnd: Ch 2, * sc in back of bar of next tr, ch 7. Repeat from * around. Join. 7th rnd: In each ch-7 loop make sc, half dc, dc, 3 tr, dc, half dc and sc, Sl st in 1st sc. Break off.

LEAF (Make 12) With 4 threads of Green, ch 8. 1st row: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, half dc in next ch, dc in next 3 ch, half dc in next ch, sc in last ch. Break off.

Sew 3 groups of 2 leaves at edge of 3rd rnd on each side of bag. Sew a Rose to each center on each side of bag.

RING (Make 8 ) Make 16 sc over each bone ring. Sl st in 1 st sc. Break off.

Sew rings evenly across top of bag.

Cut a strip of buckram the size of gusset and tack on wrong side. Line bag with felt. Draw ribbon twice through rings and tie ends in a bow.

Make a bag suitable for girls age 6-12 years.

By using colorful yarn and some minor tweaking with the pattern, a vintage ladies’ handbag can turn into a bright purse for girls or a parade hat for the adventurous.