My first WIP (work in progress) to welcome the New Year 2012 is an experimental bolero design based on Dora Ohrenstein’s “Glitter Girl Bolero.” Dora’s bolero comes from the book 100 Crochet Projects which I bought from National Book Store several years ago for PhP550 (more or less 10euros).

The bolero, a work in progress.

I selected this bolero as “base” for my motif experiment because it is a simple but elegant construction and looks easy to modify. There is also ample trim space around the sleeves and around the neckline and edges of the bolero where I may do my work of incorporating Irish crochet motifs.

This deep purple colour of cotton thread in size 8 is not my colour choice but it is available in my (dwindling) stash, just about enough to complete a base bolero with short sleeves. I have less than 3 balls (total of 150 grams) of this thread.

To work with cotton thread 8 for my size (32-34) using the pattern, I use a hook 3mm (for lower half) and a larger hook, 3.5mm (for upper half). I use different hook sizes because I want the lower section of the bolero to be smaller and closer to the body to make a nice shape, and the upper section to be a bit loose.

I don’t sew the shoulder seams until I am sure of the fit: I tie the seams with yarn and wear the bolero. I see that the armholes will be a little bit tight, so I add 2 extra rows at the shoulders.

For the sleeves, I used 6-ch meshes, a total of 18 loops all around the armhole. The loops are joined to the armhole with sc in every space, rather than in the stitches. By round 5 I switched to the smaller hook. I also thought that 6 rounds was enough and let the rest be made up of joined motifs.

Working on this tonight, I have thought of two directions for crochet this coming new year: first is modifying existing garment patterns that call for DK, worsted, aran or sport weight yarn into designs that use thread of size 8. I find it rather exciting trying to figure out sizing for cotton thread and I think this helps me understand gauge and garment construction a bit better.

Second is to use a base garment mesh for experimenting with joined motifs for garments. I think that this might be a reasonable alternative to the lack of a tailor’s dummy which I will definitely need should I decide to go seriously into constructing crocheted garments from motifs ala Irish crochet or Ukrainian crochet as those seen in Duplet magazines.

I also have another batch of WIPs – these crochet finger puppets for my nephew. I have made them in two strands of cotton 8 thread, and so they are rather small and making up the eyes, noses, ears, etc is quite fiddly and detailed.

Crocheted finger puppets

I wondered if I could’ve made them bigger as my sister suggested – larger faces, that is – but for now I have opted for smaller but more detailed. They are quite cute and fun to play with, but making them isn’t easy with so may small parts!

Well what the heck – this is good distraction from the bolero!

And yet another good distraction is New Year dinner  – learning to cook chicken and shrimp congee.

Happy New Year, fellow crocheters!