If you don't know, it's a Doctor Who thing.
Remember how I told you she has the greatest sense of timing ever? I was amazed. It's music. It's Doctor Who. It came just as I was seriously contemplating rubbing my eyes really hard and playing sick. Instead, I walked into my office laughing and with a smile on my face. Never discount your friends. Always try to work through a tiff instead of writing them out of your life.
Anyway, last night was semi-productive. I made two different styles of hats and a little basket. I made a flower to go on my Pixie Bonnet, but then left the bonnet at home so I couldn't attach it. That's why I still haven't gotten that bit posted. Honestly, I spent most of last night glaring at my yarn and hooks for no apparent reason. I'm telling you, it's been an off kind of week.
TONIGHT, though, was different.
See, I found a great little trove of Red Heart Boutique Sashay on clearance at Walmart for $3-4 a ball. I had no idea what I'd do with it. I had no idea how to work with it. But it was shiny and pretty and SURELY I could make something work!
Nothing worked. Not a thing. I found some great tutorials and tried them, but my fingers refused to mangle themselves into the needed stance. Then I got on this shirt kick. Then I saw some dresses that were kind of cute, but - wouldn't you know - all of the patterns were paid. I just see no point in paying for a pattern when I can use the same materials they did and come up with something myself. Now, I am not the type to sit there and stare at their work until I figure out what they did. That somehow seems unfair to me. Nope, I start from scratch and fail twenty times until I manage to come up with something not atrocious.
Wave on Wave
-used Red Heart Super Saver Navy, Teal, and Blue
-used Red Heart Boutique (not sure on colorway- threw away wrapper)
-used "H" Bates hook
-made with a 12mo old in mind, so aiming for 20"
-recommend multiples of 2 but not vital
This is basically a standard shirt pattern with some pretties added.
Round 1: Chain 69, hdc in back ridge of second chain from hook. hdc in each back ridge across. Connect with slip stitch to first hdc made. (68 stitches)
Round 2: Chain 2, dc in same stitch. dc around. Connect with slip stitch to first dc made.
Round 3: Chain 1, hdc in same stitch. hdc around. Connect with slip stitch to first hdc made.
Repeat Round 2 and Round 3 for 8 sets, ending with Round 3
Finish off with preferred technique.
You can totally stop here. If you just want a top, here you go. You're done.
After one row of ruffle
Have you ever worked with this stuff? It's a trip. Following a tip from another crocheter, I took the time to unravel the entire ball, spread the webbing, and wind it around a cylinder. I recommend this SO much. I really do.
Again with wishing I'd taken pictures as I'd gone... When you spread this stuff out, you'll have a shiny end and a thinner edge of small loops. It takes some finagling, but you'll use that small, thinner edge. The way I worked it was to catch a few "lines" of webbing in each stitch. You know what? It's weird and I'll take more pictures tomorrow.
Edge:
Row 1: "sc" using Sashay. I worked into the stitch, just like I would've if I'd had normal yarn. I will say that I caught varying depths and ranges on my hook. Personally, I think it added to the uneven, ruffley look. If you prefer something more uniform, you're going to have to experiment for yourself, I'm afraid.
Row 2: "sc" using Sashay, going around the posts of the last row of hdc.
Strap:
I got lazy and just cut a length of Sashay, looped the ends through a stitch, and knotted it. Clearly, you could do whatever suits you.
This is my inside seam, in case you like knowing what the inside looks like.
I also missed a stitch there in the teal... Whoops.
Confession: I have not yet figured out how to hide/work in/ tack down ends of Sashay. I will work on it and come back to edit.
Notes:
- I don't really have any. It's just a fairly tall connected round.
- Navy has one more row because I knew the ruffles would cover it and I wanted it to look even. Weird, I know.
- Color Scheme:
blue
blue
blue
blue
teal
blue
teal
teal
teal
teal
navy
teal
navy
navy
navy
navy
navy - ruffles around posts
ruffles
Modifications
- Next time, I'll try this in a shell or wave pattern. Wouldn't that look amazing? It'd really look like waves and more ocean-y.
- Again, the further down in the shirt you are, the more open your stitches can be.
- Clearly, any color pattern would work.
- Next time, I'll put one row of ruffles on the next-to-last row (around the posts) and then one on the bottom (like a normal row) to give the ruffles more room to expand.
- Gotta find a way to deal with those Sashay ends.
- I should probably find a less lazy way to do that neck tie.
- Work the yarn pattern again and make a dress of it.
- Work a long chain of normal yarn (or grab a ribbon or cut a length of Sashay) and weave it through the top posts to make it a skirt.
- Work a couple of rows as increases and make a poncho.
All in all, I have to say I'm loving this. I might even try it in cotton. The next step is to send it to Little Miss M and see if I can get some pictures. I do hope it's as cute on as it is in my hand. I'm so excited to have a use for my Sashay aside from those boa scarves. They're okay, but they strike me more as a trend than a mainstay but little girls and ruffles are ALWAYS adorable. :)
** I'm also loving the name. I just may go back and change all of my pattern titles to song titles/lyrics. This one is Pat Green influenced.
What else did I make while I was pouting?
This little yarn catcher. He's a little tube thing with yarn ends at one end and a jingle bell in the other.
A smallish basket to test my Basket Formula.
Not quite polished yet, but making strides.
A Connected Round Purse. Yeah, I'll come up with a better name when I write out that pattern.
Isn't it just cute, though? I'm telling you - I'm working on that whole "whimsy" thing.
Taking a stab at that color block trend. Don't know if I like it, but it's comfy.
My prototype Connect Round bag. Which somehow looks more polished than my second attempt up there. Go figure.
Thanks for coming by! Leave a comment if you like. I'd be ever so grateful to not feel like a loon, jabbering to myself. :)
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