If you are on my insider list, you may know already that the pattern for my latest wardrobe addition, which I have been writing about for the past few weeks, is now LIVE!
The Design
This cropped boxy top has become my equivalent of “the little black dress”. That reliable, versatile piece of clothing I can dress up or down depending on the occasion or my mood. It goes well with most of my favourite outfits and, acting as an extra insulation layer, makes them more appropriate for the colder season without bulking up my sleeves.
If you click on the Autumn/Winter 2016 category on this blog, you can follow the journey of this design from swatching to publication, and see a few of my outfits featuring this top. I absolutely love wearing it!
The Process
The top is crocheted in one piece in joined rounds from the bottom to the armholes, which means there is no seaming involved. At the armholes, it is divided into two sections (back and front) and each is worked separately to the shoulders. Shoulders are joined as-you-go (again, no seaming!) and a mock turtleneck is worked from the neckline. A crab stitch edging is crocheted around the armholes to add a neat finish.
The Pattern
As simple as this top is (most of it is made with the single crochet stitch!), the actual pattern happens to be my longest to date. Personally, I am not a fan of excessive verbosity in patterns, but I felt that this particular design needed all those extra bits to make sure your experience as a pattern user was as stress-free as I could possibly make it.
Below is a snap of just a few of the pages, while the pattern itself happens to be 16 pages long (you don’t need to print them all, only those pertaining to your size). Apart from the usual sections, I also included a few photo-tutorials of the techniques used, to make sure you get all those important details right. There is also a simplified neckline and shoulder shaping chart for each of the sizes, ranging from 32½” / 82.5 cm to 48½” / 123 cm (high hip circumference), for those who prefer a more visual, “big-picture” idea to wordy instructions.
I hope you get as much fun and learning experience out of this pattern, as the thought I have put into it.
Additional Support
Since the mock turtleneck is worked in rounds of post-stitches, the pattern links to a handy tutorial on how to join these rounds invisibly. It is available on this website under the newly added Crochet Know-How tab.
I have a couple more tutorials in mind, applicable to this and some of my other patterns, which I will be adding to this website in the future, so do check back or, better yet, become a Ms Weaver insider to get my blog updates and to be the first one to hear about my subscriber-only offers. And of course, if for any reason you get stuck working on this pattern, I am only an email message away: msweaversdesigns [at] yahoo.co.uk.
Where to Find This Pattern
I have a separate page for this pattern on this website with all of the details on sizing, materials, tool, pricing, etc. The link at the bottom will take you directly to the Ravelry checkout where you can conveniently download the pattern pdf immediately after the purchase. It is also listed on Ravelry in my Ravelry Store.
Thank you for your interest in this design, and if you have any questions, feel free to either ask them in the comments below or drop me an email.