Simply Elegant Sweater

I am not being big headed here. The blog title is actually the given name of the sweater that I have just finished crocheting. If you would like the pattern then it is available from JKD or Jenny King Designs and it is called Simply Elegant Sweater. I believe that it is also for sale through Annies. I bought mine through a Ravelry link.

The main part of this sweater is worked side to side. Basically two rectangles and the front is sewn together at the shoulders with a twist in it. The side seams are sewn together and the sleeves are crocheted from the top of the sleeve to the wrist.

There are lots of ways of draping the front. It's just a matter of adjusting it until you find the look that you want. The sweater looks grey on these photos but it is actually a mink shade of brown. I made it with Coas which is a yarn that I bought from Ice yarns. It has 30% wool and is labelled as fine. I changed the hook as the pattern called for a 10mm hook and this yarn resembled a dishcloth on such a large hook. I went down to a 7mm hook as I crochet loosely but if I made it gain then I would use an 8mm hook to give the sweater a bit more drape. The pattern also calls for the pattern stitch to be worked in the front loop only which again came out to  loose looking in this yarn so I crocheted in plain half trebles (half dc if you are in the US) I think that it has turned out well and can see myself making a few more of these.

This is Buster alerting me to the fact that the Postman is about to bring parcels to our house. This shows him pre bark. He knows the delivery Postman well enough but still has to bark at him.

The doll pattern has some really lovely patterns in it. As I mentioned before I am on Great Granny Jan dolls clothes duty at the request of  my Great Grand daughters I will have to jiggle these patterns though as one doll is 24" tall and these patterns are for an 18" doll.

I am getting over optimistic with the other book. I haven't managed to get my tension right with Tunisian crochet and her I am buying a book of Tunisian cables. There is nothing like biting more off that I can chew. I always throw myself in the deep end of anything new that I am learning.

Yes I know. I promised no more yarn buying unless necessary but these were such a bargain on EBay that my subconscious brain made my fingers hit the bid button.

These books came the other day but as I was bidding on another 3 editions I didn't want to jinx it by anyone else seeing that I was interested and getting interested too. Mean of me I know but I wanted to keep the bidding price down. The shawl book in particular has some lovely patterns in it. You know me and my retro patterns. I like them so much better than many of the new ones.

Someone on Facebook today posted the link to the pattern Granny Takes a Trip.This took me back a few years when I made this jacket for my friend from the very same pattern but in shades of purples, pinks, reds and black. I loved the shades so much that I promised myself that when I had got over the shock of sewing all those tail ends in that I would make it for myself but with narrower sleeves. These tend to get hooked up on everything and dust everything that you pass by. Maybe it's time to organise my stash of odd balls and make another one, this time for me.

I have made this shawl in many different colourways. Some with a white edging, some with black. Some in vibrant shades and some in pastels. This shawl has been commented on more than  most. I made it for myself many years ago but it is still in perfect condition and lovely and warm. I used different shades of muted blues along with beige's, browns and cream. there are different weights  of wool in there and different textures. I think that is what makes the shawl unusual. It's all muted shades but some of them are shaded yarns with subtle colour changes. I don't h ave a pattern. It's just granny squares at a different angle to make the point at the bottom edge. The top edge is finished off with a row of half granny squares to give a level top edge.

I need to start the dolls clothes tonight. I have been putting it off as I much prefer to make larger things which is why you rarely see any toys on my pages. I will be OK once I actually start making them.

Have a lovely evening and Happy Crocheting.