I actually crocheted a garment!

Some of you die-hard knitters out there (like me) have never thought about crocheting yourself a sweater. Maybe a hat, something small and finish-able. But never a garment that has to fit when its done, and where the stitches TRULY have to be even to look right.

But I did it!

I got a bee in my bonnet last January to challenge myself, and I felt that my crochet skills were finally approaching garment-worthy. So I started the Spring Shell from Interweave Crochet Spring 2009 (rav link). In my haste I made some terrible beginner mistakes in judgement (the kind I warn my customers about almost daily). First one? I chose a sport-weight gauged project: small hook, fine yarn. Not a terrible problem, just more challenging for a beginner. Second mistake? I chose a nearly black yarn. Now I don't know if this goes away with experience, but crochet is a artform that requires looking. Unlike knitting, which I hardly need to glance, crochet (for me) takes constant vigilance, especially for certain stitch patterns that require entering the stitch in unusual ways. And using a nearly black yarn most definitely complicated that process for me. Let's just say that good light was required, not just a good option.

I got off to a fairly good start, and was even achieving gauge. But true to form I set it down somewhere around mid-Spring when it was about 20% finished and promptly forgot about it. It took almost six months, but I finally picked it up, and found that it was quicker and easier to finish than I had built it up in my mind to be.

And now it's done!

• Pattern: Spring Shell by Simona Merchant-Dest, from Interweave Crochet Spring 2009
• Yarn: Mirasol Nuna in Ebony, 6 skeins
• Hook: Bryson Palmwood size E (my favorite hooks, hands down!)
• Size: 40" finished chest

(In the spirit of being honest, I have to tell you that I made one big huge mistake. On the drop shoulder sleeve cuffs, I attached the yarn and went in the wrong direction for the entire sleeve cuff, resulting in one sleeve being "inside out", so to speak. But damn, I am NOT fixing that!)

Comments

[Walden]

It looks very nice!