Irish crochet: technique and terminology questions

[Holiday]

Hi all. I've recently become infatuated with the general stylings of a top on the Anthropologie website but it's description has me confused. It's called the "In the Round Cami" and that's a big part of what confuses me. As far as I know Irish crochet involves making motifs and then joining them with a mesh. Is there a method of Irish crochet that is actually in the round the way crocheted beanies or tubular knitting are? I rather think I'm reading too much into the title but I'm really curious.

 

My other questions are in regards to making clothing like the camisole shown on the webpage I linked to. I wonder about things like give (how easy would it be to slip on for example), and construction. Can anyone recommend a favorite book, website or a few search terms? I've been looking around but most books I find about crochet clothing seem to be devoted to chunky yarns and large hooks. I do have some sense of clothing construction since I often design my own but I have very limited thread crochet experience so I'd appreciate any advice.

 

Thank you everyone who reads this, it is greatly appreciated.

 

 

With regards,

 

Holiday

[The Shrone]

From what I know about crocheting garments, you can either work in the round or work with making a seam that is sewn together. I would think that a clever designer would be able to work in the round with joining the motifs together---but I could be mistaken.

 

I'm amazed at how much they are asking for that camisole! It's infuriating to me because someone who would make it by hand and would try to sell it would be lucky to get that much (I'm speaking from experience about selling well-made crochet stuffs).

 

~ Lori

[Holiday]

Thank you for replying Lori, you helped me see it in a way I hadn't before. In my head I was picturing rounds as literal rounds, I forgot that one could join it without seams and achieve such a result. I mean, I did think one could join them together like that but it didn't dawn on me that it was a form of in-the-round. *Smiles and blushes,* I'm not sure I'm making sense but I think you get what I'm getting at right? Either way I really appreciate your insight.

 

I agree that it's sad that independent crafters are so under-appreciated. Especially when one considers that the people who handcraft items for mass market are usually paid a very small fraction of the sale price. I know companies need to make money to earn a profit but I've also done a bit of bookwork and accounting in my day and I know that the scale and margins are often, well, unfair.

 

Have you considered writing a book or selling your patterns on a website? It might be a venue to look into, though it's not the same, I know. I'm slowly putting one together myself, mostly crochet and knitting but it will also have some sewing. I'm hoping to incorporate some lesser-used techniques and include lots of detail in my patterns in regards to shaping and styles. Still, I understand your frustration and I hope you have better sales in the future, *strike that,* more appreciative customers . *Sighs,* I think with creative arts people often don't realize/or choose not to see that the artists truly do give large pieces of themselves to their craft. They see a few stitches worked and what they consider a simple result and don't realize how much of a person's heart, mind, and soul are devoted to their work. All of my working life has been devoted to different creative arts and in each one I often encountered people who saw it as "easy and fluffy." Maybe it's their loss that they can't appreciate the beauty--and by beauty I mean the passion; love-- that goes into the work; that is the work.

 

Well, I better end this here before it's two pages long. I'll say now what I meant to say all along--thank you for replying and for your opinion .

 

 

Take care,

 

Holiday