How do I make this sweater? Any pattern suggestions?

[firewontquell]

Hi all,

Long time lurker first time poster. I saw this sweater when browsing fashion week postings, and I am completely smitten. I was wondering if you had any suggestions or pattern ideas for making it?

 

http://www.style.com/slideshows/2011/fashionshows/F2011RTW/CKANE/RUNWAY/00040m.jpg

 

The middle looks like a simple granny square, but I'm not sure how I would cut off the corners at the top like that. Also, would it be possible to just make the middle panel and buy a sweater, cut it up, and use those sleeves? I'd prefer not to have to slave away on plain black sleeves. If this was possible, how would I attach the center panel to the sleeves?

 

Here is another sweater in the collection that I am also in love with, if you have any suggestions for it. I can't seem to find any good granny square sweater patterns anywhere... all the ones on ravelry leave something to be desired.

 

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhcg1kITTD1qcbzg4o1_400.jpg

 

Thanks!

Hannah

[crochetbydiana]

Hannah,

Just wanted to mention to check DROPS design. I noticed alot of granny square incorporated designs there. Didn't look at your links as PC gets slower with photo displays.

[Katy_Ravensong]

I don't know where you could find those designs like that but there used to be a 'Granny Square' magazine (back in 90's maybe). You can still find some of them listed on ebay. I have two or three of them I think and they have some really neat stuff. if you go to ebay and search for granny square magazine, the first result today (3-13-11) had a lot of four of them up for bid. That's as far as I looked. Good luck!

[magiccrochetfan]

Hi Hannah and welcome to the Ville.

 

for the first sweater----you can see that it is a regular granny square up to a certain point. the last round of the full granny is blue. faasten off at that point. join the purple on the top edge, one space in from the corner, work a granny stripe type pattern to the last space from the corner. fasten off. skip the corner and join the purple again on the side edge, one cluster from the corner, work a regular granny square down the side, across the bottom, and up the 3rd side to one space before the corner, fasten off. join the blue one space in from the right top edge, work grany stripe to one space from left top edge, fasten off. join blue on side edge one space in from the top edge, work granny sq down side, across bottom, up last side to one sp from previous end, fasten off. continue like this til it's the size you want. to make steeper slope , skip 2 spaces from the corners. to make it not be stair-stepped on the corners, look at Lily Chin's Couture Crochet book which includes a lot of good info on shaping in sttich patterning.

 

I would hesitate to cut up a sweater and use the sleeves, but you could get a nice effect by appliquing the cornerless granny onto a black sweater.

[magiccrochetfan]

there is a good Granny Stripe pattern in Jan Eaton's book 200 Crochet Blocks, #76 on p. 71 http://www.amazon.com/Crochet-Blocks-Blankets-Throws-Afghans/dp/1931499683/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300047537&sr=8-1

 

2nd sweater could be done the same kind of approach, use the granny stripe to do the parts that are not part of the whole granny square.

 

you can make a paper template from a sweater that fits well, and crochet to the shape of the template to make your new garment.

[magiccrochetfan]

also, i would definitely use DK or (preferably) smaller yarn, to avoid the cut-up-an-afghan-and-wore-it look-----unless you want that look of course! Smaller yarn also means it will be easier to do the shaping w/o obvious stair-stepping.

[firewontquell]

thanks so much for the suggestions, they were super helpful. In the sweaters in the picture, what size yarn do you think they are using? (I like that look, I don't know if you would qualify that as cut up afghan!)

 

Thanks again!

[magiccrochetfan]

thanks so much for the suggestions, they were super helpful. In the sweaters in the picture, what size yarn do you think they are using? (I like that look, I don't know if you would qualify that as cut up afghan!)

 

Thanks again!

I would guess it is fingering yarn, but I think the designers probably have access to yarns that we as individual consumers can't buy, so it might be some in-between wieght.

 

These sweaters do not look to me like cut-up afghans, they look refined and well-designed to me, but then I love granny squares and I love to see them used in different ways. I do think the finer the yarn/hook used, with any stitch pattern, the more delicate the finished product will be, and I think it is easier to appreciate the beauty of crocheted clothing when it looks delicate and refined. People are so used to seeing granny squares used for afghans, that granny-square clothing readily gets compared to an afghan. (remember Cate Blanchett's dress a while back at an event in Melbourne? i personally loved it as a tongue in cheek art/fashion piece but a lot of people, crocheters included, hated it.)

 

Could you post a link to the style.com article on this fashion show? Is it Christopher Kane fall 2011? I couldn't find the whole slideshow or the article. thanks!

[firewontquell]

Hi,

Thanks again for the response. It is Christopher Kane Fall 2011.

You can see the whole collection here:

http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/F2011RTW-CKANE

 

The original article where I read about the collection first is here (it only shows a few pieces and she actually doesn't even like the afghan motif)

http://www.thestylerookie.com/2011/02/gushers.html

 

There are also some nice afghan dresses and skirts, as well as a V-neck sweater (but it's covered with a jacket).

 

Welp, now to search for yarn. Exciting!! I think I might try my hand at the second one first

[magiccrochetfan]

thanks for the links:) I like the crocheted sweaters and the dress, i think the crochet skirt that is a big granny square is my least favorite of the crocheted things. those purses that have liquid in them are a trip!

 

Do you think you will use kind of somber colors like the ones Kane used?

[firewontquell]

I haven't decided on the colors yet. I actually really like the grays with the blues he used in the second sweater though.

I actually just found this website that has super close up pictures

 

http://www.vogue.it/en/shows/show/fw-11-12-ready-to-wear/christopher-kane

If you click the image then hover over it you can see a close in zoom

 

You can get even closer here

http://www.vogue.it/en/shows/show/fw-11-12-ready-to-wear/christopher-kane/details

Again click the picture you are interested in and hover over

 

After seeing those, any other suggestions on what type of yarn?

[magiccrochetfan]

I like the monotone colors too, blue and gray is a nice combo.

 

as far as yarn, i would look for a really nice wool or wool blend and be prepared to try out a few different yarns/colors to get just what you want. Swatch and wash/dry according to label instructions to be sure it will continue to look the way you want it to. also that will check for color fastness, since you are combining colors you don't want any bleeding.