Hoodie, top-down easiest sweater ever

[mbcabbie]

OK - the website for the top down sweater design is http://www.io.com/~cortese/crafts/raglan.html

 

Hope the link works.

 

I love this guide - its not a pattern at all, just a guideline on how to make a one-piece (no sewing!!!) raglan style sweater. The beauty is that there is no size-guessing, guaging or ANYTHING involved, you can try it on as you go and make it a custom fit. Just pick your yarn (thin or bulky), your stitch and your hook (according to yarn weight) and get going. It works for both knit and crochet and you can customize, customize, customize without ANY hassles whatsoever. I have experimented with all kids of stuff with this. I've finished a couple of awesome sweaters, and have a couple in progress. At the end are somewhat incomplete instructions for hoods and collars. Its a one-size-fits all kind of thing.

 

If you are making a hoodie, start with about however many stitches you need to get it over your head (for example, about 75-80 for worsted, size H hook). The neck opening will be the same number of stitches, so make sure it will fit over your head! LOL when you get to the bottom of the hood, just connect the two bottom corners and crochet in the round (more like square at this point) to make the yoke. Just increase in the 4 corners until you have the size you need, then connect those corners and keep going for the body. . It's that easy! Just 1 seam - at the top of the hood. This would also work for a short-sleeved top, Just don't add the sleeves after you finish the body - the way it works out is as a finished cap-sleeve kind of thing that way. SOOOO versitile!

 

I have found that I needed to divide the yoke into 4 non-even sections... otherwise, you get way-oversized sleeves, so I make to two sleeve sides slightly smaller than the front and back sections - a more rectangular yoke (don't worry - it works - it doesn't come out square or rectangular in the end). For the hoodie, though, the oversized proportions work just fine - hoodies are supposed to be baggy. So if I wanted to make sleeves a little less baggy, I might divide the 80 stitches into 24/16/24/16 for increases (rough estimate, not a given - depends on the project)

 

This also works beautifully for a cardigan - just turn in the middle of one of the front/back sides of the square and keep going. I plan to do a zippered version someday soon. (I have no idea how to do a zipper, but we'll see... )

 

I'll try to get the hoodie pic posted soon - as well as my version of the "cozy cardigan" pattern from Art of Tangle (Her pattern, but larger hook, Caron "simply soft" instead of fingering yarn) The latter came out really great with a few modifications to the original pattern. All her patterns are based on the top-down design, so the site I posted (and the hoodie I did) helped alot in figuring it all out and making it work.

[Dextersmom]

Thanks so much for sharing! I've been wanting to make a sweater but have been rather intimidated. This makes it look easy

[mimi_mia]

Thanks for the link, I printed it out

[mbcabbie]

It IS easy - absolutely "no fail" since you can try it on as you go.

 

 

IF you have to "frog" a little... well... its a learning experience as well as being productive AND unique to the crafter. The only real trouble I ever have is right about where you join the armpits and start the body (too big, too small), but at the very worst, you might only have to remove a couple of rows to make it right. And once you finish one, you can use it for measurements for the next dozen.

[BY&BH]

Thanks for the link. I'd love to see a picture.

[mbcabbie]

I am working on trying to wrangle the digi-cam from my teenage daughter. Will post a pic or two very soon. Sunday, probably, since I am not working then and will have time.

 

 

The hoodie I did wouldn't have been my first choice for a pattern stitch, but it definitely worked (as the experiment it was). I plan a few more in the near future - I love it that much. It was the first I did using this guide, and I think it came out pretty neat. Its simple, yet it is what it is. I love it for its simplicity, but also because I KNOW it is a one of a kind and I made it. And OH so warm!!!!

 

And if Meg likes it (she is 17) then you know it ain't too bad, huh? If she isn't trying to steal it from me, she is begging me to make her one in her trademark hot pink. (Christmas)

 

I made my hoodie with the red heart "aran fleck" (was going for a "neutral" color - and I had a couple skiens left from an afghan anyway) and (I think?) a size J hook. It washed up really nice and soft. I usually wear it as a jacket - over a long sleeve t-shirt or a turtle neck or something (I can't wear acryllic against my skin without itching)

 

I feel that if you are going for the hoodie, then a simple stitch is best.... don't want anything fancy to take away from its form. But thats just my opinion.

 

I think I used a small DC cluster (dc, yo, inset hook in same stitch, draw loop, pull through two loops on hook, yo, draw through remaining loops on hook) ch 1 row alternated with a seed stitch row (sc1, ch 1) with sc stitches placed in the ch1 spaces of the cluster row and the clusters worked in the ch1 spaces of the seed stitch row, worked without turning. I am wishing I had just repeated the cluster row without the seed stitch, but I am not unhappy with it whatsoever. I am working on hers for XMas in a wierd design (her choice) Looks pretty cool so far.

 

I also have one - a non-hoodie done from this guide in straight seed stitch (black), and another in the works with a self-striping yarn in a ripple stitch (this one will be worth writing home about!!!... ***IF*** I ever get it done right ... its been a trial of stitching, frogging, stitching, frogging... but I think its finally coming into perfection) I am having trouble getting the self-striping and ripples to be just right (hard to explain) but I think I almost have it and it should be done for pics within the week.

 

The one INVALUABLE thing I learned from this pattern was the shaping of a sweater. I ordered a couple of patterns from "Art of Tangle" (she has GREAT stuff), and honestly (even as an experienced crocheter) I would not have ever understood her patterns if not for having worked this one first. Its a must if you are looking into doing sweaters.

 

I am "hooked" on wearables because of this. It was such a great [productive] learning tool.

[justwantacraft]

I also saved link and looking forward pictures maybe some step by step ones if its all done in one peice and then folded together and just sew up? I did try a jacket the pattern was so off spent a week on it. Then just ordered the car coat pattern. Im not pro at reading patterns and cannot tweek wearables just not exeperienced enough to know what to change untill the whole thing is done then because I have to see it (visual learner) well you get my drift. Thanks so much someday hope to make sweather or something like it.

[snbarclay]

thanks I printed it out also . I am going to pick up my magazine to get the hoodie sweater pattern today . I can not wait

[mbcabbie]

if its all done in one peice and then folded together and just sew up?

 

I did try a jacket the pattern was so off spent a week on it. Then just ordered the car coat pattern. Im not pro at reading patterns and cannot tweek wearables just not exeperienced enough to know what to change untill the whole thing is done then because I have to see it (visual learner)

 

There IS no sewing... thats the beauty of it. You know how to crochet, so I assume you know how to increase, right? That's all there is to it. You do the square(ish) yoke with increases in each corner and then fold it in half and join the corners and continue in the round. Voila! its done!

[mbcabbie]

You know, this would also work for a poncho.....

 

Instead of joining at the armipts to make a sweater, you could keep going on the "yoke" section and end up with a 4-point poncho.

 

I haven't tried a poncho yet. Maybe I should...

 

Oh, crap, another project..... Just what I need!

 

How about a hooded poncho? (This JUST occurred to me)

[Pyogazel]

I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures too, I've been lurking over the site you linked to a couple of time, but never dared to try it out!

 

How long did one project take?

[mbcabbie]

Pyo, I think I finished it in about 3 or 4 days. (Mind you, I have sometimes HOURS at a time to KILL TIME while I am at "work") The Yoke took a day, the body a day or so, the arms a day (+/- on all counts)

 

In retrospect, I would have done it differently if I were doing it now, but I am really happy with it and have learned so much from that project. It was well worth the effort - if just for the education.

 

I have pics of the hoodie and the cardigan from "art of tangle" in DD's digital cam.... I just need her to show me how to download them so I can show them off. (I do not know how to use her camera)

[SheCrochets]

I can't wait to see your pics! I am very intrigued by this pattern, er, guidelines...

[faithpa76]

Oooo that's neat! I can't wait to see pictures!

[twoqtgirls]

Thanks so much for posting this link! I am trying to make DH a sweater for Christmas but he wears a 3X and there are NO patterns out there for Big Men. I can just use a sweater he has that fits and size as I go! Yipee!

[mbcabbie]

That's the beauty of the thing... you can measure it against something else and get a custom fit.