Caron's Soft Sage Circle Jacket CAL

[darski]

It does cause one to think how much clearer this would be if the instructions were charted and you could see what they were talking about.

 

Sorry, I think I might be on a kick to get all patterns charted - it is just so much easier to count and know than to hope the designer didn't miss a step. (you can't miss a step on a chart)

 

Dang, where is my son when I need someone to hide my soapbox?

[princsstrish]

I fudged a bit on the making of the arm and joining but once I got established, I figured out where I was supposed to do the hdc and such and it looks fin. One sleeve done, one sleeve left!!! Fits pretty well so far too! I'm shocked at myself actually.

[Gretchen]

OK, well, I finished mine this afternoon. I worked on it feverishly all weekend. AND - I don't like it. It's WAY shorter than the picture (I think the girl in the picture next to the pattern is a small but is wearing a size large). Even my sleeves are short. I know I used the right size hook, the right yarn, and I don't crochet particularly tight. Has anyone tried blocking this? Or do you all think I should just frog half of it and add more rows before the ruffling?

[jenksie]

I just finished the body of mine. Granted I used a K hook as I am a "big boned" girls with ample chest and broad shoulders, PLUS I tend to crochet very tightly. Well, it is so baggy that it looks horrible on me. So, now I am faced with the question finish it and hopefully my mom or someone else will like it, or frog it and start all over!!!

 

What do you think?

[Momcrochets]

Posting this again...anyone? Help please!

 

Okay, I'm working on the ruffle trim for the body...on Rnd 1 what in the name of all that is holy do they mean by (part in bold I'm confused about)...[V in next sc at lower corner, sk next 0 (1, 0)?????????

 

Please help!!!!!

 

k, I'm not even started yet, but I think I can help with this one. V in the next sc at the lower corner, then skip the next zero sts = don't skip anything. (so size small and large, no skips, size med, skip 1. hope that helps:yarn

[Gretchen]

Jenksie, maybe we should trade!

[jstwannacrochet]

I finally finished mine, except for the button and blocking it. Pictures are in show and tell.

 

This was fun for my first CAL!!

[eurolyons]

Oh, okay...hmmm....that definately answers a question...thank you sooooo much MOMcrochets!!!!

[eurolyons]

It does cause one to think how much clearer this would be if the instructions were charted and you could see what they were talking about.

 

Sorry, I think I might be on a kick to get all patterns charted - it is just so much easier to count and know than to hope the designer didn't miss a step. (you can't miss a step on a chart)

 

Dang, where is my son when I need someone to hide my soapbox?

 

You know, I don't use charts very often, ironically, I pictures of stuff to make ALL THE TIME...but after this pattern, I think I'm gonna be a total convert to charts...I am an experienced crocheter and this pattern is intermediate and I have had to stop and read and reread the instructions more times than with anything else I've ever done...and what annoys me no end is that it just seems like the author and/or Caron didn't bother to test the pattern before putting out to the masses or proofread the instructions...a special note for what 0,1 2,1 would have helped...at least would have helped me...(thanks again MOMcrochet!)

 

Off my soapbox now...

[mbcabbie]

I guess I am unofficially joining this one, as I started this sweater a couple of days ago - before I saw the CAL for it. I am done with body and ruffle (FINALLY!) and completely miffed by some of the instructions, so I winged alot of it. I also added 6 more rows to the body before the ruffle, adding 2 more leaves in the process for pattern continuity. It would have been way too short for my taste as written. The ruffle was tedious, to say the least, but at least that part is behind me now... LOL.

 

I may do this in in hot pink for my daughter as a shrug, like someone suggested several pages ago. I think it would be cute.

[eurolyons]

I guess I am unofficially joining this one, as I started this sweater a couple of days ago - before I saw the CAL for it. I am done with body and ruffle (FINALLY!) and completely miffed by some of the instructions, so I winged alot of it. I also added 6 more rows to the body before the ruffle, adding 2 more leaves in the process for pattern continuity. It would have been way too short for my taste as written. The ruffle was tedious, to say the least, but at least that part is behind me now... LOL.

 

I may do this in in hot pink for my daughter as a shrug, like someone suggested several pages ago. I think it would be cute.

 

Because I'm using DMC #3 cotton, I've had to adjust the pattern by adding more stitches and rows...and certainly more rows for the ruffles to make it look anything like the picture on the pattern. It's looking good so far...and it's in a fushia color...the ruffles are tedious, but I think they will be worth all the work in the end...

[lilbopeep]

got the yarn, pattern, needle, and copied the problem areas so i guess i'm good to go.

 

i hope it turns out well i would like to ask a question though

 

in the picture the ruffles seem longer and much fuller than in the FOs displayed

 

on purpose or my eyesight??

[eurolyons]

I noticed that too lilbopeep...I want the really full ruffles so I'm adding rows to the ruffles...

[momkat]

Hi folks! I am currently making this and just happened to see this thread today.

 

I have frogged and frogged. I haven't found ANY errors in the pattern so far.......only MY error of not reading it carefully.

 

I must say this pattern is one of the WORST written I have EVER come across, but if you slow down......take a breath.......read and read and re-read the read and read.......it comes together.

 

I finally walked away and had a bowl of ice cream......came back and just read the pattern over and over (after I got past row 13).

 

 

I promised myself this pattern is not going to get the best of me.

 

 

KUDOS!!!!!!

[Fidgement]

I thought I'd pop in just to let you know I'm still working on the ruffles! I don't think theres and end in sight to these things, but I keep at them anyway, in between everything else! I guess I also missed my window to lengthen it since others have said it turns out shorter on them.

 

If anyone has a suggestion for making the body longer, i'm all ears!!!

[eurolyons]

Hi folks! I am currently making this and just happened to see this thread today.

 

I have frogged and frogged. I haven't found ANY errors in the pattern so far.......only MY error of not reading it carefully.

 

I must say this pattern is one of the WORST written I have EVER come across, but if you slow down......take a breath.......read and read and re-read the read and read.......it comes together.

 

I finally walked away and had a bowl of ice cream......came back and just read the pattern over and over (after I got past row 13).

 

 

I promised myself this pattern is not going to get the best of me.

 

 

KUDOS!!!!!!

 

Seriously poorly written...and I have reread and reread and reread and reread...as far as errors...I guess that's debatable...but since I had to make adjustments simply for my body type, it doesn't matter in the end...however, if I have to reread the same row 10 times to get the gist of what the designer is trying to get across, that's a problem and I'm counting it as an error.

[craftybutterfly]

I have to agree (again!) how poorly written this pattern is. I've been crocheting for nearly 30 years, and i don't think I've EVER had this many problems with a pattern. As for mistakes, I thought I'd found quite a few, but on reading again (for probably the millionth time) I think you may be right, they're not necessarily mistakes, they just look that way because the pattern is written so badly. Once you get the gist of the pattern, and complete one, it turns out that it's really a simple pattern and design, but still, because of the way its written, it is definatly an intermediate project, and I wouldn't suggest it to a newbie crocheter unless they have someone close by to give them hands-on help. I've completed my first one (will get pics as soon as i can and post them), and I've started another one. I liked the pics of karen's and donna's without the sleeves, so on my second one, i'm leaving those off. Then I saw ferret's without the ruffle too, and I liked that a lot too, so i'm leaving off the ruffle on this one also, and just making it a vest. maybe Caron will pick up on this thread, and re-write the pattern for future makers of this wonderful sweater. It really is a lovely piece, and I think it should be written so anybody can make one without all the problems we've had.

[craftybutterfly]

OK, well, I finished mine this afternoon. I worked on it feverishly all weekend. AND - I don't like it. It's WAY shorter than the picture (I think the girl in the picture next to the pattern is a small but is wearing a size large). Even my sleeves are short. I know I used the right size hook, the right yarn, and I don't crochet particularly tight. Has anyone tried blocking this? Or do you all think I should just frog half of it and add more rows before the ruffling?

 

 

I had the same problem. I tried it on a few rows after making the arm holes, and it was just too short. I think you're right about the model being small, and wearing a large. I had to add probably 8 or 9 extra rows to the bottom to get it the right length. On the one I'm working on now, I'm about 80% off pattern, and just working it and trying it on as I go. I used the pattern to get it started, then just went on off, on my own.

[funkyreporter]

Well, lucky me having so many WIPs that I haven't actually started this one yet (beyond buying enough yarn in no less than THREE different shades) but now I'm seeing what to look for as far as problems go...

 

Before I joined the Village I actually never made what I would call 'complex' or advanced skill wearables because I was intimdated at the concept of shaping and size, etc... didn't think I could do it:think ... but now I feel much more confident and realize I CAN read a pattern, and some are very poorly written... some are not meant to be read at all except by the writer and their very close friends:angry . I honestly don't feel for me that any shaped pattern could be labled as beginner!

 

I haven't actually sat down and read this pattern yet but love the finished item so I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences so I'll know what to watch for. I am currently working on a tunic for my daughter and I had to really read exactly what the pattern was saying without making assumptions (liking turning stitch counts as first stich - not this time!) and it's working!

[eurolyons]

I am one sleeve away from being done...I added several rows to make it look on me what it looks like on the model (in terms of where it hit her hips...) and the same with the sleeve...I added more rows to the ruffles to make them look fuller. I am using DMC #3 crochet cotton thread in pink...so far it's turning out great...but yeah, have to make adjustments...and for me, it's normal for me to make these kinds of adjustments because while I'm not Jubba the Hut, I am most definately larger than what the original pattern called for...I was very excited when I got the one sleeve done and put it on and it hit exactly where I wanted the sleeve to hit...

 

Had I followed the pattern exactly, it would not have fit at all...definately would have been too small...all around...

[Happy_Hooker]

Hey everyone...

 

When adding rows on the bottom, doesn't that change the pattern when you get to the ruffles??? If so, does anyone know if there needs to be an even or odd number added??? I would like mine just a hair longer as well.

 

Just curious what those who have completed this jacket have found...

[eurolyons]

I just kept adding rows before I did the ruffles...during the body of the jacket, you don't add any more stitches per se (unless you've added more than the pattern called for like I did past the large size) so for the bottom of the ruffle part, that's gonna be fine...and then when you get to the side of the ruffles (for the front, what I did was put v stitches in each of the corners (I think I did five, that looked better) then up the front until the side started to decrease I did a v stitch, sk next stitch and then a v stitch, and then from the point of decrease for the neckline, v stitch and then skip 2 stitches, and then a v stitch and so on...I hope that made sense...I played with it and frogged a time or two until I got the look I was going for with the ruffles...from that point on, I basically put the written pattern aside...I added more rows to the ruffle to make them fuller and to get the length I wanted down to my hips...I think about 3 more rows...worked for me...

[Happy_Hooker]

Thanks!

That is about what I am looking for as well... I am making the large, and I am not doing extra stitches... I actually started making it bigger, but I found it was too much... I do tend to crochet a little looser than most.

[eurolyons]

Good, keep us posted to how this turns out for you! I'm off to do that last sleeve...

[eurolyons]

It's 2:00 a.m. where I am, but I just wanted to post that I finished the jacket and I am extremely pleased with the result and am wearing it as I type this...the sleeves hit exactly where I wanted them to hit, the length is perfect, it fits beautifully and looks good...the top part of the ruffle could be a bit more ruffly, but it ruffles beautifully where it will close and down the front...the sleeves have a serious bell shape to them that I'm having so much fun with. Am very, very happy with how this turned out, even though trying to work off the pattern was a serious challenge. However, the bigger challenge turned out being my cat going after the thread all the time while I was in the middle of working on the jacket.

 

I'm gonna have my DH take a pic of me wearing the jacket when he gets home from work tomorrow and then I'll post pics.