Lion's Brand Car Coat

[born2bead]

I've been crocheting for longer than I care to count yet I have never really attempted to crochet any clothing. Mostly because the patterns for crocheting were ugly!

 

It seems now that there are a lot better looking ones available so I thought I would start with the car coat pattern since it was listed as "Easy" and it using thick yarn and a large hook.

 

http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/70004A.html

 

When I crocheted my guage piece with the suggested "N" hook it was not big enough. When I tried the "P" hook (why is there no "O"?) it is way too big. I'm guessing that I will have to go back to the "N" and try and loosen my tension unless anyone else has any other suggestions?

 

What I really want to make is the red "Have a Heart" wrap dress in the new Crochet Today! magazine for Jan/Feb '08. Gorgeous!

 

I'd appreciate any tips you have on making apparel. Seems like the "apparel" crocheters are probably hanging out in this thread

[PBLKNP]

Sometimes different brands of hooks can be wildly different in actual size. Perhaps if you try a different brand. I know there a differences between Boye hooks and Susan Bates. For an example of what I'm talking about:

 

http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/knitsize.htm

[born2bead]

That's something I was not aware of. I will try that and see if it makes a difference.

[sherryzzz]

I had the opposite problem with this pattern - I had to go down a hook size AND use fewer stitches across. See my thread here: http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42076

 

What size are you making? Is your gauge with your hook matching the gauge for the pattern? Maybe you just need to go up a pattern size?

[CyM]

Sometimes different brands of hooks can be wildly different in actual size. Perhaps if you try a different brand. I know there a differences between Boye hooks and Susan Bates. For an example of what I'm talking about:

 

http://www.turn-of-the-century.com/knitsize.htm

 

I have found that sizes definitely vary from brand to brand. That chart is a neat idea, but my Bates hook was labelled G and 4 mm, not 4.25. I just go strictly by metric.

[Debbi-a1]

There are some in between hooks. But they're hard to find. I did a scraf with an M hook that was a color plastic and got on clearance at walmart. You may need to order one on line or look around. And even if your P hook is a little bigger, would that be a huge problem? Is it really too big? I have a sweater that is HUGE but I don't mind and wear it and just sort of wrap it around a little. And another that's a bit tight and I just wear it anyway. For me I figure it's a learning process and I have some sweaters. They're not bad looking but I get by with them and love them.

[born2bead]

The guage says 17 rows of the v-stitch pattern should = 18". I could add another row to get to the 18" but I wasn't sure if that would throw the rest of the pattern off.

 

I don't want to go up a pattern size because the smallest shown is already slightly bigger than what I would normally make.

 

I think this will definitely be a good learning experience on actually constructing a piece of clothing and getting things to the right size.

 

Thanks for the tips everyone!

[born2bead]

Sherry - thanks so much for the info. Your tips on this will be very helpful. Unfortunately, the link to your photos is not working. Looks like you moved to a new site. Do you have a new link for those? I'd love to take a look.

[sherryzzz]

Sherry - thanks so much for the info. Your tips on this will be very helpful. Unfortunately, the link to your photos is not working. Looks like you moved to a new site. Do you have a new link for those? I'd love to take a look.

 

Oops - forgot about that. Yahoo shut down their photo site. I'll have to see about uploading my photos to a different site and replacing when I get home from work tonight, or maybe this weekend....

[sherryzzz]

The guage says 17 rows of the v-stitch pattern should = 18". I could add another row to get to the 18"....

 

Yes! as long as your gauge is correct width-wise, you can just add extra rows as needed to match the measurements on the diagram.

[Julexia]

It has been my personal experience that a crystalite M hook is bigger than an aluminum N hook. At least for me, it gives a bigger looser stitch. I dunno if you are using an aluminum N though.

[Debbi-a1]

I think this will definitely be a good learning experience on actually constructing a piece of clothing and getting things to the right size.

 

Thanks for the tips everyone!

That's true. My first ones were the ones that weren't the perfect size. I've gotten better since then. I just wanted to make sweaters and liked a few and they were easy, so I just started crocheting!

Debbi

[born2bead]

Yes, that makes sense about if the width is ok, then add length. I think I can adjust that OK and I'll go from there.

 

So glad I found this forum!

[JesseCat]

For the right gauge you should use the yarn that the pattern is using. You did not mention what yarn you are using.

[Debbi-a1]

For the right gauge you should use the yarn that the pattern is using. You did not mention what yarn you are using.

That helps a lot with patterns you're not familiar with. But you can do it with different yarn and even hooks. However, you may want to try it with the yarn the pattern calls for (if you're not using that) and see how it is. Maybe even purchase one skien just to try it and see how it works out.

[yarncat]

I look forward to seeing your car coat!

[born2bead]

Yes, I am using the recommended yarn for the pattern. I figured I'd get myself into less trouble that way considering it is my first clothing project!

 

I have the back and left side completed. Now I'm trying a sleeve which is getting tricky. I had to add rows to the back and left side to get it long enough which means that the sleeve needs to be longer too.

 

Unfortunately, the sleeve has a lot of different increases using a repeat of the same 4 rows until you get to the right length. If I repeat it again to get it longer then the width at the widest part of the top is too wide. Somehow I'm going to have to adjust the pattern so that it does not increase so drastically.

 

If I get this figured out I will difinitely post a picture. It goes really fast with the Woolese Thick and Quick yarn.

[sherryzzz]

...which means that the sleeve needs to be longer too. Unfortunately, the sleeve has a lot of different increases using a repeat of the same 4 rows until you get to the right length. If I repeat it again to get it longer then the width at the widest part of the top is too wide. Somehow I'm going to have to adjust the pattern so that it does not increase so drastically...

 

If you can figure out how many extra rows you might need for the length, then you can stagger adding in extra even rows between your increase repeats. Maybe add in an extra even row after every series of the 1-4 row increases, then when you get to the last part just work even until you get to the right length.