Beginner Homespun Sweater CAL

[Tia]

Yes, I'm sure you can do a lot with this basic pattern as a reference, short sleeves, no sleeves, 3/4 sleeves, v neck, scoop neck, vest, cropped, regular, long, side slits, extra long like a baby doll tee with short puffy sleeves would be real cute on the right person!

 

I'm toying with the idea of weaving in another color through all the holes, but that might be more work than starting over?!

 

WOW!! You're fast!! I've only gotten about 6" of the back done. . .and it seems I missed a stitch somewhere so I had to add them back in. That and I measured my chain before starting and it was perfect, however I'm afraid it's on the small side now that I've done all these rows of SC I was wondering about starting over too!! LOL And I want mine big and holey Of course, I'd considered leaving the arms off of it to make it a holey vest like thing

[Piperdanai]

I'm a loose hooker, (boy that didn't come out right:rofl .) If you hook pretty tight, then the K might work for you.

 

I'm a tight hooker LOL But I ended up frogging it, adding more to my chain and starting over I'll be MUCH happier. . .and I'm trying to become looser too LOL

[Tia]

Well, I decided to keep the back piece as is (big and holey). I started the front piece with the J hook and am hooking tighter than normal...and I'm loving how it's coming out. :clapSince my gauge is different, I'm just going by measurements...actually I'm going to make the front a little narrower than the back so the sweater won't be too big on me.

 

It looks like I'm going to run out of yarn so I'm going to make the sleeves a 3/4 length. And I'm going to try to make the neck more of a scoop shape.

[kittyloverdeb]

Guess what? The white yarn I started with isn't available anymore! The white they have out now has more of a shine to it. What I have doesn't and it's a whiter white. So....I am going to start over! I picked out a pea green that was sorta pretty. Hope there's no time limit on this CAL!

[Piperdanai]

Well, I decided to keep the back piece as is (big and holey). I started the front piece with the J hook and am hooking tighter than normal...and I'm loving how it's coming out. :clapSince my gauge is different, I'm just going by measurements...actually I'm going to make the front a little narrower than the back so the sweater won't be too big on me.

 

It looks like I'm going to run out of yarn so I'm going to make the sleeves a 3/4 length. And I'm going to try to make the neck more of a scoop shape.

 

Any pics yet??

 

Guess what? The white yarn I started with isn't available anymore! The white they have out now has more of a shine to it. What I have doesn't and it's a whiter white. So....I am going to start over! I picked out a pea green that was sorta pretty. Hope there's no time limit on this CAL!

 

But I had to laugh at the "sorta pretty" comment

 

I also found out (HELLO!?!? GO LOOK AT THE YARN PACKAGE!!) that the color I have is Barley. . .however it looks NOTHING like what the website says it does (at least on my screen.)

[Tia]

Oh no! What is the white called. The white I have in my stash is called Hepplewhite. Did they change the name or maybe what you saw was a different color lot?

 

There is no time limit . I'm doing some starting over myself. I "finished" the back and started the front with the J hook, then after doing the extra few inches I wanted at the bottom, I switched to an I hook for an even tighter stitching. Soooo...now I need to frog most of the back piece and do it over to match the front.

 

BTW sorry I haven't posted here for a while. I didn't abandon you all, just had a power outage for almost a day and a half from a bad ice storm. Pretty though, especially today when the sun came out and all those ice covered trees really sparkled!

 

But I did manage to get some crocheting done yesterday until it got too dark and also this morning. I've done about 17 1/2" on the front side.

 

Guess what? The white yarn I started with isn't available anymore! The white they have out now has more of a shine to it. What I have doesn't and it's a whiter white. So....I am going to start over! I picked out a pea green that was sorta pretty. Hope there's no time limit on this CAL!

[Tia]

Here is the link to all the Homespun colors. So when you mention you are using Rococo or Barley we'll know exactly what you mean.

 

So Deb...when you say pea green, do you mean Apple Green? That one looked the most like pea green, at least on my computer screen.

[kittyloverdeb]

Here is the link to all the Homespun colors. So when you mention you are using Rococo or Barley we'll know exactly what you mean.

 

So Deb...when you say pea green, do you mean Apple Green? That one looked the most like pea green, at least on my computer screen.

Yes it is Apple Green. The white is Hepplewhite but they are making it different now. The best way to describe it is with the analogy of a matte picture versus a glossy picture. I had the matte white and all they make now is the glossy! I took it all apart and started over. I really like the green alot! I just can't figure out how it all goes together? Can you post a picture of your back that you finished? That would help alot! I am a visual person so I really need to see the results!

Haven't had much time to work on it this week. Working alot and trying to finish baby afghans for twins! I just realized the other day that April 6 (the shower) is only a littly over 6 months away...Yikes!!!

[Tia]

Deb, I'll post a pic of the front when it's finished. But I need to frog most of the back and redo it.

 

What part are you having trouble with? Maybe we can help you decipher some of the instructions.

[kittyloverdeb]

Deb, I'll post a pic of the front when it's finished. But I need to frog most of the back and redo it.

 

What part are you having trouble with? Maybe we can help you decipher some of the instructions.

That would be great! It's not that I'm having trouble so much as I just can't picture how this will all go together. Ok, when you start it...you do the back and then when you are doing the arms you just go in so many stitches from the back and end so many stitches before the last stitch of the back. How does this make a sleeve? I mean, if you are crocheting the back it is like you have a sleeve sticking out of the middle of the back!

[jneuman88]

That would be great! It's not that I'm having trouble so much as I just can't picture how this will all go together. Ok, when you start it...you do the back and then when you are doing the arms you just go in so many stitches from the back and end so many stitches before the last stitch of the back. How does this make a sleeve? I mean, if you are crocheting the back it is like you have a sleeve sticking out of the middle of the back!

 

It is confusing, isn't it?! That's why I love when designers include pictures of the various steps and also explain a little what's going on LOL! But I think I know what is confusing you ... what you are talking about is the armhole shaping, not the actual sleeve. What you'll end up with is a back that looks like a large rectangle on the bottom with a slightly narrower rectangle on top of it. Then you'll make the sleeves separately (step 6). In step 7, the sleeves will be attached to the front and back, nestling into that space that was left when you went in so many stitches and ended so many stitches away from the original edge. Does that make sense?

 

I went to the library the other day and got several books on crocheted sweaters and vests. Now I've got a few more patterns to choose from LOL! I still hope to decide by tomorrow, so I'll be poring over them today trying to make a final decision ....

[Tia]

I don't think it's just the white they changed. I had some older Gothic in my stash and the newer Gothic I just bought so I'd have enough for my sweater is shinier than the old. I guess they discovered a better way of making it. People like a nice sheen to their yarn...at least I do.

 

I didn't get any crocheting done today, maybe tomorrow.

 

Yes it is Apple Green. The white is Hepplewhite but they are making it different now. The best way to describe it is with the analogy of a matte picture versus a glossy picture. I had the matte white and all they make now is the glossy! I took it all apart and started over. I really like the green alot! I just can't figure out how it all goes together? Can you post a picture of your back that you finished? That would help alot! I am a visual person so I really need to see the results!

 

Haven't had much time to work on it this week. Working alot and trying to finish baby afghans for twins! I just realized the other day that April 6 (the shower) is only a littly over 6 months away...Yikes!!!

[kittyloverdeb]

Ohhhh! Thank you Tia!!! That makes SO much sense! So what I thought was a sleeve is still actually part of the back! Thank you so much for clearing this up. Boy do I feel dumb! LOL

[Tia]

You can thank Jennifer for her wonderful explanation...

 

Yeah, that whole sleeve part is going to prove interesting isn't it?

 

Ohhhh! Thank you Tia!!! That makes SO much sense! So what I thought was a sleeve is still actually part of the back! Thank you so much for clearing this up. Boy do I feel dumb! LOL

[jneuman88]

Well, after much debating and trying of stitches and gauges for a few of the patterns I was looking into, I settled on a vest in a book called Crochet with Style by Melissa Leapman (for anyone who might have the book, it's the variegated summer vest on page 31). I was going to make something with sleeves, but I was having so much trouble with getting the gauge right on anything, I thought I'd better start with something a little simpler. And even this isn't going to be simple. When I did the gauge swatch for this, I was off by 2 inches!! If I went with a much smaller hook, I think the results would be too stiff, so I got out my calculator and fiddled with the numbers until I could figure out how long of a chain I'd need at my gauge to get the correct dimensions. So far I think I've got it figured out. The only thing I'm nervous about now is the tapering at the front to get the neckline right ... should be interesting ...

 

So far I've used up one skein and have about 15" of the back done. In just a couple more rows I'll start the armhole shaping ... exciting, isn't it?!

[Tia]

Ooo...is this it?! It's gorgeous! What colors are you going to use?

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=_Y6G6EdtMC4C&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=crochet+with+style+summer+vest&source=web&ots=DnkjZ2i28e&sig=LSw_jysdYJeXelweJVQ-V6Tr5zs#PPA30,M1

 

Well, after much debating and trying of stitches and gauges for a few of the patterns I was looking into, I settled on a vest in a book called Crochet with Style by Melissa Leapman (for anyone who might have the book, it's the variegated summer vest on page 31). I was going to make something with sleeves, but I was having so much trouble with getting the gauge right on anything, I thought I'd better start with something a little simpler. And even this isn't going to be simple. When I did the gauge swatch for this, I was off by 2 inches!! If I went with a much smaller hook, I think the results would be too stiff, so I got out my calculator and fiddled with the numbers until I could figure out how long of a chain I'd need at my gauge to get the correct dimensions. So far I think I've got it figured out. The only thing I'm nervous about now is the tapering at the front to get the neckline right ... should be interesting ...

 

So far I've used up one skein and have about 15" of the back done. In just a couple more rows I'll start the armhole shaping ... exciting, isn't it?!

[jneuman88]

Ooo...is this it?! It's gorgeous! What colors are you going to use?

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=_Y6G6EdtMC4C&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31&dq=crochet+with+style+summer+vest&source=web&ots=DnkjZ2i28e&sig=LSw_jysdYJeXelweJVQ-V6Tr5zs#PPA30,M1

 

That's it! Pretty, isn't it? I really like the colorway in the picture ... wish I had some yarn in that color LOL! But I'm just using the Rococco (sp?). But it should be a good color for pairing with any color shirt underneath. Crossing fingers that I might be able to actually wear this LOL!

[kittyloverdeb]

OHHHH...that is very pretty....I like it to! Can't wait to see the finished product. Maybe I should try that one...no sleeves to mess me up! LOL

[jneuman88]

OHHHH...that is very pretty....I like it to! Can't wait to see the finished product. Maybe I should try that one...no sleeves to mess me up! LOL

 

Well, unfortunately, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer ... when I measured it after the first 6 rows, it was the right width, but as I added more rows, it seemed to shrink up a bit and now I'm wondering if I didn't stretch it a bit to make it fit at first. So after much debating since it was off by only about an 1", I decided it really was necessary to pull it all out and start over ... after all, an 1" is just enough to make or break the fit of it, don't you think? I'd hate to do all this work and not be able to wear the darn thing! So last night I frogged it and started over. I'm already about halfway up what I had originally, so it's not been too much of a nuisance. It's dc clusters, so it works up pretty fast.

 

So what do you all think of the Homespun? I've heard so many differing opinions on it, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I do like the feel of it, and it looks very nice in this pattern. The only thing I didn't like was the starting chain ... all the wiggles in the yarn made it kind of hard to see each individual chain ... the first time around, I must've worked the foundation sc row half a dozen times before I got it right ... I think I was working more than one sc in some of the chains LOL! But once I got past that, it hasn't been too bad ... now the hardest part is working the last stitch in the row into the turning dc chain below ...

[Tia]

I didn't do the traditional chain thing...I did the sc foundation 'chain'. See here. I love doing it that way...way easier I think.

 

But to answer your question...I love Homespun...you get to where you can 'feel' the stitches and I have no problems with knowing where to put the hook, even though I'm using that dark gothic color.

 

So what do you all think of the Homespun? I've heard so many differing opinions on it, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I do like the feel of it, and it looks very nice in this pattern. The only thing I didn't like was the starting chain ... all the wiggles in the yarn made it kind of hard to see each individual chain ... the first time around, I must've worked the foundation sc row half a dozen times before I got it right ... I think I was working more than one sc in some of the chains LOL! But once I got past that, it hasn't been too bad ... now the hardest part is working the last stitch in the row into the turning dc chain below ...

[Piperdanai]

I was just commenting to DH last night about how much I loved the yarn. I love the feel, the "waviness" and the colors it comes in. It took me a few stitches to get used to crocheting into the chain, but I started going by feel instead

[jneuman88]

I didn't do the traditional chain thing...I did the sc foundation 'chain'. See here. I love doing it that way...way easier I think.

....

 

That looks interesting ... I'll have to try that next time.

[Tia]

How's everyone's sweaters coming along? I must confess I haven't been working on mine lately. I've been tired and just working on an afghan that is very simple and mindless to work on and haven't had the energy to concentrate on the sweater.

 

But I'm back to my sweater today. I'm real close to finishing the front and will post a pic of it as soon as I can.

 

Happy crocheting!

[Minders13]

I've been doing a lot on this sweater... a lot of thinking. I'll start it this weekend though! Promise! I just got caught up in the RR craze...

[Tia]

I just finished the front. It doesn't really look like anything but a square. Like I said before I wanted mine longer and wider at the bottom, so it does flare out some.