Tank top for my daughter

[magdiego]

I wanted to crochet a tank top for my daughter, but had to do things the hard way, so I came up with this:

 

Whoo hoo! Now she wants another one, but in pink, with straps that cross in back. She's pretty darn fashion conscious for a 4yo.

 

I have a back view of the tank at http://merryyarn.blogspot.com/2005/06/shave-ice-tank.html

 

Mary

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

What a little doll and the tank top looks great

[bythehook]

The tank top is cute, and the model is adorable. You did a good job.

[crochetedmonkey]

Great job! It looks adorable on your daughter. (And your daughter looks adorable too)

 

Crocheted Monkey:cheer

[diamond]

Really cute!

[sem464]

Great Job!

[Empress Busy Bee]

That is so awesome.

And your daughter is just too cute for words.

[Nashville Crocheter]

Very nice both the tank top and your daughter. I think sstraps that cross in the back is a good idea

 

 

Barbara

[MiCountess]

Very Cute!

Michelle

[twoqtgirls]

Adorable - both the tank and the model!

[Crochet Garden]

That is adorable!! And so is your daughter... that is a great picture of her !!

[Granny Faye]

Your daughter is beautiful and the top so is cute :manyheart

[tezen]

love your tank top:clap

[Terri/LadySorce]

You did great!!! Can't wait to see the next one in PINK

[creativegoodness]

It looks great!!!! Gonna share the pattern?? I may have to try the yarn. Awesome job!!

[froggy]

Great job! At least she wants to wear things that Mom makes some kids don't like to wear handmade stuff. That's why I am very careful about who I give my handmade stuff to.

[magdiego]

Thanks, everyone! I really enjoyed making this top, and it taught me a lot - I'm still making lots of mistakes. I'm not sure I'd be able to write it down, but I'll try. That will be good experience for me as well!

 

Mary

[Ally]

Wow! Great Tank! Your daughter is too cute for words!

[waterbaby]

Nothing to apologize for, you did a great job on the tank! (The kid's pretty cute, too.) Would love to make a few of those---I saw that you haven't patterned it, but do you have any suggestions or instructions you could pass on? My plan was to just make a loose tube shape and then add straps, but yours is so much more what I REALLY want to do....

[faithpa76]

Very very cute!

[magdiego]

Nothing to apologize for, you did a great job on the tank! (The kid's pretty cute, too.) Would love to make a few of those---I saw that you haven't patterned it, but do you have any suggestions or instructions you could pass on? My plan was to just make a loose tube shape and then add straps, but yours is so much more what I REALLY want to do....

 

Waterbaby,

 

I kind of drew out the outline of what I wanted it to look like, took some measurements, and went for it. I did the whole thing in HDC, except for the straps.

 

First, she measured about 22" around the chest, so I figured the back and front would each be about 11". I figured I wanted it about 8" from her armpit to the bottom, and the top of the front needed to be about 5 inches wide. That meant that each increase area would be about 3" wide. Here's an image that might help make more sense:

 

Then I just started at one end, under the arm, and worked my way around. I started increasing right away, I think 2 stitches going up and 1 going down, but only at the top end. I stopped increasing after 3 inches of increases (about 9 rows HDC) then kept it even across for 5 inches, then decreased. For under the arms, I decided to add 2 rows of even, just to make sure the "arm hole" wasn't too tight.

 

On the back, I didn't increase as many rows, since I didn't need the back as high as the front. Since it didn't increase as much, the flat part was closer to 6". I did it all in one piece, here's an idea of what it looked like:The whole thing was closer to 23" wide, with the extra rows under the arms.

 

For the straps, I just did a SC around the top edge, and when I got the the spot the strap started, I just started a chain which I joined to the back, then SC'd back and forth till I had 4 rows. That made the straps look more like part of the top, rather than sewed on.

 

I wish I'd kept better track of this while I was doing it, but so many times I'd stop and pull stuff out and try again. It was a definite learning experience, and a huge confidence boost, to just start crocheting something and have it turn out nice. I would like to make another one for her, this time I'll try to write it down as I go along!

 

Mary

[waterbaby]

Wow, Magdiego, thanks for the extremely thorough how to! How very generous of you to put in the time and effort to create diagrams as well as written information. I do have one question: you say it was done all in one piece---how did you do the back part where it is goes higher at the underarm part (to the right of the "v" in your second diagram)? Also (OK, two questions), did you work in the round or flat with a single seam?

 

The way you did the straps is the way I like to do them, too: I do like the "all of a piece" appearance that method provides, and it's probably more sturdy than sewn-on straps, don't you think?

[magdiego]

I do have one question: you say it was done all in one piece---how did you do the back part where it is goes higher at the underarm part (to the right of the "v" in your second diagram)? Also (OK, two questions), did you work in the round or flat with a single seam?

 

Waterbaby,

 

Since I was crocheting side-to-side, instead of from the bottom up, I just started increasing again when I got to that row. So the rows are going up and down in the finished top, not across. Does that make sense? Then I sewed one seam under one arm. I didn't increase as much, since I wanted the back lower than the front, so it may have only been 5 or 6 rows of increases.

 

The way you did the straps is the way I like to do them, too: I do like the "all of a piece" appearance that method provides, and it's probably more sturdy than sewn-on straps, don't you think?

 

I really like the way the straps work. I think you're right, they feel sturdier, and I like the way they make the top look. I think they help shape the neckline. When she's wearing it, it doesn't look droopy, but it doesn't look exactly straight across, either. It's just kind of hard to write down how to do it - it's sort of an organic process, doing what looks right!

 

Thanks for your kind words, by the way. I'd really like to be able to duplicate this, and actually write it down someday!

 

Mary

[CraftyChristine]

How cute!

[waterbaby]

Ahhh, md, I didn't realize the direction you were working (I'm too literal for my own good much of the time)---now, of course, the diagram makes complete sense. Thanks for the clarification. A couple of months ago I bought a bunch of cotton yarn when I first thought about making a tank, so thanks also for providing a good incentive (i.e., the style I wanted but couldn't figure out how to do) for maybe actually getting one done before summer's over....