Busy... busy... busy... Stuff for Me!

It's been a busy time and right now, summer, I'm finally getting a chance to crochet some outfits for me.  I need some outfits as we're going on a short trip later this summer and I want something new to wear...  something I made....

In the past 2 weeks, I've completed two, crochet tops and I've at least three others in some state of construction.

At left is a picture of one top that is completed.  It's a cute  DROPS design from the Garn Studio.  The design was slightly altered to fit my fancy and I made it a bit shorter thn pictured with it falling just below the hips rather than, as shown, mid-thigh.

Also, rather than using the suggested yarns, DROPS Alpaca & DROPS Cotton Vicose, the top was constructed using Cascade Yarns, Sunseeker, which is a cotton acrylic with a metallic thread running through it.  The top used just over 3 skeins...  about 730 yds.  I made it in white.

I'm thinking if I make another one, I'm going to lengthen the mesh torso portion, having it stop just above the hips rather than above the waist and then the pattern portion stop just above mid-thigh.  I find myself ALWAYS messing with patterns...  altering them to suit myself.

By the way, I really like this top!  It is so light & airy!  Perfect to wear over a bathing suit or a camisole.  I'm looking forward to wearing it.

Another one that I recently completed was found on someone's blog, Flamingo Bay.  The pattern is called Banana Bay.  Many thanks to the blog owner for posting this lovely pattern.

Banana Bay Top by Mary Lacy Stratton

The pattern calls for a cotton yarn.  However, I made it using a lovely bamboo blend, Prima by Debbie Bliss.  The Prima yarn is a bamboo vicose / merino wool blend.  This yarn was ordered for a project that wound up being made with a different bamboo yarn, since the company I ordered this from was tardy in shipping it.  Rather than send it back (got it for a very good price), it was stashed.  Very happy that I stashed it!

Since bamboo yarn stretches, I made this using the "I" hook in the "small" size.  It fits.  I'm not a small, but an XL.  This top is lovely and very comfortable.  Again, it's another one that I'm really looking forward to wearing.

Oh...  if anyone decides to make this, something I'd change is I'd add a couple of extra chains under the arm, especially if, like me, you make the size small to allow for yarn stretch.  Rather than 30 chains under the arm, I'd use the number recommended for the large size - 36.

For all my loyal fans out there...  Don't fret...  I'll be back to crocheting your favorite items soon.

Happy hooking!

Merino Superwash by Plymouth

In this day and age, I make all my gifts for dear friends & family members.  The gift may be a crochet scarf or a polar fleece hat. I believe that nothing says "I love you" like a homemade gift...  a gift made with love.

I'm working on some "man" gifts right now for my men at Christmas. For my husband, I made a variegated scarf and watch cap made with a lovely yarn - a "merino superwash" - purchased at Edgewood Yarn & Fibers.

It's a round yarn and worsted weight. It works up quickly with great stitch definition. One of the things I really like about this yarn is that it has a degree of elasticity, which really lends itself to making men's watch caps & close fitting beanies.  Best of all...  it's 100% merino wool...  There's nothing like wool.  It's warm, even when wet.

Plymouth Select Merino Superwash Kettle Dyed

The particular yarn I purchased is Plymouth Select Worsted Merino Superwash Kettle Dyed. It is a soft, machine washable wool yarn that comes in a variety of beautiful tonal colors and there's 436 yards per hank. One skein goes a long way!

From this one skein, a man scarf measuring 48"L x 9"W (all double crochet) was made as was a man's, ribbed watch cap (all single crochet), measuring 12"L by 20"W.

A good deal for the price!