Ipanema cont.

If any of you are thinking of trying this pattern, you must first buy this booklet.  It contains a few crochet patterns as well as knit patterns.  I love the style of this spring sweater since a batwing sleeve can be very slimming.  Unfortunately, the Ipanema pattern itself is riddled with errors. It almost seems as if a knitter is trying to write a pattern for crochet and forgets to include some very important details.

When making the back, the lacy insert instructions are written incorrectly and in a confusing manner.  There is also an error regarding a repetition after an * which does not include the ending * so unwittingly, I added all kinds of stitches to the motif that didn’t belong in the repeat.

When making the left front, i order to match the underarm at the back it is necessary to add a separate chain to the underarm for the increase but the instructions have you simply chaining an increase after the end of the row.  This would result in an incorrect number of rows in the sleeve.  In addition, the center front is decreased by one stitch “every 1 and 1/4″ instead of after a certain number of rows.  This instruction comes after 2 decreases have already been made and with my gauge, they turned out to be 4″ apart!

So, just a warning that this pattern may have to be corrected as you go along.  If you are interested in a warmer sweater, I think that Caron Simply Soft would work well here and get you close to your gauge.

 

Another Neckwarmer Vest

After I finished the Neckwarmer Vest, I had an idea for a different collar and since I had a few skeins of Simply Soft lying around, I decided to make up this alternate design.  The collar on this vest hangs down slightly as a small drape over the center front of the neckline.  I’ve already worn this vest several times and it is flattering as well as warm.

I needed 9 buttons.  When have you ever seen 9 of the same sweater buttons in the same place? Even JoAnn’s only stocks about 6 buttons of each type.  So I raided my button box and found 9 silver buttons.  Unfortunately, only 2 pair were the same!  Okay, I know it’s a bit lame and so 1980′s but I mixed and matched the buttons and used them all.  Without further ado, here is the pattern for the Neckwarmer Vest II.

NECKWARMER VEST II

Materials:             6 skeins Caron Simply Soft, 3 oz ea,  color Dark Country Blue, crochet hook sizes I and H, (9)  1″ buttons, tapestry needle

Size:                        Bust and Hips  44″

Gauge:                   12 pattern stitches =4″, 13 pattern rows = 4″

Stitches used:     Slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, sc 2tog, dc 2 tog       Tc2 counts as a stitch.

Body

With I,ch 116, sc in 2nd ch from hook and into ea ch to end (115 scs), ch1, turn.

Row 2:  Row 2:  Sc into 1st sc, *dc into next sc, sc into next sc*.  Repeat from * to * to end of row, ch 1, turn.

Row 3:  Sc into 1st sc. *dc into next dc, sc into next sc*.  Repeat from * to * to end of row. Ch1, turn.

Repeat row 3 until you have 37 rows or until piece measures 13″.  End on RS row. Ch 1, turn.

Left Front

Work in pattern for 25 stitches.  Ch 1, turn.

Continue to work in pattern over 25 stitches until you have worked 19 rows or until the piece measures 7″ from the beginning of armhole .  End on a WS row. Ch 1, turn.

Shape Neck

Work 16 sts in pattern, leaving 9 sts unworked, turn.

Row 2:  Sc2tog, work 14 more sts to end, ch1, turn.

Row3:  Work even in pattern on 15 sts. Turn.

Row 4:  Dc2tog, work 13 more sts to end, ch 1, turn.

Row 5:  Work even in pattern on 14 sts. Turn.

Row 6:  Sc2tog, work 12 more sts to end, ch 1, turn.

Work 4 more rows even or until piece measures 10 “  from beginning of armhole. End on WS row.  Fasten off.

Back

On right side, sk 8 sts, Attach yarn with a sl st in 9 th st, ch 2, sc in next sc, follow pattern for 47 more sts (49 total), ch 2, turn.

Next row:  Sc in 1st sc, follow pattern to end of row, ch 2, turn.

Repeat until piece measures the same as front.  Fasten off.

RightFront

On right side, sk 8 sts, attach yarn as for left front and work in pattern on 25 sts until piece measure 7″.  Fasten off.

Shape Neck

Turn.  Attach yarn in 10th st, ch 2, sc in next sc.  Work in pattern.  Ch 1, turn. (16 sts)

Row 2:  Work 14 sts in pattern. sc 2tog over last 2 sts. Ch1, turn.

Row 3:  Work even in pattern on 15 sts. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4:  Work 13 sts, dc2tog over last 2 sts. Ch 2, turn.

Row 5:  Work even in pattern on 14 sts.Ch 1, turn.

Row 6:  Work 12 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts, ch 1, turn.

Work in pattern until piece measures the same as left front.  Fasten off.

Joining:  With the right sides facing each other,  whip stitch or crochet the fronts to the backs.  Weave in ends.

Front Bands: On right side,with H , attach yarn to bottom front corner with a sl st. Ch 1, sc in same st.  Work 59 more sc along front to neck edge. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2:  Work even in sc to bottom edge, Ch1, turn.

Row 3:  Work 2 sc, *ch 2, sk 2 sc, work 9 sc* Repeat from * to * along front to last 3 sts. Ch2, sk 2 sc, sc in last st. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4:  Sc in ea sc.  Place 2 sc in ea ch 2 sp. Ch 1, turn.

Row 5:  Work even in sc to end of row.  Fasten off.

Work 5 rows sc along left front as for right front, omitting buttonholes.

Armhole Trim:  With H, attach yan with a sl st at shoulder. Sc in same st and in ea st around, working 66 sc. Sl st to beginning sc.  Ch 1, turn.

Work 2 more rows around armholes. Fasten off.

Note:  The armholes on this vest are wide.  If you prefer to have them a bit smaller, work a few less sc in the first round, being careful that your fabric does not pucker.

Neck Edge and Scarf:  On right side, attach yarn with a sl st at right front neck edge. Sc in same st. Work a total of 69 sc around neck edge.  Fasten off.  Chain 21, fasten off.  With a sl stitch, attach chain to right front neck at 11th st from edge of band. Fasten off.  Repeat for left front.

Row 1:  On right side, attach yarn to right scarf chain with a sl st. Sc in same st, work in pattern around neck to end of opposite ch on left front. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2 and 3:  Work even in pattern.

Row 4: Work 3 sts in pattern, ch 2, sk 2 sts, continue in pattern to end of row.

Row 5: Work in pattern to Ch 2 sp. Work 2 sts in pattern in ch 2 sp. Work in pattern to end of row.

Work a total of 17 rows, making buttonholes on the 9th and 15th rows.  Fasten off.  Sew buttons opposite buttonholed on the left front band.  Cross scarf ends diagonally and sew buttons on left front scarf. Weave in all remaining ends.