Always A Constant

It’s funny how life works sometimes. I can only speak for myself but I am sure that others of you have had the same experience. I’m talking about the way that I approach major activities in my life.  It seems that I have the tendency to immerse myself in an activity and do almost nothing else for…say three to seven years.  I live, sleep, and breathe  this activity.  Then all of a sudden, out of the blue, I stop doing it and never pick it up again!

Paul and I opened an antique and consignment shop in 1995.  We were consumed with this shop and all things antique!  We went to auctions, bought and sold our treasures on ebay, researched values, arranged and re-arranged our floor space, and generally spent time in our store 24/7.

Then one day in 2000 we decided to travel.  We sold everything in the shop, closed the doors, sold our house and traveled in our RV for seven years!  Again, we were completely immersed in this activity.   Our lives revolved around finding the best campgrounds, the price of diesel fuel, and visiting the National Parks.  Then just as suddenly, in 2008, we decided to settle down in a house again.  Now we never go anywhere!

This has happened with many other things too.  My attention span lasts at most, eight years.  Then I have to be off doing something completely new and different.  Where I once loved to bum around antique shops, I now pass them without a second glance. Where once I relished waking up in a new part of the country every morning, now I enjoy waking up in my familiar neighborhood every day.  I have lived here for three years now.  I wonder what will be next?

The one constant in my search for novelty has been my crochet.  I started to crochet when I was about fourteen and I have never abandoned it.  There were years when my girls were small when I did very little crochet.  And of course the selection of patterns has grown tremendously since then.  I remember standing at the counter of my shop and searching the web for crochet patterns.  There were very few  designers on-line in those early days.  Kim Guzman and Cylinda Matthews were two of the designers to brave this new world.  I scoured ebay for old patterns that I could modify.  It was always hit or miss.

The advent of Crochetville and Ravelry changed everything.  Now suddenly I had a source for patterns and interaction with others in my field of endeavor.  My own patterns are being published on Ravelry and many other sites across the web.  What had once had been a vast wasteland in crochet suddenly became a rich field of  information and inspiration!  I do have times when I lay down my hook and don’t pick it up for several weeks.  But usually this is because I am distracted by the other things going on in my life.  However, I am sure that, no matter where my next flight of fancy will take me, my crochet hook will be right there by my side!

 

I Love Smiley’s.com!

Can you believe that Smiley’s was having a 99 cents per skein sale on Filatura Lanarota Fashion Tweed?  I’ve been looking for nice tweed yarn for a while and this was just too good to be true!  This is an acrylic/wool blend with 95 yards per skein. I bought 19 skeins, thinking I might try that Ipanema sweater pattern again.

And while I was over there, I thought I’d pick up some yarn for a summer project.  Smiley’s has a minimum order requirement of $50.  I found a beautiful acrylic/cotton blend sport yarn, also by Filatura Lanarota called Cool Cotton with 136 yards per skein.

And last but not least, another sport weight yarn, pure wool by Rowan called Purelife.

At least there’s no danger of getting bored!  I’m still working on a small summer sweater done in ecru cotton thread that I found at Goodwill.  Hopefully I’ll have this done a nd written up before the week is over.

 

Bike Chain Car Coat Pattern

 

This coat is worked from side-to-side beginning with the left center front.  The shoulder seams are crocheted together, the collar and bottom bands are worked and then the sleeves are seamed and set in last. Although the stitch pattern and basic construction for this coat is easy, the blocking  and addition of a zipper makes it more difficult so I am assigning it an “intermediate” level of difficulty.

Size: 50″ at Bust and Hips

Materials: 17 sk Naturally Caron Country 185 yds, color 0017 Claret,  Crochet hooks sizes B and G, 25″ zipper (or length of your choice to conform to length of  center  front ),  (2) 17/16″ buttons, stitch markers, yarn needle, sewing needle, matching thread, stainless steel straight pins.

Gauge:  18 sts equal 4″ in bike chain pattern, 16 rows = 4″ in bike chain pattern

Stitches used: chain (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), single crochet 2 tog (sc2tog), front post single crochet (fpsc), double crochet (dc)  

Bike Chain Pattern: 

Row 1:  Dc into ea st across, ch 1, turn.

Row 2:  Sc into top of 1st dc. *Sc around post of next dc (fpsc), sc into top of next dc*. Repeat from * to * to end, placing last sc into top of tc from previous row. Ch2, turn. Ch2  counts as a dc here and throughout the pattern.

These 2 rows make up the bike chain pattern henceforth called a “pair”.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Left front

With G hook, ch 94 ( not loosely).

Sc into the top 2 loops of 2nd ch from hook and ea ch across. (93 sc) Ch 2, turn.

Work bike chain pattern. Mark 1st dc row as right side of fabric. Work a total of 5 pairs.  You will have a sc row as your last row.  Fasten stitch with a stitch marker.

Increase for Shoulder

With another ball of yarn, attach yarn with a sl st at 1st sc of last row ( opposite end from your stitch marker). Ch 15. Fasten off.

Next row: Go back to the stitch marker and insert your hook into the last stitch you worked and continue in the bike chain pattern by working your next dc row. Dc into ea sc and into the top 2 loops of ea ch to end of row (increase made–107 sts total)

Continue to work the bike chain pattern until the front piece measures about 11″ wide or 21 pairs total rows.  Make sure you end with a sc row. Fasten off.

Decrease for Armhole

Turn. Sk 44 sts. Join yarn with a sl st at 45th st.  Dc into same place as joining.  Work a dc row. (63 sts)  Continue in bike chain pattern until piece measure 2″ from beginning of armhole ( your 1st dec. row).  End with a sc row. Do not fasten off, secure your last st with a st marker.

Increase for Back

With another ball of yarn, attach yarn with a sl st in first st of row just worked (opposite end from your st marker). Ch 45. Fasten off.  You will have 44 chs.

Go back to your secured st and work a dc row across all sts and all chs (107 sts).  Continue to work in bike chain pattern until the back measures 22″  between the back edges of the armholes or you have completed 42 pairs. Work one more dc row.

Decrease for Armhole

Continue to work in bike chain pattern, working the next sc row over 63 sts. Ch 2, turn. When armhole is the same width as left front, end with a sc row and secure your last stitch.

Increase for Shoulder

Attach another ball of yarn at  the 1st  st of the sc row just finished (opposite end from your secured st). Ch 45. Fasten off. You should have 44 chs.  Go back to your secured st and work a dc row across all sts and all chs. (107 sts).  Work in bike ch pattern until you have a total of 16 pairs. Work one more row of dc. Fasten off.

Shape Neck

 Turn. Sk 14 sts. Attach yarn at 15th st.  Work bike chain pattern until center front section measures the same as for left front.  Fasten off. Weave in all ends.

Sleeves (make 2)

With hook G, ch 54 ( not loosely) Sc top 2 loops of ea ch across. Ch 2, turn. (53 sts)

Work a sc row in bike chain pattern.

Work a dc row in bike chain pattern.

Work a sc row in bike chain pattern.

Inc. Row:  2 sc into top if 1st dc. Fpsc around post of next dc.  Work in pattern to last 2 dc.  Fpsc around post of next dc. 2 sc into top of last dc. ch2, turn.

Continue to work in bike chain pattern working an inc. row ever 4th row ( every other sc row).  I like to mark my inc. rows with a st marker so that I can see where my last increase was made.  Work 33 pairs or until sleeve is the length you desire.  End with a sc row.  Note: If you like your sleeves longer and want to work more rows, do not work any more increases.  Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Blocking

It is now time to block your work.  The blocking process is necessary because this pattern causes the fabric to skew to one side.  Please refer to this post  for more detail about how to block your coat.  DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!

Once your coat has been blocked you can join the shoulders.  Place the body of your coat on a table, right sides together.  I like to take some scrap yarn and separate it into 2-ply strands.  I knot the ends together and wind it into a ball.  Now I will use this thread to crochet the shoulder seams together.  You will note from the photo that I have used little girls’  hair clips to keep the pattern pieces from shifting.  Attach your yarn at the end of one shoulder and with hook B, sc across shoulders making sure that you catch both pieces with your hook,  that your rows match and that your work lies flat.  Do the same with the other shoulder.  Weave in all ends.  You can also sew your shoulder seams together if you wish.

Bottom Band

1)   Attach yarn with a sl st on wrong side at bottom right front corner. With hook G, Sc in same place as joining. Sc across bottom of coat placing 1 sc into the end of ea sc row and 1 sc into the end of ea dc row. Work about 186 sts making sure that you end up with an even number. Do not fasten off. Ch 8, turn.

2)   Dc in 3rd ch from hook and into top 2 loops of ea ch and into ea st across (193 sts).  Make sure you have an odd number of stitches.  Ch 1, turn.

3)   Work a sc row of the bike chain pattern to last dc. 2 sc into last dc. Ch 2, turn.

 4)   2 Dc in next sc, dc in next 2 sc, ch 3, sk 3 sc, dc to end of row.

5)   Work  a sc row to  ch 3 sp, 3 sc into ch 3 sp, to last 2 sts. Sc2tog over last 2 dc.

6)   Work 2 more rows of the bike chain pattern ending with a sc row. Do not fasten off. Sc 10 sts around end of tab. Join with a sl st in corner where tab meets body of coat.  Fasten off.

Collar

1)   With G, ch 7. Join chain with a sl st to corner st on wrong side of  left front neck edge. Sc in same st as joining. Sc around neckline placing 1 st in the end of ea sc row and 1 st in the end of ea dc row. Sc 2tog at corners. Ch2, turn. (7 chs plus 68 sc)

2)   Work dc row of bike chain pattern across 68 sts and 7 chs. (75 dc) Ch 1, turn.

3)   2 sc in 1st  dc, fpsc around post of next dc, sc in next dc.  Continue in pattern to end of row. Ch2, turn.

4)   Dc across row to last 6 sc. Ch 3, sk 3 sc, dc in ea of next 2 sc, 2 dc in last sc. Ch 1, turn.

5)   Sc 2 tog over 1st two dc. Fpsc over next dc.  Continue in pattern to finish the row.

6)   Work a dc row. Fasten off.

7)   Turn. Attach yarn with a sl st on wrong side at bottom corner of buttonhole tab where the tab meets the body of the coat.  Sc in same place as joining.  Work 11 sc around tab to last row worked. Sc in top of 1st dc, fpsc around next dc, continue in bike chain pattern to end of row.  Fasten off.

Zipper and Joining Sleeves

With zipper closed, place bottom plastic end of zipper under center front edges having front edges meeting in center of zipper.  Make sure that plastic selvage at bottom is not visible  from the right side.  Pin in place.  Open zipper and hand-sew to coat with matching thread.  Turn upper edge of zipper under and stitch in place. 

With right sides together, center underarm sleeve seam in bottom of armhole.  Clip or pin in place.  Continue around sleeve, clipping it to the armhole  and making sure that it is lying flat.  Crochet through both thicknesses using the size B hook or sew sleeve seam being careful not to make seam too tight.  Repeat with the other sleeve.

Finishing

Sew buttons in place on front band and collar under buttonholes.

Note:  I  promised to include a diagram but am having trouble with my drawing program. Below is a small graphic of the body of the coat.  If you click on the drawing, you will be able to see the dimensions.

Copyright: Carol Wolf November 2010

 

Finished!

Hand sewing the zipper took a little time.  I take many small horizontal stitches through both thicknesses and place them one on top of the other.  This results in a row of slanted stitches running down the zipper tape.

Turn the coat inside out.  Keeping the sleeves right side out, tuck a sleeve into one armhole with the underarm sleeve seam centered in the 2″ decrease area in the armhole.  Center the top of the sleeve on the shoulder seam.  Make sure you have the two pieces right side together.  Clip the sleeve to the armhole edges and crochet or sew around the edge.

The above photo shows the sleeve seam crocheted together.  Weave in all ends.  Sew the buttons under the buttonholes on the front.

I will post a modeled photo soon but now I am going to sign off for a couple of weeks and to take a vacation with my children and grandchildren.  When I return, I will provide the free crochet Bike Chain Car Coat pattern.

 

Assembly

Now that all the pattern pieces have been blocked, I was able to join the shoulder seams.  I like to separate my yarn into 2-ply strands and use a small crochet hook to crochet the seams on the inside of the coat.  You can see that I keep the pieces from slipping by securing them with little girls’ hair clips.

Once the shoulder seams were complete, I joined the underarm seams of the sleeves in the same manner.

Instead of setting in the sleeves at this time, I chose to work my collar and bottom bands first.  Turning a coat is difficult enough without the sleeves flopping around!  Then I pinned my zipper in place.

Sewing the zipper can be a little tricky.  It must be hand-sewn from the wrong side and it is always a problem to keep the stitches straight and the front opening from shifting.

I have finished typing up the pattern but it must be proofread  thoroughly for mistakes.  Once I have completed the entire coat, I will take pictures and post the free Bike Chain Car Coat pattern on my blog.  Look for the pattern the first or second week of November.

 

Making Progress

Okay, it seems that I will have enough yarn to crochet the collar and bottom band of my Bike Chain Car Coat. I’ve now finished the sleeves, woven in all the ends and the individual pieces are in the process of being blocked.

The Bike Chain Car Coat Pattern will be rated as skill level “ intermediate”.  The actual pattern and the shaping of the pieces is not difficult, in fact, I would rate that portion of the project on an “easy” level.  What becomes a little more unusual is the blocking process.  Whenever you have a crochet pattern where every 2nd row is identical (headed in the same direction) you end up with a fabric that is very skewed to the right or the left. 

It may not seem obvious in this photo but the body of the coat is stretching toward the left.  The pattern rows are flowing on the diagonal instead of vertically.  This also causes a slight ripple along the edges.   In the photo below, you will note that one side of the sleeve is almost straight even though both sides were increased every 4th row.   All of this can be fixed with blocking.

I like to use the daybed in my guest room to block my projects.  First I covered it with white towels.  Then I laid my coat body wrong side up and poked stainless straight pins directly into the fabric to secure it to the mattress.  I measured carefully to make certain that all edges conform to the measurements in my sketched diagram ( to be provided with the pattern).  I actually had to smooth the rows of the pattern to make them vertical and line up with the underarms and the front edges.  The bottom of the coat had a bit of a ruffly edge so I squeezed the rows together and pinned them here and there.  After the entire project was fastened down, I misted it lightly with water and patted the ruffled edges with my hand.  I will let this coat dry overnight.  In the meantime, I will come up with a stitch for the collar and the band and finish the rough draft of the free Bike Chain Car Coat pattern.

I am going on vacation next Friday and hope to have all of this done before then but if I don’t, it will have to wait until I return in early November.

 

Hitting A Snag

I’m still working on the Bike Chain Car Coat and have hit a bit of a snag.  As I finished the body of the coat and began on the sleeves, it became obvious that I will probably not have enough yarn to make the collar and bottom band.  I had 18 skeins of Naturally Caron Country  and have already used 12 for the body of the coat.  My rules of thumb is that one side front equals one sleeve and I’m just barely there.

To give you some idea of what I had planned, I made a very amateur drawing of my design.  I ordered a 25″ red separating zipper for the center front and thought that I would put two tabs with buttons–one at the collar and one at the bottom band.  I found some nice buttons at JoAnns.

Now it appears as if I have two choices.  I can either turn the whole project into a sleeveless jacket or choose another way to make the collar and bottom band.  I’ve decided to try something I have always wanted to do–marry crochet fabric with woven fabric.  I think I’ll look for fabric that matches the color of my yarn and use this to make the collar and bottom band.  I have some beautiful red sateen on hand that matches exactly but I think that it is too dressy for this application.  Perhaps some micro-suede or corduroy? 

I’m still working on the sleeves and this whole project is taking a while because of my sore wrist and the small hook that I am using but I promise that I will produce a free pattern for this once I am finished.  I will give directions for the crocheted collar and bottom band as well as for the sewn version.  Stay tuned…

 

Bike Chain Car Coat in Progress

Here is a portion of the car coat that I started before I made the Bike Chain Hat and Scarf  for Paul.  This pattern is taking a while to complete.  The nature of the bike chain stitch is such that every other row is single crochet.  Since I am working side-to-side, each row is very long and I am using a fairly small hook (G).

In this pattern, the sleeves will be worked separately from the bottom up starting with a ribbed cuff.  I intend to use a zipper closure, something I have never done before on any of my designs.  I also plan to include a stand-up collar as well as a band across the bottom.  At this point, I’m not really sure how those two things will work out but I’ve been experimenting a little with my original swatch to see what type of stitch will go well with the bike chain stitch.

Working this way results in a bulky fabric.  Despite the fact that I am using Naturally Caron Country, which is a light worsted weight yarn, the front post single crochet stitches are creating a ribbed effect which is perfect for a coat.  It should hold its shape well and will be toasty warm in the winter.

Progress is slow because I am having a problem with my wrist again.  I try to work at least three double-rows each day so that I can eventually see an end to this project, have a nice new winter coat, and offer another free pattern on my blog.

In the above photo, you will note that I have left a rectangular area open for the sleeve.  Unlike most designs, this coat will have sleeves that will be set in after the shoulder seams have been sewn together.

Above you can see a close-up of  what I call the Bike Chain Stitch.

 

Final Sunday Giveaway

Alas, I have run out of giveaway items so this will be my final weekend of giveaways.  In the future, I may do this again as I accumulate excess magazines and patterns.  This week, as GROUP I, I am offering a Crochetville Messenger Bag.  I purchased this bag several years ago and took it to one of the GGOA conventions.  It is large and fairly deep and has that ever-popular Crochetville logo.

In Group II I am offering 2 magazines as well as an assortment of loose patterns.  You will get everything in the pictures.

Please let me know which group you would like.  If you have already received a giveaway please let somebody else have a chance.  Leave a comment or send me a message on Crochetville.

 

Last Giveaway this Sunday

I’m just about out of unwanted stash so this will be my last giveaway.  There will be several magazines and assorted patterns.  I hope I can get rid of everything next week.  I appreciate all of you who kept an eye on my blog to see what was going to be offered each Sunday.