Chic crochet??

I love crocheting because it's easy to learn, incredibly versatile, and progresses quickly. While I love the look of hand knit items, I always found knitting to be slow going, and I had trouble keeping interest long enough to finish even a simple scarf. With crochet, even though a project like my granny square blanket takes a long time, I can make substantial progress with even an hour or two of crocheting.

The problem with crochet, though, is that a lot of the patterns I've found are pretty dowdy, to say the least. A lot of crochet patterns are fussy, oversized, 1970s-1980s things that are not at all my style. There are some "modern" patterns, although some of those go a little too far into the artsy, overworked realm to really work for me. There are some great vintage 1920s-1950s patterns available, although they are a bit hard to follow for my present skill level.

To be honest, I was starting to worry that my crocheting would be limited to afghans, baby clothes, and the occasional scarf. My initial online digging didn't turn up much at all. Over the weekend, though, I gave it another go and I hit pay dirt! Crochet patterns that appeal to me immediately- none of that "maybe if I change x, y and z, and use different yarn, and different colors, and make it more fitted, and... and... and..." business.

Some of these patterns are for intermediate or advanced crocheters, which I am not, but some of them are perfectly suited to beginners. And what better motivation to improve my crocheting skills than the Lattice and Swirls sweater?

Convertible Cowl (free pattern!) by The Crimson Owl

Flapper Bow Beanie by The Inner Hooker (this reminds me of a Sonia Rykiel hat I fell in love with last winter- it cost upwards of $150!)

Pearl's Cardigan from Crochet So Fine by Kristin Omdahl, this pattern is available free at Lion Brand Yarns.

Big Bow Cardigan by Julia Vaconsin for Interweave. I might alter this pattern to remove the bow, but I love the vertical stripe texture and off-center buttons.

And last but certainly not least, my favorite pattern so far, the Lattice & Swirls top-

Lattice & Swirls top, from Crochet Today magazine May/June 2010 issue (available here).

Project Planning: Anthropologie-inspired skirt

It seems like when I'm shopping for clothes, I'll often find things that would be just right- if only one or two details were changed. Lately I'm seeing a lot of really short skirts which are not my cup of tea, but sometimes it's color, neckline, strap width, whatever. Maybe I'm just picky, but that's probably better for my budget. Sometimes, the issues can be fixed with a little tailoring, like pants with too-wide legs, or sleeves that are too long or wide. Sometimes, though, there's just nothing for it, and I have to either buy the item and live with it, or pass on it completely.

Skirt available at Anthropologie

One of those items is the Decade-by-Decade skirt by Tracy Reese, available at Anthropologie. I love the high-waisted, full-but-not-too-full cut, and the gorgeous retro-inspired floral print. The thing is, I'm just don't wear much green. I would like to start, but I think that a $140 skirt is not a good "try something new" buy. All too often in the past, I've bought things that I love but that don't quite work for me or that are too far out of my fashion comfort zone. Usually it ends up that I have to force myself to wear them, which I rarely do, and they sit in my closet for a while before I get rid of them. It's an exercise in frustration, not to mention a waste of money.

Now that I'm sewing again, though, I can stop this vicious cycle! I've already found a pattern, BurdaStyle's Linda circle skirt, and fabric, Amy Butler's Water Bouquet. The original skirt is cotton, but it's got a bit of a sheen to it and it has more drape than the quilting-weight cotton I'm planning to use. So, I'll have to see if there's anything I can do to give the Amy Butler fabric some of that drape. I'm also undecided as to whether I want to add the topstitched center seam from the original skirt to my version- that would require altering the pattern, although hopefully it wouldn't be too complicated.

Images from here and here

This project will probably have to wait until after our move, but I think I can have it ready in time for spring. Plus, since it looks like we'll be getting a bigger apartment, I may even get to make this skirt in a real, dedicated sewing space, instead of at the dining table!