April Sweater.

I have challenged myself to make one boy sweater each month and I have succeeded so far, well okay it's usually a rush to get it finished in time and so far it's nearly almost been last minute but I get there in the end....

I like to use this as an opportunity to try out some of the many free crochet/knitting patterns that are available to all of us from so many sources..

This time I used a Red Heart pattern it can be found here.  One of the problems with stash-busting is you rarely have the same yarn that the pattern calls for and so have to compromise.  This pattern asked for sport weight yarn and I used DK, as a result the chest size is two inches less that the expected finished measurements.  I made the 24 inch chest size which is supposed to have a finished chest size of 28 inches that's a whole 4 inches more, mine measures 26 inches which I reckon is just right a two inch give I think is more than enough.

I don't like this type of crochet ribbing it has no stretch at all, you can't beat knitted rib for stretch, if I make a knitted ribbed crochet sweater I will  get the best of both worlds I think. 

So enough of the moaning I think for all my complaints it's still a lovely sweater and was very easy and quick to make, it's quite an open pattern so I will be supplying a little T shirt to go underneath.

STATS

It took 170 grams Marriner Yarn in shades..
Apple
Royal
Madonna
Oatmeal.

Now I just have time to make my two April Ted puppets for the Teddy Puppet Appeal before the end of the month. Click here for more details about this appeal.

Have a great week.

Linking with...




Snickerdoodle Sunday
Hookin on hump day
Cooking and crafting with J&J
Handmade Monday
Lunamon Design
Scrapability Saturday
Link and Share Wednesdays

Stash-Buster Party Eight.

Welcome to stash-buster link party eight, as always a big thank you to everyone who shared their lovely projects at the last link up, these were your favourites....

Ginny's cute Teddy Bears.

Janet's amazing  Fair Isle Hat

Sigrid's lovely North Sea Blanket

Congratulations ladies and thank you for linking and linking back to the stash link party in your blog posts. 

Can I  remind everyone to please mention the stash-link party in your post or place the stash buster button in your sidebar to spread the word and encourage others to bust their stash. I can't feature your work if you haven't done this.

Now it's time to Party! remember all crafts can be included.

        Stash-Buster Link Party 8

Rules

• Please grab the stash-buster link party button
• All crafts are welcome either complete or works in progress.
• Link the picture from your actual post and not your blog address.
• Be polite and click on at least 2 links and leave some nice comments
• Please mention the link party in your post or display the party button in your sidebar if you want to be featured.

An InLinkz Link-up

Any LH pictures are projects made by ladies who are members of Loving Hands, clicking on the picture will show you an enlarged version, if you would like any information about any of the projects shown please just ask in the comments section. 

All In One Preemie Cardie

This is really the only crochet preemie top pattern you will ever need, these little tops are basic quick and very easy to crochet, made in one piece you can easily adapt them for smaller and larger sizes and add your own touches.

There is now a picture Tutorial available for the small size, just substitute the numbers for the larger sizes..

Picture Tutorial

Sizes..

Small Preemie 10 inch chest

Medium Preemie 12 inch chest

Large Preemie 14 inch chest

For the body warmer variations just follow the size you require and omit the sleeves, work a row of dc around armholes to finish off.

Materials

4 mm crochet hook.

3.50 mm crochet hook.

DK yarn in the following approximate quantities..

Small preemie = 20 grams.

Medium preemie = 30 grams.

Large preemie = 40 grams.

Medium body warmer = 20 grams.

THIS PATTERN IS WRITTEN IN UK CROCHET TERMS.

• Made in half treble crochet (htr) and double crochet (dc) for edging.
• US = half double crochet (hdc) and single crochet (sc) for edging.
• Made in one piece bottom up.
• Long sleeved version in brackets.

SMALL PREEMIE

Chain 46

Htr in 3^rd chain and in each chain to end = 44 htr

Work 6 rows htr.

Right front and sleeve

Right side facing working on first 11 sts only

Row 7 – chain 2, dec one st work to end (10 sts) now make a 4 chain for short sleeve or 12 chain for long sleeve.

Row 8 – htr in 3^rd chain of sleeve and htr in each st to end decreasing 1st in last 2 sts, = 13(19)sts  2ch turn

Row 9 – dec 1 st at beg of row htr to end.

Continue like this decreasing one stitch at neck edge till you have 9(15) sts remaining.

Work one row without decreasing and fasten off.

BACK

With right side facing..

Chain 4(10) for right sleeve then htr in next 22 sts, chain 6(12) for left sleeve.

Row 7 – htr in 3^rd ch and each ch for left sleeve, 22 sts for back and 10 ch for right sleeve. = 30(42)sts. 2ch turn..

Row 8 – htr in each htr to end, 2ch turn..

Continue until back measures the same as right front and then fasten off.

LEFT FRONT

Right side facing

Row 7 - Chain 4(10) htr in last 11 sts decreasing one st at neck edge, 2ch turn.

Row 8 – dec 1^st then htr in each htr for left front and each 4 (10) ch for left sleeve..

Continue as right front reversing shaping until left front matches right front and back.

Fasten off.

FINISHING

See below

 MEDIUM PREEMIE

Chain 50

Htr in 3^rd chain and in each chain to end = 48 htr

Work 8 rows htr.

Right front and sleeve

Right side facing working on first 12 sts only

Row 9 – chain 2, dec one st work to end (11 sts) now make an 8 chain for short sleeve or 14 chain for long sleeve.

Row 10 – htr in 3^rd chain of sleeve and htr in each st to end decreasing 1st in last 2 sts, = 16(22)sts, 2ch turn.

Row  11– dec 1 st at beg of row htr to end.

Continue like this decreasing one stitch at neck edge till you have 11(17) sts remaining.

Work one row without decreasing then fasten off.

BACK

With right side facing

Chain 6(12) for right sleeve then htr in next 24sts for back and then chain 8(14) for left sleeve.

Row 9 – htr in 3^rd ch and each ch for left sleeve, 24 sts for back and each ch for right sleeve. = 36(48)sts. 2ch turn..

Row 10 – htr in each htr to end, 2ch turn..

Continue until back measures the same as right front and then fasten off.

LEFT FRONT

Right side facing

Row 9 - Chain 6(12) for left sleeve and then htr in remaining 12 sts decreasing one st at neck edge, 2ch turn.

Row 10 – dec 1^st then htr in each htr for left front and each ch for left sleeve..

Continue as right front reversing shaping until left front matches right front and back.

Fasten off.

FINISHING

See below.

Large Preemie

Chain 58

Htr in 3^rd chain and in each chain to end = 56 htr

Work 10 rows htr.

Right front and sleeve 

Right side facing working on first 14 sts only...

Row 11 – chain 2, dec one st work to end (13 sts) now make a 8 chain for short sleeve or 16 chain for long sleeve.

Row 12 – htr in 3^rd chain of sleeve and htr in each st to end decreasing 1st in last 2 sts, = 18(26)sts, 2ch turn

Row 13 – dec 1 st at beg of row htr to end.

Continue like this decreasing one stitch at neck edge till you have 11(19) sts remaining.

Work one row without decreasing and fasten off.

BACK

With right side facing

Chain 6(14) for right sleeve then htr in next 28 sts, chain 8(16) for left sleeve.

Row 11 – htr in 3^rd ch and each ch for left sleeve, 28 sts for back and each ch for right sleeve. = 40(56)sts. 2ch turn..

Row 12 – htr in each htr to end, 2ch turn..

Continue until back and sleeves measure the same as right front.

LEFT FRONT

Right side facing

Row 11 - Chain 6(14) htr in remaining 14 sts decreasing one st at neck edge, 2ch turn.

Row 12 – dec 1^st then htr in each htr for left front and each ch for left sleeve..

Continue as right front reversing shaping until left front matches right front and back.

Fasten off.

FINISHING for all sizes..

Sew arm seams and weave in loose ends.

Using 3.50 hook.

With right side facing work a row of dc around work making a 3 chain for a buttonhole one row down from the beginning of front shaping.

Optional Heart

Magic ring

3ch, 2tr, 1htr, 1dc, 1ch, 1tr, 1ch, 1dc, 1htr, 2tr, 3ch, ss to centre, pull up tight.

To make the heart bigger just go up a stitch size or use a larger hook.

Have fun :)

Click here for picture tutorial

Copyright © 2016 Linda Solaiman. All Rights Reserved

Find a print friendly version here

You may also like..

Aimee Baby Jacket

Stash-Buster Link party Seven

Welcome to stash-buster link party seven, as always a big thank you to everyone who shared their lovely projects at the last link up, these were your favourites....

Little Cardigan made by Sheri from Loving Hands

Five Shades of Pink Shawl made by Minkamo

Esther's Fox Scarf

Congratulations ladies and thank you for linking and linking back to the stash link Party in your blog posts. 

Can I  remind everyone to please mention the stash-link party in your post or place the stash buster button in your sidebar to spread the word and encourage others to bust their stash. I can't feature your work if you haven't done this.

Now it's time to Party! remember all crafts can be included.

        Stash-Buster Link Party 7

Rules

• Please grab the stash-buster link party button
• All crafts are welcome either complete or works in progress.
• Link the picture from your actual post and not your blog address.
• Be polite and click on at least 2 links and leave some nice comments
• Please mention the link party in your post or display the party button in your sidebar if you want to be featured.

An InLinkz Link-up

Any LH pictures are projects made by ladies who are members of Loving Hands, clicking on the picture will show you an enlarged version, if you would like any information about any of the projects shown please just ask in the comments section. 

Never Satisfied!

Let me take you back...

The seed was set way back in September when I saw this cardigan in a magazine, my friends at work had already photocopied the pattern intending to make one for themselves so I'm ashamed to say I took that magazine home no copying for me I wanted the real thing, you know how it is you see something and you want it without even thinking about it.... 

off I went and bought the yarn...

I saw what I wanted right away not the same yarn as stated in the pattern I find that sequins and glitter scratch, I liked the colour and the little spreckels and it wasn't expensive a lovely soft acrylic because any wool mix irritates my skin as well so all was well.

 I began knitting this cardigan at the beginning of October full of enthusiasm, I was going to make a long cardigan rather than a short one, it should knit up very quickly a very easy pattern one I could work on while watching tv, it would only take a couple of weeks, ha! some hope, this poor cardigan has been pushed to the bottom of the pile again and again to make way for all manner of things but...

Dare I say it the big day has arrived and it's FINISHED! ye haw!!!!

A headless selfie...

 It fits!!

I like it but I don't love it because..

It curls! I have blocked it and it still curls, I've had this problem with cardigans and jackets before it seems to happen when you pick up the stitches up the fronts to make the band I'm wondering if the knit the band and sew it on method works better any advice?

Also I'm not sure..

about the button, I love the button I bought it on one of my weekend trips with my friends in a craft market, it's a wooden button with little flowers BUT does it go with the cardigan? does it look too big?

I'm wearing it as I'm typing this and it's comfortable and very warm it may end up as an around the house cardigan but I'm ecstatic that it's finished my friends haven't even started theirs yet..... says she with a smug grin. :) 

I'm also happy because I have finished this just in time to link it with Jennifer's last winter project party.

I will be back on Sunday with another Stash-buster link party but if I'm quiet for a while it's because I'm in my designer mode at the moment as I have been asked to make something small and sweet but can't find a pattern AND I still haven't forgotten about the scarf pattern I promised to write up so hope to see you all fairly soon... I'll still be visiting when I can. :) xx

Five On Friday

It seems weeks since I joined in with Amy's Five on Friday and had the time to pop round and see how you are all doing so I'm joining in this week and writing this in the few minutes I have spare before I rush off to work, I hope that you all had a lovely Easter by the way and ate lots of chocolate I did :)

One
I bought this Easter cactus several weeks ago I didn't even know there was such a thing as an Easter cactus and I wasn't convinced that it would flower in time for Easter but look....

The flowers opened on Easter Sunday. :)

Two
There is definitely a touch of Spring in the air we had sunshine nearly all day yesterday and what a difference that makes I even managed to get outside and do a bit of necessary gardening...

I have had to take drastic measures and chop down the hebe bush outside of my front door.

This is what it was like before...

I know it seems a shame but each year it gets bigger and bigger and more difficult for me to tame, I'm not done with it yet I'm going to cut it as short as I can but I'm going to have to borrow a saw as the loppers can't cope with the thicker branches.  It does look a mess right now and I have no idea if it will grow back after such a drastic haircut only time will tell so watch this space.

Three
I finished decorating the living room a week before Easter I had to stall a bit until my back got better but thank goodness it's done now.

Before...

 During

and after

What do you think?

Four

I know I said I wouldn't but.....

Remember that garden centre that was changing hands well the yarn went down to 30% off I really couldn't resist any longer, I haven't a clue where i'm going to put it, it's residing

in my sons bedroom at the moment along with lots of other stuff that gets bunged in there when he's away, hopefully I will use it very soon still no definite plans for it yet but you know it will get used eventually, that stash total of mine is getting bigger rather than smaller.

Five

Leaving you with my March Sweater..

I have challenged myself to make one boy sweater a month and I honestly didn't think that I would have time to finish it before the end of March but I managed to complete it just in time.  So although I haven't managed to reach all my March targets the most important have been achieved and that's all that matters.

You can see my March Teds here

I will will be catching up with you all very soon 

Have a great weekend.