Posts tagged Ravelympics 2008

So where’s my medal?

August 17, 2008 · Filed under Crochet, FO, Ravelympics 2008, Shrug/Sweater/Shawl · Tagged , , , ,

The Sort of Beatrice Shrug

The "Sort of" Beatrice Shrug

The “Sort of” Beatrice Shrug is now finished!

Hip hip hooray! Hip hop hooray! Hip hip hooray!

Seriously, folks, I’m not just cheering for my own ego simply because I got it finished before the deadline (also, one thing I’ve never mentioned: I didn’t actually start this until August 10. So I got this done in a week).  Yeah, I’m happy about that, but it’s not the only reason I’m happy.  It’s also the first wearable that I’ve ever made for myself that actually looks good on me.  And it was so easy that I’m giving serious thought to making a bunch for Christmas presents for some of the women in my family.

Side View

Side View

Honestly, I didn’t change it all that much.  As I mentioned before, I had a hard time following the stitch pattern, but it was just a more intricate ripple pattern.  And as I was using an F hook, my gauge didn’t exactly match the pattern, but things seemed to even themselves out.

As it turned out, the starting chain as written was the exact number of stitches I needed to do just a simple double crochet ripple.  Then I followed the schematic guidelines of the pattern (see them here).  Oddly enough, the measurements I wanted to duplicate?  Lying flat, this thing is exactly what I wanted it to be.  On the other hand, though, it also matches the schematic measurements almost exactly (I think I might have been off by 1/2 an inch).  And yet, as you can see from the picture, it fits me perfectly.  So either I was wrong in thinking a 34″ bust measurement would be too small for my own 38F/FF bust, or something is off here.  Whatever it is, I don’t really care.  It looks good, it fits, and I will definitely be able to wear it the next time I go out.

Back View

Back View

I do believe it’ll fall better once it’s washed and tumble-dried.  For acrylics – which this is – I always wash and tumble-dry it at least once.  It softens up the yarn and makes it drape on the body beautifully.  Also, the Spritz is a bit scratchy – though I expected that – and I’m hoping washing & tumble-drying it will help with that.

The only modification I might have to do in order to make this as a gift is to do a few less half-rows for the back.  The women in my family whom I think might like something like this are all smaller than me, and that seems to be the only real difference in the pattern’s sizes (of which there are only 2).  Come to think of it… my 13 year old would like something like this, I think.

Oh, the ideas that are going through my head right now!  I could extend this from the bottom of the tie to make it a full-length cardigan!  It would be easy to modify the sleeves to make them longer!

My crochet creativity has been well and fully kicked into high gear.  I love it.  🙂

Edit:

HERE are my medals!!! 🙂

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Progress report: the “sort of” Beatrice shrug

August 14, 2008 · Filed under Crochet, Ravelympics 2008, Shrug/Sweater/Shawl · Tagged , , ,

Well, it’s coming along quite nicely, I must say.  🙂

I had a feeling that I didn’t have enough of the Spritz to do the whole thing.  Since I’ve never tried anything like this before, I just didn’t know for sure.  So my plan was to start it towards the middle and work my way out evenly on both sides.  I’m down to my last 1/2 skein (which is just enough to make one 4-row stripe) here.  You can tell which side it needs to go on (see below).

It’s okay, though, because I had a contingency plan at the ready.  I have an American yarn – this one here – that has a shimmery thread through it.  I think it’ll go nicely with the silver thread that’s spun throughout the Spritz.  I have a TON of this stuff in white, so I’m going to use that for the sleeves of the shrug, edging the sleeves in some more spritz, in pink.  I’m also going to make the tie in pink.

I will definitely be able to get started on the white as of tomorrow.  Barring some sort of major disaster, I think I’ll actually get this done well under the deadline.  Which is surprising, because every time I’ve tried to make some sort of wearable for myself, it always seems to take too long and then I get bored and put it away.  Could be why I’ve got something like 15 UFO’s in the yarn cupboard.

(Also, the date on my camera is all messed up.  I didn’t realize it until I uploaded these to my laptop.  These photos were actually taken about half an hour ago, not three weeks from now.)

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Ravelympics 2008 – Beatrice shrug. Sort of.

August 11, 2008 · Filed under Crochet, Ravelympics 2008, Shrug/Sweater/Shawl · Tagged , ,

I had grand visions of making myself a Beatrice shrug.  I even asked Hubby’s opinion, and he said he thought something like that would look good on me.

Finally, the start of Ravelympics 2008 came, and I whipped out my yarn and hook, and tried to make a go of it.  And Could. Not. make heads or tails of the pattern.  No matter how many times I tried, I just couldn’t make sense of it.

But the more I looked at it, the more I realized that what it was was just a more intricate ripple stitch.  And considering the yarn I’m using (Paton’s Spritz) is a very sparkly yarn, I realized that a simple ripple stitch pattern would suffice, as the sparkle adds enough oomph all on its own.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the pattern as written wouldn’t be appropriate for me anyway.  With a size 38F/FF chest, there is no way in HELL that a bust measurement of 34 inches was going to fit me.  No way, no how.

However, using a jersey shrug as a guide, and using the basic pattern of the Beatrice shawl (ripple stitch, made in one piece from elbow to elbow), I think I’m going to end up with something that will not only fit me, but will look good as well.

This is what I had as of last night:

My sort of Beatrice shrug

My "sort of" Beatrice shrug

I like it.  I think it’ll be good for when I go clubbing with my friends, too.  🙂

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