I saw this pattern demonstrated on Knit and Crochet Now!, one of my favorite needlecraft shows. It’s a novel concept (at least to me): the piece is crocheted not top-to-bottom, but side-to-side, and cleverly uses the varying heights of different crochet stitches to form the shape of the garment — thus, not one single increase or decrease! The size of the garment depends on how many rows you add. Plus, the pattern gives tips on other adjustments (to bust size and garment length), and either the illustrated cap sleeves or spaghetti straps.
All stitches are worked on the back bar of the chains, giving the garment an attractive, stretchy ribbing. I have scoliosis, so I tend to be wary of tops with close-fitting or revealing backs, but because of this top’s texture, and because the back piece omits the under-bust sc shaping, I think it’ll be a good choice for me.
The pattern is shown in Nashua Grand Opera “Lavender”, a luscious Merino wool in a gorgeous shade, but I opted for regular old Lily Sugar ‘n Cream cotton in the “Natural” color because I had a lot of it in my stash, and because I do like cotton for summer wear. I have one ball of the Natural tweedy colorway, which I might use for the decorative edging on the bottom and under the sleeves.
So far I’m more than halfway across the top width. Once the pattern is set, just keep your stitch markers in order and your row counter handy; it’s one of those great “mindless” projects I like to do in the evenings while watching TV or listening to the radio. Believe me, on those days when I’ve done a lot of gnarly computer programming, I can’t handle anything complicated!
To get the pattern, register at the Knit and Crochet Now! website, click on the Patterns link, and scroll down the Season 3 offerings until you find the link for the downloadable pdf. This really is a nice site, with a lot of very doable projects from baby clothes to shawls to socks, a great resource for knitters and crochet buffs.
I’ll keep you informed on my progress!
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