Sunday, August 22, 2010

Lazy Daze

I hate cutesy puns. Most crochet designers, it seems, do not. I found this out when I went on a search for some new crochet patterns to practice on. It's so easy and fun to just follow instructions of other people's patterns. When I'm designing my own I never have any idea what I'm doing or what happens next or which way is up or what I just crocheted, I'm just groping around, hoping it all works out. Sometimes it does and most of the time it just doesn't. So I wanted to take a break by making someone else's pattern, which brings us back to the puns. I present to you the "Lazy Daze of Summer" crochet top. I know, I know, it sounds hopelessly cheesy, but the picture looked pretty cool. I also wanted to see if I could successfully execute an "experienced" level pattern. Lazy Daze is a cropped short sleeve top with some interesting stitch details made in a fine weight yarn (#2). I didn't notice the pattern specified #2 weight yarn until I was halfway done using #4 weight yarn. My first tip: read your pattern in its entirety before you start anything. Be smart and don't follow my example.

Here's the beginning of the front, a semicircle.

The back and front pieces are similar, but the back is bigger. Here's the back with the left side complete. I think this is one of the reasons the pattern was labeled "experienced"--it described in detail the steps necessary to complete the right side, then said, "fasten off and do the same thing to the left side, but in reverse." It was a confusing and a bit improvisational. 
Here's the complete front piece. Hard to tell where it's going from here, isn't it? I thought so too. 

Here's the left sleeve.

...and the right. After the front, back, and sleeves were complete, the pieces were sewn together and I edged around the neckline, hem, and sleeves, which resulted in...

This. I was pretty happy with it. It certainly has that freshly handcrafted folksy crochet feel (as most crocheted garments do), but I figured I could edge it out a little bit. I guess you could say that's what my tattoos are for. Here's the back:

I bet you're wondering what it looks like on. 

Not bad, right? 

I really wish I had read the instructions right and made it out of the proper weight yarn, because it's rather bulky. A bit more suited for fall, I think. Unless by "Lazy Daze of Summer" they mean "Passing Out because You're Essentially Wearing an Afghan Around Your Top Half in the 90 Degree Heat." 

I had a lot of fun on this project. I still hate puns, though. They're sew irritating. 

 I promise I won't wait as long to post again--thanks for hanging in there! And as always, thanks for stopping by. 
Also, to give credit where credit is due, today's pattern can be found here.

4 comments:

  1. I totally otally love this. It's so cute!! And from the picture it doesn't look very heavy at all. It would work well for the lazy hazy (and foggy) Summer Daze of Monterey. Great!! (And it's Jen, not Jon.)

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  2. You had me in stitches on this one! Well done B-money. (I love that second picture of you, btw.)

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  3. Beth, this is really pretty. I was delighted to see some more work on your blog. You did a great job following a pattern that sure would have baffled me! It was great seeing you and Mr N at the lake, Hugs...betsy

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  4. LOL! I'm laughing my butt off right now because I actually was ready to start this same exact pattern & decided to take a chance and hope that other's had posted photos of their crop-top already finished. Lucky me! I saw your photo & you even had a blog post on it, which totally made my day, but the reason I've been laughing is because as I went searching for photos of this pattern, I was literally thinking almost the same thing you said at the beginning about the dang crochet design puns! LOL. Hahaha! When I pulled the pattern up on my laptop, I was mumbling to myself "Lazy *DAZE*? ARE YOU f-ing kidding me?! Lol. Sorry for the touch of hostility. I thought I was just easily irritated at the names they put on these patterns, so it's so awesome to see I'm not in this boat alone. LOL. Anyways, moving on.

    Thank you a gazillion times for posting on this pattern. I really can't believe I had such luck to have found someone who posted photos and their experience with a pattern I was just about to begin! That's so awesome to me. Lol. However, when I read your post and you said that the pattern reads to "finish off and do the same for the left side, in reverse..." I got real scared! Reverse?! WTF? HOW would you actually be able to do that? What does it mean? Reverse what? Just work from the end of the instructions back? I'm a bit new to this, too, and also loved that I seem to have very similar experiences as you! I too have been working my own patterns (talk about frustrating!) and have been feeling lost, but desperately wanted to make something that was mine and something that I truly liked, especially something I dreamed up on my own! Still working on that one, but now I want to start on this too!

    Would it be possible that you could take a minute to explain this "reverse" thing? I would HATE to get into yet another pattern only to have to back out due to confusion. I've done that WAY too many times now & I'm determined to actually complete a top for once! Lol.

    I'm so sorry that you ended up with the wrong yarn weight! That's such a bummer, but you know, I actually like this on you a lot! Even if it is thick yarn, you really rock this top well! I think I'll aim to make mine a tad longer than the pattern calls for just because I'd like to wear it without a t-shirt underneath, and I don't want my entire abdominal area out, so I think I can manage to add some length to it without problem, but the "reverse."... scary! If you get a moment to share what to expect with that, I'd appreciate it so very much. You are awesome. :)

    -Kendra

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