Mei-Mei from Doris Chan's Everyday Crochet
I started this yesterday and promptly spent hours doing and re-doing the SC foundation row (I thought I had it licked, but turned out I was making it unnecessarily difficult). After looking at it the right way, sideways on and upside down, I eventually gave in and put a mirror next to the diagrams and got it. Ah, the joys of being a left handed crocheter. ;)
The pattern looked daunting, but it's actually quite easy once you get going. I couldn't get my head around row 4 (finish off. Make a 6 sc foundation row. *confused*), so I lay in the bath, where I entered the Cth Dimension and hey presto, I was back on track.
I got to Row 7 and realised that one of my stitch markers had fallen out. Then I panicked and thought that I hadn't done the INC-V, then I realised it was in the wrong place and ripped back to almost the beginning of Row 3. And then I realised that I hadn't got it wrong - d'oh! Ah well, it worked out OK because my Shell-in-V and V-in-Shell had gone a bit wonky. Being left handed, I'm working from the other direction, so I need to swap things around in places. The ripping was probably a blessing in disguise because I've managed to get the order almost right this time. There's still a few places where things aren't quite right, but I don't think it matters. The "fabric" is really pretty and once you get into the swing of things, it seems to crochet itself. I started with Mei-Mei because it doesn't need much yarn and I wanted something quick before I attempt Cinnabar. I'm nowhere near as daunted as I was when I first looked at the book - hey, I think I'm becoming an intermediate crochetere!
Edit:
This is link to the WIP photos. You can see the shape it takes. Finished article to follow...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/_miggins_/sets/72157603248009848/
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About Miggins
About Me:
Crochet addict. Who'd have thunk it? ;) My mother wouldn't teach me because it was too "difficult" to teach me left-handed, so I finally completed 1996's New Year's resolution this May and taught myself from a leaflet found in the habadashery section of my local department store. Now, I'm unstoppable...
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Welcome aboard! Looking forward to photos and continued posts. You're not alone in the ripping out department; everyone who's attempted these sweaters has done that at least once.
What yarn are you using and what color?
I would have posted how far I'd got last night, but the site wouldn't load. *pouts* I'll try and sort it out tomorrow.
I'm using an acrylic DK - very cheap, but initially I bought it to make a quick shrug to wear to work. I did the shrug, wasn't happy, and ripped it back to a ball of yarn within 24 hours of finishing! It's a lovely almost cherry red - it's not scarlet, but nicely muted. I've got a stash of fluffy yarns, but I wanted to use something smooth and easy so I could see the stitches and get the hang of it (entering the Cth dimension, I suppose!). I'm really pleased how it's going so far. I'm totally inspired by how relatively simple the pattern is once you get going.
When you have to un-do and re-do, we hear that chocolate helps!
You wouldn't believe this, but when I got home, I realised I'd left the chocolate at work. NOOOOOOOOOOO! Hehehe. I won't be making the same mistake tonight. =)
Good morning -
Is there a progress report? I'd love to hear how it's going.
Yeah -- do we need to send an emergency supply of chocolate?!?
I did it! Yep, it's actually all finished. I took advantage of a cold, windy and wet weekend to sit on the settee and crochet like a woman possessed while my husband provided regular top-ups of tea. And I took a few photos whilst I was going along. I just need to weave in the ends and take a picture of me wearing the finished item.
I got to the joining bit and I realised that I'd gone totally wrong because it was a bit smaller than child sized and my SH/V and V/SH were all over the place! I'm a terrible one for skim reading, which is what I'd done, so I grabbed a packet of chocolate cherries and ripped it right back to the beginning and double and triple checked every last stitch (chocolate made it SO much easier to bear!). I then ripped it back again because I realised I'd added in too many stitches and the beginning and ends of the rows, but third time was the charm. It's all done and blocked/pressed and even my husband likes it. I customised it slightly by skipping the bolero shaping and making it a bit longer and only doing two rounds of edging. I was going to add in sleeves but decided against it because it's so nice without.
I'm so impressed with how it turned out, I've started Cinnabar now in a fluffy mohair mix. I've taken it down a hook size because my gauge was slightly out on Mei-Mei (not drastically, but by a few inches overall). I'm having a bit of trouble with Row 3 because I've only got 9.5 repeats in Row 2 (not 10) and the last sts for Row 3 say to skip the last SH and do some dcs, but that doesn't work for me because the last set of sts should be a V, but looking at Mei-Mei, it turns out I had the same problem last time and I just skipped past it. Maybe a day at work will refresh me and I'll get the hang of it. If not, I'll be moving the problem along to the crochet help section!
PS I ALWAYS need emergency chocolate. Hubby and I shared a huge amount last night whilst we watched one of those lovely period dramas on TV last night!
Wooohooo! Pictures please! Can't wait to see it!
I've put in the last (??) rows of the sleeves of my "No Sweat" this morning and in a while I'll take some last "work-in-progress" pictures (and check the fit) before I put on the sleeve and neckline ribbing.
But what I really need is a cardigan, so I'm looking forward to seeing your Mei Mei and thinking about making Cinnabar!
So I could sure use some help with the Cinnabar on row 4 could you help me with your Cth dimension revelations :)
I'm seriously confused.
So if you could give me a more descriptive way to see it that would be great!
Welcome to the "Everyday" gang! I'll take a look at the Cinnabar pages and see if I can help. Meanwhile, take a look at Jewel and No Sweat crochet-alongs for picture of work-in-progress on similar sweaters (pullovers, not cardigans though). I think everybody has had to un-do and re-do the first few rows until we get the patterns in this book figured out. After that, things are set up and it goes so much more easily.
What kind of yarn are you using?!
Maybe this will help - if not, Teresa will no doubt be able to help you further!
At the end of Row 3 (and if you can shed any light on my Row 2 hassles which I've put in the Help section, please do!), finish off. Cut the yarn and if you feel virtuous, weave the end in.
Take the end of the thread and make a brand new foundation row (I think it's 6 sts). Take the finished off piece (the "yoke") and turn as if you were starting a new row. Pretend that the new foundation row is actually an attached piece of yarn and start crocheting into the "yoke" as usual (as all my crochet technique has disappeared into the ether, I found it easier to attach the foundation row to the "yoke" with a slip stitch and then start with the dcs, etc). You continue working Vs and SHs along the row and when you get to the end, you continue with a foundation row. Effectively, you end up with a crescent shape with a tail attached to either end.
I added some photos and worked out the Row 2 problem. I was looking at it wrong - it isn't a fake SH at the beginning of the row, it's 3 ch and a V. D'oh! Off to have another bash at it.
Miggins! Great pictures! It looks delectable!
DOUBLE DANG IT!
I have corrections here for CINNABAR, page 67, for Size 35. So sorry for the screw ups.
CINNABAR, Page 66-67, corrections for Size 35 from Row 2
"ROW 2: Ch 3, (dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in first V, V in corner ch-sp, SH in V, *[V in shell, SH in V] to next corner ch-sp, V in corner ch-sp, SH in V*; repeat from * to * 2 times, except omit last SH, instead (2 dc, ch 1, dc) in tch-sp, dc in third ch of tch, turn -- 10 pattern repeats.
ROW 3: PATT ROW 2, fasten off, turn.
ROW 4: BASE CH/SC 6 (for front neck extension), V in first dc, SH in V, INC-V in next corner ch-sp, *SH in V, [V in shell, SH in V] to next corner ch-sp, INC-V in next corner ch-sp*; rep from * to * 2 times, SH in V, V in top of tch, ch 1, BASE CH/SC 6 (for front neck extension), turn.
ROW 5-10 correct. -- 20 pattern repeats."
Will try to get this posted. Thanks to all who perservered.
Yours,
Doris