End of Week 1: Can I Crochet a $1,900 Sweater for Christmas?
Starting the Sweater: The First Steps
Day 1-2: Setting the Vibe We began by discussing the vibe of the gift and the importance of mindful making. This project is not just about creating a sweater; it's about infusing it with intention and care.
Day 4: Identifying Construction and Color Palette I identified the construction and color palette of the original jacket. The design features bold, geometric color blocks and a drop shoulder construction. For my version, chose a vibrant color palette with black as the anchor color, complemented by fuchsia, forest green, cream, and warm gold.
Day 5-6: Grappling with Gauge, Color Selection, and Charting These days were all about the technical details: getting the gauge right, selecting the perfect colors, and charting the design.
Gauge Swatching I first tried a size H needle and stitched three single crochets (sc) per inch. To achieve a tighter fabric that holds the back loop stitching nicely, I went down to a size G needle. This adjustment was crucial because once I chart the colors, each cell on the graph will represent a stitch. This step prepared me to accurately chart the colorwork.
Reference Image and Drawing Shapes I took a screenshot of the reference image and drew out the geometric shapes, focusing on the drips of color on the sweater. On the computer, I created rectangular shapes in my graphic software so I could easily move them around and try different color combinations. Remembering to make black the anchor color, I began to chart out the color sequence. This part was fun—the fuchsia really popped! When searching for yarn, I looked for a deeply saturated dark pink that leans more magenta than fuchsia because a bit of black undertone in the pink plays well with the black. These colors together feel retro and rich.
Microsoft Excel
Each cell represents a stitch
Creating the Chart Next, I created a chart based on the shape placement using both paper and Microsoft Excel. I downloaded knitting graph paper because crochet and knit stitches are more rectangular than square, which helps in accurately representing the stitches.
In Microsoft Excel, I colored each cell to match the coordinating color and numbered each cell as a stitch and each row as a fabric row. Since I'm using only one stitch, this chart serves as an at-a-glance road map for each stitch. I started with a chart for the back of the sweater to see how it looks crocheted, planning to adjust the front panels and sleeves later.
Day 7-8: Crocheting Begins! Finally! With all the preparation done, it was time to bring the design to life. The first stitches felt incredibly rewarding, knowing all the planning and effort that went into starting this project. As the fabric started to take shape, the vibrant colors and geometric patterns began to come alive, making each row an exciting step towards the finished piece. Yipee!
OMG, the clipping and weaving yarn tails is bananas.