Crochet to Go

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Originally uploaded by aliciamalia.

Here's a great gender-neutral project (that also uses up your yarn stash). These are worked in sc, with a sc border stitching each square together.

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Originally uploaded by aliciamalia.

I drove to Oregon with my parents this past weekend. Portland is really, really far - far enough to get through two sweaters. Both are long sleeve, button variants of Rima Aranha's "Bombay Love" pattern (free download on ravelry). I ran out of yarn at the end and improvised the sleeve shape on the blue version. I think it works, though. Both are newborn size.

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Originally uploaded by aliciamalia.

Here's another project gone amiss that I'm very pleased with. I started with the shoulder shaping and stripe pattern from “Bringing Up Baby”, in the Make It Yourself Library, Volume 5. The pattern had a picture of the yarn weight - apparently my choice wasn't close to their yarn at all. Rather than making a very large cardigan, I improvised a button-front cape with buttoned arm holes. Perfect for cold days and layering!

It's a quick pattern and would work with a variety of fibers (I used cotton: Bernat Princess and Lily Sugar and Cream, 75 grams each).

Baby Cape Pattern:

Materials needed
• 75 gm / 3 oz. cotton worsted weight each for Color A and B (150 gm / 6 oz total)
• Crochet hook: 3.75 mm
• Yarn needle
• 2 buttons

Gauge
In pattern, 16 sc and 13 rows = 4 inches
Size
6-12 months

Directions
Note: color pattern is as follows: R1-2 A, 3-6 B, 7-8 A, then alternating B and A.

Using Color A, ch 45, turn.

R1: Sc in second ch from hook and each ch across (44 sc). Ch 1, turn.

R2: *Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (52 sc), switching to Color B at end of row. Ch 1, turn.

R3: *Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (60 sc). Ch 1, turn.

R4: *Sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (68 sc). Ch 1, turn.

R5: *Sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (76 sc). Ch 1, turn.

R6: *Sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (84 sc), switching to Color A at end of row. Ch 1, turn.

R7: *Sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (92 sc). Ch 1, turn.

R8: *Sc in next 10 sc, 2 sc in next sc. Repeat from * across (100 sc), switching to Color A at end of row. Ch 2, turn.

Rows 9-21 are worked in hdc, alternating colors for each row. To avoid cutting the string at the end of each row, always work 2 rows from the right side, and then two rows from the wrong side.

R9-21: Hdc in each stitch across, switching to opposite color at end of row. Ch 2, turn.

R22: Hdc in first 16 sts. Skipping next 15 sts, ch 11, sc in 6th ch from hook (forming button loop), ch 6. Hdc in next 22 sts. Skipping next 17 sts, ch 11, sc in 6th ch from hook (forming button loop), ch 6. Hdc in each st to end, switching to opposite color at end of row. Ch 2, turn.

R23: Hdc in each stitch and ch across , switching to opposite color at end of row. Ch 2, turn.

R24-31: Hdc in each stitch across, switching to opposite color at end of row. Ch 2, turn.

Edging
Working along nearest front edge (not the bottom), evenly space sc. Ch 1, turn, sc along front edge, bottom edge, and opposite front edge (working 2 sc in each corner). Ch 1, turn, sc along front edge, evenly spacing 4 buttonholes (to make a button hole, ch 2, skip 2sc). Ch 1, turn, sc along same edge. Ch 1, turn, work 1 more row of sc on same edge, bottom edge, and opposite front edge.

Fasten off, weave in loose ends. Sew 4 buttons to front edge, 2 buttons to arm openings.