Friday 14 August 2015

SNOWFLAKES & SHELLS MOTIF TOP

Sweet Nothings crochet free crochet pattern blog, modelled photo of the Snowflakes & Shelled motifs topSweet Nothings crochet free crochet pattern blog, modelled photo of the Snowflakes & Shelled motifs top
SNOWFLAKES & SHELLS MOTIF TOP

This is a lovely choice and special request top – and this is yet another motifs top.. but this one only has the motifs in the yoke bit and then the bottom bit is full of lovely shells.  The person who requested this top thought it looked like Snowflakes .. so dedicating this name to her.

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This is not my original pattern. I found this photograph and a convenient chart on the internet at http://www.pinterest.com/aranzajimenez/crochet-for-me/
As usual, as I work on this pattern, I’ve written down my notes that I share with you.


Materials used : Today I’ve used a Aunt Lydia’s crochet thread (Classic 10) cotton yarn,  with a 3 mm crochet hook 
For Indians crafters : May I suggest that our Indian Anchor knitting cotton as well as our Red rose knitting cotton are of the same thickness as the Aunt Lydia’s I’m using.  I’ve found, however, that some of our Red Rose yarns are a little thinner – so the white and off-white are of this thickness, where as the black Red Rose yarn I’ve used was a little thinner. Do check gauge given below.

For Non-Indians : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn.

Skill level :  Intermediate to Advanced skill level

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)
 dc : Double crochet
ch : chain           ch-sp : chain space
sp : space           rep : Repeat
fsc : Foundation single crochet   

Stitches used :
Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw


What is a chain stitch ? Here is an easy video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view this easy video https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);
[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice.  One dc made. 

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

dc 3-tog : Double crochet 3-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 3 times (4 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all lps on hk.  One dc 3-tog made.
Double crochet 3-tog : dc 3-tog :   Here is an easy video tutorial at https://youtu.be/qlnqXDB3OUM

How to work a picot stitch : Traditionally for a ch-3 picot, you work (ch 3, sl-st in 3rd ch from hook).  For a ch-5 picot, you will do (ch 5, sl-st in 5th ch from hook). 
Here’s a great video https://youtu.be/8s3zVaBcn4s


Instructions :
Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.  
Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.
Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.
In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement.  
This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project. 
Quick analysis of what we’re going to do here today.  This is a lovely pattern using motifs for the yoke and then shells for the body of our top.  So we’ll make our first motif, measure it and then figure out how many one needs to fit the person for whom this top is intended.  Simple, right.. so let’s get on with it.

Snowflake Motif pattern :

Start with a magic circle ; 12 dc in the magic circle.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st dc.

Round 1 : dc 3-tog in the 1st dc ; 
[ch 2, dc 3-tog in the next dc] ; 
rep [to] once ; 
*ch 5, rep [to] 3 times* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 5 and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.  

Round 2 : sl-st into the 1st ch-2 sp ; 
dc 3-tog in the same ch-2 sp ; 
[ch 2, sk next dc 3-tog, dc 3-tog in the next ch-2 sp] ; 
*ch 2, 5 dc in the next ch-5 sp ; 
rep [to] 2 times* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 2 and join with a sl-st to the 1st st. 

Round 3 : sl-st into the 1st ch-2 sp ; 
dc 3-tog in the same ch-2 sp ; 
*ch 3, dc in the next 2 dc ; 
(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ; 
[ch 1, dc in the in same dc] ;  
rep [to] once ; 
ch 1, dc in the next 2 dc ; 
ch 3, sk next dc 3-tog, dc 3-tog in the next ch-2 sp* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 3 and join with a sl-st to the 1st st. 


And just like that.. we’re done with our first motif.. and I love how cute this looks!

So go ahead and make as many motifs as you’ll need for the yoke.  Join them up  and then we’ll meet for the shelled body of the dress.

Now what I’ve done is after I made the yoke motifs, I joined it all around to make a tube, then decided where I wanted the shoulder straps.  I then attached on the motifs that make up the two shoulder straps.


Then before going on down to the body of the dress, I have finished the armhole and neckline edges.  For this all I did was run one round of sc / hdc all around, and then give a nice picot edge all around.



You can then neatly weave in all edges and then move on to the bottom part of our top.


Body Shelled pattern
Our pattern repeat here is 16. 

So for ease in counting out our stitches, what I did for my first round was to do a full round of sc all around, ensuring that I get my pattern repeat count.
You could also do a hdc or dc (as the designer has) in each st all around.

Round 1 : sc in the 1st st ; 
*ch 5, sk next 3 sts, sc in the next st* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 3, dc and join with a sl-st to the 1st st. 
You are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp.

Round 2 : sc in the 1st ch-5 sp ; 
*(ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp) ; 
7 dc in the next ch-5 sp ; 
sc in the next ch-5 sp ; 
rep (to) once* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 3, dc and join with a sl-st to the 1st st. 
You are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp.

Round 3 : sc in the 1st ch-5 sp ; 
*dc in the next dc ; 
(ch 1, dc in the next dc) ; 
rep (to) 5 times ; 
sc in the next ch-5 sp ; 
ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp* ; 
rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1st sc. 

We will use our dc 3-tog once again in the following round.

Round 4 : sl-st into the 1st ch-5 sp ; 
sc in the same ch-5 sp ; 
*(ch 2, sk next dc, dc 3-tog in the next ch-1 sp) ; 
rep (to) 5 times ; 
ch 2, sc in the next ch-5 sp* ; 
rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1st st. 

Round 5 : sl-st into the 1st ch-2 sp after the 1st dc 3-tog and  ;
sc in the same ch-2 sp  ; 
*(ch 5, sk next dc 3-tog, sc in the next dc 3-tog) ; 
ch 5, sc in the next dc 3-tog ; 
[ch 5, sk next dc 3-tog, sc in the next ch-2 sp] ; 
ch 5, sk next 2 dc 3-tog, and sc , sc in the next ch-2 sp* ; 
rep *to* all around till the last ch-5 ; 
ch 2 and dc for that last st. 
You are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp.

So this is basically our shelled pattern that continues all the way down the body of your cute top. 
We’ll just do another round together and then we’ll go off to complete it our separate ways.

Round 6 : sc in the 1st ch-5 sp ; 
*ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp ; 
7 dc in the next ch-5 sp sc in the next ch-5 sp ; 
ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp* ; 
rep *to* all around ; 
ch 2 and dc for that last st. 
You are now in the centre of that last ch-5 sp.

See what we’re doing here.. so our next round is Round 3.

Our repeat rounds are Rounds 3 – 6.  Continue repeating till you have the top for the length that you’re happy with, ending with Round 3.


Note : Read finishing before weaving off


Finishing : A garment always looks best when there is a neat finish.  
Let’s repeat the picot edging that we’ve done around the neckline and armhole around the bottom of this top as well, on the last Round 6 that you do.

Last Round 4 : sl-st into the 1st ch-5 sp ; 
sc + picot in the same ch-5 sp ; 
*(ch 2, sk next dc, dc 3-tog in the next ch-1 sp, picot ) ; 
rep (to) 5 times ; 
ch 2, sc + picot in the next ch-5 sp* ; 
rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1st st. 

Fasten off and weave in ends.

And that’s done.. yet another project brilliantly executed ! 

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I have a few tops already made, and just in case you want a dekho at those free patterns … here you go  



















































































and a doll’s top..


and some bolero/jacket/vests that will look grand on a top..





















































I have a few girls dresses, and just in case you want a dekho at those free patterns … here you go  


























































For cute hair embellishments and motifs check the links below.







 























































..and some belts..













 http://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2015/04/graces-sleeveless-pineapple-top.html