Sweet Nothings Crochet: PAWZ JACKET

PAWZ JACKET

I am making this jacket for a very special animal lover. I made the original pattern by Amy Brewer for the scarf first. The idea of paws running up and down the jacket was just too good to miss out on, and I am thrilled to say that when I wrote to the lovely designer, she gave me her permission to use it in this project.

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The original pattern is at http://amysastitchatatime.blogspot.in/2017/01/meandering-paw-prints-free-scarf-pattern.html

Materials used : Today I have used about 120 gms of some Indian unbranded knitting cotton , with a 3.5 mm crochet hook

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red ros e ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well as Oswal or Vardhaman acrylic yarns

International yarns : Among the international yarns that I have used, I’d say you could use Aunt Lydia cotton 10, Sullivans (Australia) ; Milford soft knitting cotton , DMC Petra knitting cotton and Hilaza Rustica Eclat knitting cotton.

Edit : Amy Brewer added that she thinks Cotton 3 would be a better fit than Aunt Lydia Cotton 10 as it is heavier and would give a better fall. :)

That said, you can make this project with any yarn and a hook that suits it.

Skill level : Intermediate to Advanced.

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

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

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

Abbreviations used :

lp(s) : Loop(s) sc : Single crochet

dc : Double crochet sp : Space

sl-st : Slip stitch ch : Chain

st(s) : Stitch(es) hk : Hook

yo : Yarn Over

Instructions : (Using U.S terminology)

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.

For this pattern, I have adapted the Meandering Paw Prints Scarf pattern by Amy Brewer at http://amysastitchatatime.blogspot.in/2017/01/meandering-paw-prints-free-scarf-pattern.html and http://amysastitchatatime.blogspot.in/2017/06/meandering-paw-prints-over-rainbow.html , and you will need to go to the link above for the actual pattern.

Amy has several pattern ideas using the paw print, so do check the above link out.

I am going to tell you how I worked on my jacket here, adapting Amy’s pattern.

a) We will work one back and two fronts. You can either work three rectangles for each part, without shaping the armholes, or neckline. The front sections then will fall with a collar like presentation automatically.

b) OR we work on the one back and two fronts with a small shaping for armhole and neckline, which is what I opt on working on here today.

c) The blanket pattern link given above works better, as we are all definitely going to need more than 20 sts to work a width

d) The pattern repeat is in multiples of 20 (if you are starting with the fsc – please check the pattern link for not starting with fsc)

e) Our pattern is worked bottom up – so we will start at the base of our jacket and work our way up to the shoulders.

f) Start with multiples of 20, as given in the instruction sheet. For the back, work half the round waist / round chest and for the two fronts, work half the measure you are using for the back.

g) Check waist and chest and use whichever measure is larger – so that the jacket fronts neatly go across and close across the chest.

There are two ways to make this jacket – the Easy and the Pretty tough one.
For both, you will need to go to the pattern instructions and work a rectangle till you reach the armhole / neckline.

For the easy route, you will not working an armhole or neckline shaping / decrease. You will make a rectangle for the back and two smaller ones for the front – starting from the base and working all the way to the shoulders. You will then return here and check finishing instructions below.

For the Pretty tough route, you are shaping the armholes and neckline, come back here for decrease ideas.

Armhole decrease ideas :

If you are planning on a small decrease / shaping along the armhole, come along and let’s work on this together.

a) As I always suggest, place your work on top of a good fitting top and see approximately how much you want to shape in.

b) Sl-st into the 1^st 5 dc, and dc 2-tog over the next 2 dc

c) Continue the pattern all the way till the last 7 dc, dc 2-tog over in the 7^th and 6^th dc from end, and turn, leaving last 5 sts unworked.

d) Dc 2-tog over the 1^st 2 sts and then work in pattern till the last 2 sts ; dc 2-tog over the last 2 sts. Total decrease of 7 sts made.

e) Continue working without any further decrease all the way till you reach the neck

f) So what is the difficulty? Well, depending on where you start your armhole decrease, you will need to keep a track of where the ‘holes’ for the next set of paws come along. So say you have decreased 6 sts with the 1^st decrease (Point b) ; and then another 1 st via (Point c) on each side ; when you are working the pattern row, you will need to calculate how many stitches to the next paw hole pattern.

g) It may also happen that one of your little paw holes are right at the end (say you decrease Row 4, Row 10, Row 12), so you will have one little toe less on that paw print – and you could decide to take the whole paw off or work with one toe missing! That part will go under the armhole anyway.

h) So with every row where we are starting the base of the paw (i.e Rows 2, 6, 10, 14…), you will need to start your pattern 7 sts from end. What does this mean? Say for Row 14, we need to start dc 12, you will start dc 5 (12 – 7 sts) and then work the pattern, ending similarly with a different number of stitches. The dc in between two sets of paw patterns will remain the same. Complicated? Yes, a bit.. but like a puzzle, you will get this done bit by bit and enjoy it.. trust me!

i) The following rows (i.e Row 15, 16, 17 in this case) for the completion of this paw will be easy as you just follow up till that ch-4 sp and work back from it for the little four toes.

j) May I suggest that you keep a track of whatever you are doing for the decreases here as they will help when you are working for the front armhole shaping.

k) But this is where your creativity comes in – and no one knows what you are creating anyway.. this is Your Jacket! Go create.. go crazy.. have fun!

Neckline shaping ideas :

If you are planning on a small shape along the neckline, come along and let’s work on this together.

a) Decide how deep and wide you want your neckline. Place markers to mark the two side points of the neckline

b) Work in pattern till the marker and then turn back to work in pattern back to the armhole.

c) Continue working only on these few stitches from armhole to neckline till you reach the shoulder level

d) Mirror what you have worked for one side of the front on the other side as well.

e) The same worries / calculations that you went through for the armhole are here as well. What I did was keep track of the changes I’d made for the armhole, and tweaked them again for the neckline – and then kept track of what I was doing for one side to duplicate for the other.

f) That said, you could well decide to have a pair of rectangles for the front, without any front neckline shaping

Finishing :

Once you have got the two fronts and one back all done, we are set to finish and join this all up.

a) Use one of the links at the top of this blog to join the two shoulders and sides.

b) Run a round of sc all the way around the neckline and armhole to even the edges out.

c) You can decide to run an additional round of sc just to get a neater edge.

Take a look at these videos to see which joining idea suits you best.

Whipstitch to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the whipstitch at https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the embroidery needle and whipstitch to get an invisible join at https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the single crochet at https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

And that’s it.. your exquisite and unique Pawz vest is ready to wear show off.

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https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/04/makadee-bolero.html