It’s a wonderful thing when the idea to adapt something to your own ends works out! For quite some time I have wanted to crochet a long, lacy jacket, I even had the pattern picked out. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy it because the sizing was not large enough for me and, although I could have adapted the pattern, it would have taken so much work, there’d be too little pleasure left in the making of it.
Instead, I opted to use Jenny King’s Get Squared concept like I did here, using instead, the shell stitch pattern I like so much, and created from there. The measurements don’t work the same as for Jenny’s because my stitch is different, but that’s okay. I can fit as I go, which I do anyway because I prefer a loose fit, so clothing skims the body, rather than hug it. I opt for comfortable over fashionable. It’s what The Red Thing was supposed to look something like, but didn’t.
After a couple of false starts, an adaptation to the neckline, and shorter sleeves than I’d originally planned, a near enough facsimile of my idea came into being. I chose the Lion Brand Cotton Ease from my stash. I had 18 balls, so knew there would be enough to make it as long as I liked. I used 10 balls. The yarn is a lovely soft cotton and acrylic blend which is no longer available, it’s soft, drapey, and falls beautifully. It will even twirl ever so prettily. A gentle wash, and a light blocking aligned the stitch pattern perfectly. The front closure button came from my sewing stash and works for now.
It’s all the small things coming together that enable a completed end product that brings pleasure to the maker. When there are so few uplifting things in one’s world, the small things matter that much more.