New Vintage Wardrobe: Crocheted Bodice Top

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Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.


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Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.


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Originally uploaded by Green Kitchen.


Close Up
Originally uploaded by becktress.


Day 137
Originally uploaded by becktress.

Some crafting/sewing does still happen over here. This week I worked on this New Vintage Wardrobe shirt project for my sister, as well as a pattern for a stripey patchwork cat, which I will have available for download soon. Man, patterns take a bit of time — a heartfelt thank you to all who have posted free patterns.

About the crocheted bodice shirt:

I fell in love with this shirt that LindaMade. Like her, I used a pattern for the fabric part — mine was vintage Simplicity 8025 from 1968. I only had about a half yard of fabric, so the length was determined by this. I basted together the three pieces (two back, one front) of fabric, expecting to put a zipper in the back. Then, made sure it fit my sis. Since it seems to go over her head without too much wiggling I decided to leave out the zipper and just make it a pullover.

After getting a few tips from a talented park-friend Claire (alas, blogless), I bias tape finished the top edge of the fabric. Claire's tips included: whip stitching around the top of the fabric; picking up crochet stitches along the whip; then, working a single crochet into the back of the first round of stitches. This allows you to work from the bottom up. Then, in order to hide the seam between the fabric and the yarn, work a single crochet into the front of the original foundation chain, this time working down. This makes a little yarn flap that covers the seam. I did a shell stitch, which kept rolling up, so I ended up tacking it down with some hand sewing. My whip stitches were on the inside of the fabric, which made the bias taped edge roll outward, contributing to the rolling up of the shell trim. Both problems were fixed by stitching down the row of shells.

Originally, I tried using Classic Elite Bazic Wool because I have a bag of it, generously given to me by my LYS owner (thanks, Khristine!) after I finished that mixed block crochet baby blanket. I knew the wool wasn't going to work, but tried anyway — it ended up being too bulky and winter-ish — a perfect excuse to shop for more yarn. I ended up using a Rowan cotton. I'm not sure which one, but it might be this. The thinner cotton yarn was just right.

For the bodice design I tried to work in some of the motifs from the Day of the Dead fabric (flora de los muertos by Alexander Henry) that I got from Alison at Starlit Nest. I didn't feel up to trying to make a skull, but spiderwebs and flowers are pretty simple to crochet. I only used a few stitches: chain, single crochet, double crochet, and shell stitch.

I had several fittings with my sister to make sure that the bodice covered all the appropriate parts and to make sure the straps were long enough. Overall, I'm really happy with how it turned out.