Category: Patterns

  • Crocheting on Two Wheels (Part 4): The Top Portion

    Crocheting on Two Wheels (Part 4): The Top Portion

    Last time I wrote from Nasca, Peru. Now I’m back home, and this post is long overdue. (And yes, I didn’t take proper notes and now I’m paying the price.) After we arrived, took some rest, visited family, and explored a few places nearby, I definitely lost a bit of momentum.

    The good news? I did complete my goal of finishing the dress before reaching Brazil, literally the night before. And let’s be honest: weaving in the ends is just the price we pay to be worthy of wearing a handmade piece. The dress is done when you make the last stitch, not when you weave the last end.

    Finishing the Back Panel

    The back panel was completed two days after we crossed the border between Peru and Chile. I tried hard to finish it in Peru, even picked up speed, but no luck.

    Since Nasca, our trip highlights included climbing 4,000 meters in a single day (we felt that), seeing the Andes, and spotting a dog in a helmet on a motorcycle. We visited Cusco with its impressive stone walls at the Sun Temple. We skipped Machu Picchu this time to stay on budget, but we’ll be back one day with better planning.

    We spent two days by Lake Titicaca, saw a geyser on the way out of Peru, and passed by the Atacama Giant in Chile, along with other geoglyphs. I finally tried crocheting on the bike after realizing I’m not a desert person, it’s beautiful for the first few hours, then it gets repetitive. That helped me finish the dress on time.

    We didn’t linger in Chile, maybe four days total, then moved on to Argentina. We didn’t have specific sights to see, just wanted to get home. But we did pass through the Argentinian Chaco, with its long, straight roads, also great for crocheting on the bike.

    Let’s Talk Dress Construction

    For this portion, you’ll need the following measurements:

    • A – Half bust circumference
    • B – Waist to nipple
    • C – Nipple to collarbone
    • D – Neck circumference

    With the back panel done, I returned to the front panel to crochet the top portion. The plan is to crochet upward from the bust.

    To begin, take your bust circumference, divide it in half, and subtract 2–3 cm for negative ease. I was lucky, this measurement matched the width I started my skirt with, so I didn’t need to increase stitches between hip and chest. If you do, increase gradually (like we did before for the skirt) until you reach measurement B.

    In my case:

    • Measurement A = 118 stitches
    • To reach measurement B, I needed 36 rows
    • After that, I began decreasing every other row until I reached measurement C in length, I needed 48 rows. With 24 decreases.

    Building the Straps

    Once the bust decreases were done, don’t cut the yarn. We’ll continue with the first strap.

    Place the top in front of your chest and decide how much fabric you want for the neck portion. What’s left will become the straps. Make sure it’s centered, leave the odd number of stitches in the middle.

    I had 66 stitches after the bust decreases. My straps were 8 stitches wide, which left 50 stitches for the neck portion. I added a 1-stitch gap between the straps and neck, so the neck ended up with 48 stitches connected to the dress.

    To make the straps:

    1. Crochet half double crochets until the strap is long enough
    2. Connect it to the dress where the decreases begin
    3. I sewed mine by single crocheting the last row of the strap with the side of the top
    4. Make them tighter than you think, they’ll stretch over time

    Repeat the same number of rows for the second strap, this time attaching the yarn on the other side. I recommend trying it on before cutting the yarn on both straps, so you can adjust if needed.

    Finishing the Neckline

    To finish the neckline, calculate how many stitches you need for measurement D (neck circumference). You already have some stitches on the dress, add the rest on both sides.

    In my case:

    • Needed: 76 stitches
    • Had: 48 stitches
    • Added: 14 stitches on each side

    To do this:

    1. Chain 14, connect with half double crochets across the top
    2. Chain another 16, turn, and place half double crochets from the third chain to the end
    3. Continue adding rows until you reach about 3 cm (two fingers’ worth)

    For closure, I used hooks and eyes, sewed them on the corners and it worked well.

    I should add a third hook and eye in the middle, but oh well…

    Final Touches

    Once the panels are complete, sew them together carefully, keeping the edges aligned. The back of the skirt will forms a cowl neck effect. To keep those folds in place, I recommend sewing them down gently, this part may take a bit of experimentation, so play around until you’re happy with the result.

    photo sewed folds

    Please forgive the cats hair

    As a final optional detail, I added a thin cord at the back to accentuate the waist:

    1. I placed 3 half double crochets on the side of the piece, where the back panel ends and the top portion begins (photo)
    2. Crocheted a cord long enough to reach the opposite side
    3. Sewed a hook on one end of the cord and an eye on the other side of the dress
    Yes, this is after I fixed it.

    Final Thoughts

    I definitely regret not writing this sooner, it would’ve been easier with the details fresh in my mind. But the dress is done now. As usual, it didn’t turn out perfect, but it’s good enough that I’ll just need to fix a few things.

    Don’t worry, I’ll document those fixes in another post and go back to update the earlier ones with tips to avoid the same issues.

    Right now, I’m working on a top using the same approach. Just using a bunch of colourful leftover yarn. It will be fun to see how the same idea can be done slightly differently. If it behaves, you might see it in the future.

    If you’re making this dress, I’d love to see where your stitches take you. Whether it’s a quiet morning on the porch, a bustling café, or a view that makes your heart feel full—share your crochet moment. Tag me and use #CrochetingWithAView so we can celebrate the beauty of handmade, wherever you are.

  • Crocheting on Two Wheels (part 5) Mistakes I made and how to fix them

    I finally finished the dress, but if I said it was perfect on the first try I’d be lying. Even though this is my third attempt, and it’s the first version that actually covers everything it needs to. In this post I’m sharing the two small fixes I made, why they were needed, and how I corrected them.

    Back Cowl Neckline Too Low

    When I designed the cowl neckline at the back I left too much extra fabric. As a result the cowl hung lower than intended and made the back panel longer than the front. Part of the issue came from using my hipbone measurement instead of the waist measurement (see Part 2 of the series) to start the skirt. Simply adding some positive ease should be enough. Losing a bit of weight on the trip only made the problem worse.

    How I fixed it

    1. I measured how much fabric to remove from each side of the skirt panels.
    2. I resewed the panels together, tucking the excess fabric inside.
    3. when back and resewed the folds, with only one instead of two folds.

    The side of the dress had a loose fit

    The dress flared too much at the sides partly because it’s backless and partly because I made that section a bit too long. To bring the sides in I used elastic thread.

    How I fixed it

    1. I slipstitched with a black elastic thread along each side edge.
    2. The elastic holds the edges together while remaining flexible when I move.

    Final Fit and Feel

    After these tweaks I’m very happy with the finished dress. It fits my hips exactly as I imagined. The bamboo yarn feels light, soft, and drapey. It was tricky to work with at the start, but once I got used to the splitting the project flowed beautifully.

    Blocking

    I skipped blocking on this piece (do what I say not what I do), though bamboo yarn will stretch slightly. In my other projects I haven’t noticed major changes, but I’ll be careful when washing and blocking this one. I plan to reshape it as it dries so it holds the silhouette I want.

    Updates and What’s Next

    By the time this post goes live I will have updated the earlier posts so you can avoid these same mistakes. If you still run into trouble, that’s part of the handmade journey. We’ll fix it together instead of frogging the whole thing. This dress has too much baggage to be frogged.

    If you run into any trouble making your own version of this dress, don’t hesitate to reach out, I’m here to help. This pattern asks you to figure out a few steps on your own, but it’s much simpler than it first appears. Happy stitching!

    If you decide to make this dress, I’d love to see your version, especially if you’re crocheting with a view. Whether it’s a mountaintop, a city balcony, your favorite café, or just someone you love nearby, share your moment. Bonus points if it’s outside. Tag me and use #CrochetingWithAView so I can cheer you on and share the inspiration.

    Want to stay in the loop and never miss an update? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Instagram @_angemade. Let’s keep crafting together!

  • Crocheting on Two Wheels (Part 3) Skirt’s Back Panel

    Where have I been?

    Last time I wrote, I was in Quito. I had just seen the Mitad del Mundo, where the Ecuador line is. Today, 22 days and 1,671km later, I’m writing from Nazca in Peru. On my Instagram I’m still in Trujillo, that’s our secret. I leave my posts scheduled to make sure I can post one everyday.

    Since then I’ve seen foggy forests, beaches, deserts, canyons, a beautiful lake between giant rocks, an oasis, the Andes. Went from sea level to over 4,000 meters high. I hit some really bad roads but enjoyed great views everywhere.

    Head to my Instagram to see all the places I’ve crocheted along this trip. Stick around until the end to see the final result.

    I finished the front panel by the Sausacocha Lake, about 1,200km ago. I started the back panel the next day, in Trujillo behind a Moche temple. I should have written this back then, but here we are.

    Let’s dive into the back panel

    As I mentioned last time, on Crocheting on two wheels (Part 2), the back panel is just a little more complicated than the front.

    For the front panel, I made 18 increases over 9 rows, evenly spaced across 45 total rows.

    For the back panel, we repeat that process with extra increases to account for the difference between our Cf and Cb measurements.

    You might ask: Where? Along two lines, like the darts in pencil skirts.

    To do this, calculate how many stitches it takes to go from measurement Cf to Cb. In my case, a 10 cm difference equalled 28 stitches with my gauge. 

    We have two darts, so each increase row adds 2 stitches. Therefore, I need 14 increase rows (28 divided by 2).

    I’m placing those increases every other row because I want it to grow faster, than the sides. That gets me to 28 rows, the side increases (which are the same as the front panel) are done over 45 rows.

    Quick tip to track  your rows

    To track my rows (regular ones, dart-only increases and combined increases), I noted every 45 increases rows on my phone. 

    This way I don’t lose track of what I should do next, especially when it’s very hard to see this black yarn.

    Now, where to place those “darts”?

    It’s simple: we started the panel just like the first, with regular rows (no increases) from point A to B. Same number of rows and stitches. I then began dart increases after two rows of the increase section. As you can see in the previous picture.

    Future Angela will make an appearance here too. Just a reminder that the previous paragraph was a mistake, so go back to Part 2 if you need. But you should have done the first panel already, just repeat the correct way of doing it here too.

    Then divide the number of stitches you ended up by three, if it’s uneven, put the larger section in the middle. In my case I had 118 stitches, divided by 3 it’s 39.3333. So that allows me to divide my stitches as 39 | 40 | 39. I’ll be placing my stitch markers on the 39th stitch from each edge. After each dart increase, shift the marker inward: the first increase adds a stitch before the marker, the second adds one after.

    With that all figured out, crochet until you have the same amount of rows as the front panel. 

    Six-Week progress check

    I feel like my speed got a bit better, I’m used to the routine now, after six weeks on the road, it was about time! During this time I’ve launched a pattern, boosted my Instagram activity, and i have had a sale going.

    I hope to keep up this momentum, the second panel should not take as long as the first one, even with more crocheting to do. Soon enough I’ll have part 4 for you, where we can join the panel, add a little something and maybe talk about the top portion.

    Also if you have any questions (crochet or travel) leave them in the comments. And if you’re planning to make this dress, show me your progress with a view! It could be a mountain, a window, your favorite person, or just a cozy corner outside. Wherever you crochet, I’d love to see it, tag me and use #CrochetingWithAView so I can cheer you on and share your vibe.

  • Crocheting on Two Wheels (Part 2) Skirt’s Front Panel

    My trip started in Bogotá. I would love to say I started crocheting right away, but that would be a lie. I was still getting used to the routine, and I kept forgetting to keep my crochet in hand.

    Our first stop would be Cartagena, 981km north from Bogotá. It took us 5 days to get there. All I could do with my crochet was to finish my swatch and make the calculations for the skirt in a nice hostel in Santa Cruz de Mompox.

    The Plan

    My plan is to make the skirt first, since I always struggled to find skirts that fit me properly on my waist and my hips at the same time.

    Thats why the front panel will be slightly different than the back panel, because our bodies are not perfectly round and our butts need more space than our fronts.

    Within this post I’ll only explain the front panel, that’s where I’m starting. With the easier one first.

    The measurements we need are:

    • A- Half of the Waist +3cm (of positive ease)
    • B- Half of Higher hip (across the hip bones)
    • C- Full Hip (widest point, including the butt)
    • Cf- Front half of measurement C
    • Cb- Back half of measurement C
    • AB- distance between measurement A to B
    • BC- distance between measurement B to C

    You can use the seams on your pants as a quick guide for measurements Cf and Cb, those two should add up to measurement C.

    Measurements A and B are the circumference divided in half equally. But for measurement Cf and Cb the division is not the same, I measured again only the front half, and the back half.

    My measurement C was 106cm, my front panel was 48cm and my back panel was 58cm.

    Transforming cm into Stitches

    With our measurements in hand we just need to know how many stitches are the equivalent for that, and to do that we need a gauge swatch. Yes that’s what they are for too. (btw I use cm cause that’s what my brain is used to. You can use inches, no need to convert.)

    After you have crocheted a slightly bigger than a 10X10cm square. Count how many rows you have to get 10cm, and how many stitches to get 10cm.

    For example, mine was 28st and 24 rows equals 10cm. Or to simplify the math 2.8st and 2.4 rows equals 1cm. Still count the stitches over 10cm and then divide, it will give you a more accurate number than counting the stitches over only 1cm.

    I decided to start with measurement B, not A. I’m still gonna see if that was a mistake, there’s an effect I have in mind. We are trusting the process for now.

    Future Angela came back here to say: It didn’t work, at least not completely. As you can see on Part 5 of this adventure. with that said, please ignore the previous paragraph. Start the skirt panel with measurement A (your waist measurement divided by 2 plus 3cm of positive ease)(the positive ease will determine how low the back cowl neck line will go, if you want it higher leave a smaller positive ease). But instead of making rows with the same number of stitches to get from A to B, we will increase the same way we did to get from B to C as I will explain next. You might have a different ratio of increases from AB compared to BC

    Getting to the math

    So we need to go from measurement B. To measurement Cf.

    For that, just transform measurement B and Cf into a number of stitches. And measurement AB and BC into a number of rows.

    I need to start with 118st, that equals my 42cm (42×2.8=117.6). First we need to get from A to B, for me 19 rows was needed or that (8×2.4=19.2)

    After that, we need to get to 136st, equivalent to my Cf measurment. In 48 rows, which is the distance between my point B to point C.

    That being said, my 136 minus the 118 from the start, equals, 18 stitches that I need to increase. And doing an increase row with increases on both sides, means, I need 9 increases rows. Over 48 rows, 48 divided by 9, equals 5,3333… So we can round it down to one increase row every five rows.

    Rounding the number of rows down means the width will grow faster, which is good in that case.

    For the number of increases, it does need to be a pair, so round it up if you need.

    For me this all results in:

    1. 19 regular rows with 118st. (that will get me from measurement A to B in length)
    2. Then 45 rows between measurement B to C with increases in every 5th row.

    After that keep going until I’m happy with the length.

    Future Angela here again. What I should have done was: start with 110 stitches, and make 8 increases over the 19 rows. Being 4 rows of increase over 19 rows, I would end up making 3 regular rows, an increase, and an increase row every 5 rows until you get 19 rows.

    Now back to past Angela.

    And since that will take me a while, especially with the amount of crocheting I’m actually being able to do. I’ll be back here on another post to ramble about the back panel.

    I hope this makes sense, math sometimes can be scary, but we are just transforming one number into another one. If you feel like making this dress and need help with your numbers feel free to reach out.

    If you’re making this dress, I’d love to see where your stitches take you. Whether it’s a quiet morning on the porch, a bustling café, or a view that makes your heart feel full, share your crochet moment. Tag me and use #CrochetingWithAView so we can celebrate the beauty of handmade, wherever you are.