Block and Strip Crocheting

How to Make a Sweater Without a Pattern--Part 2

More than a pattern, I will give you a very useful formula that will enable you to make all kinds of sweaters and garments for yourself and for others.

You Will Need:
* Worsted weight yarn, colors of your choice, the sample used 6 solid colors and 1 matching variegated
* Size H crochet hook
* 1 pair of scissors
* 1 tapestry needle to join pieces
* 1 Measuring tape
* Brown paper
* Easy sewing pattern or personal garment

First, take a sweater you really love and which fits you well, or, if you are making it for someone else, take a garment from that person or purchase an easy sewing pattern for the standard fit of that person's size.
Cut out the pattern and transfer it to brown paper (trace it and cut it out), if you use a garment, trace the outlines of your garment and make a good skematic of it, with measurements and all, if possible. Next you will decide the size of your blocks, they could be small or large as in my example (this is a tunic I made as a birthday gift and the recepient loves it.)
Choose your yarn or thread and start making your squares, they could be grannies or textured
stitch blocks like the ones I made. Fill the space of your paper outline with the blocks, pinning them with pins in place, the outward side facing the paper. Then, join them together, the wrong side facing you, while they are still pinned to the paper. Once you have your garment in one piece, crochet the strips all along to fill the sides, the neckline and the back, the wrong side facing you.
With the sleeves you do the same, you make a paper outline of the sleeves that could fit you and your garment, fill that with blocks and crochet strips in between and if you want to, at the bottom as a loose "cuff."
If you want pockets, you make two squares, sew them together and just join them to the side strip at each side facing inward as you go about crocheting and joining them.
With this formula you can make a variety of sweaters.
If you want your tunic to have buttons, make buttonholes as you sc the front side strip. If you don't want to make buttonholes, make frogs and sew them to the front strip with nice knots or buttons on the strip opposite to it.
You can make many changes on this garment, you can make it shorter, to become a classic sweater, or longer, to turn it into a light spring coat.
Hope you can make a lot of beautiful sweaters using this formula!

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I leave you with a bit of Inspiration:

"Once I thought to find on earth
Love, perfect and complete.
Now, I know it carries wounds
In its hands and feet."
--Anna Hemstead Branch

I am only one.
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something
That I can do.
--Helen Keller

Real love is one Person: Jesus! If you want to get to know Him better, there's no other book like Steps to Christ. A sweet, short, beauttiful book. Read it online for FREE, here: http://www.stepstochrist.us/