Blue dress for Esther.

This is based off of the Baby Girl Sleeper Set from Crotiques. I think I’ve mentioned before that I’d avoided the pattern, though I found it cute, because there’s not a gauge listed anywhere on it. I figured out while we were still in Hawaii that if I used a bigger hook along with worsted weight yarn, I can make Esther-sized dresses.

This particular incarnation uses Caron Perfect Match (you thought I was gonna say Simply Soft, didn’t you?) and a J/6mm hook. I also used Alternate Double Crochet as the base for all my stitches, a V-st instead of 3-dc for the corners, and at the end of it all switched to treble crochet for the final shells. Other than that, I stayed pretty close to the original pattern, though of course Ilengthened it quite a bit to have a knee-length dress.

The cheap yarn makes it a bit stiff, but it’s not uncomfortable & I truly believe it’ll soften up quite a bit after washing.

Since the hook is so big for the yarn, and since the stitch pattern for the skirt is quite open, this is appropriate for spring/summer wear. I’m always kind of stymied by people saying that yarn arts are a winter time craft. I mean, they’re so obviously not, but how do you refute such an obviously untrue statement when the person saying it deeply believes it? Interestingly enough, this was most recently said to me in a thread of FOs that featured two different non-clothing objects. ‘Cause, yeah, when it gets really hot out there, you have to switch to a different purse or you’ll be overheated.

KnitPro

KnitPro is “a web application that translates digital images into knit, crochet, needlepoint, and cross-stitch patterns.” You’re given a .PDF of your chart. Near as I can figure, they are 100% free, but there is a PayPal donate button, so if you can & you like it as much as I do, share the love.

Link here. I’m adding a link to my sidebar as well. Check it out.

This is the chart I made there (well, a screen shot, as I’m too stupid to upload actual files):
I made a chart of the International Breastfeeding Symbol developed through a contest at Mothering.com. In all honesty I’m not fond of the design It looks too much like a mother simply holding a baby. But as it was chosen by popular vote, I am obviously in the minority for wanting my breastfeeding symbol to look like breastfeeding!

I’m seriously going to crochet this, I’m just not sure when or what I’ll do with the finished project. Maybe a mini-advocacy afghan, if I pair it with the runners-up. (I have some of them saved on my computer somewhere.

OK, just because I can, here’s the one that was my favorite:
See, this one is much nicer, in my opinion. Not only does it have greater aesthetic appeal, it is obvious at a glance what it’s supposed to represent. There you have mother, baby, and breast.

Maybe it’s too white…