2014 is proving to be a very busy year for me, March (and National Crochet Month) is just around the corner. I have lots of exciting projects going on that I can’t quite reveal yet. Though I can show your my most recently published design.
My “Convertible Cardigan” can be found in the April 2014 issue of Crochet World Magazine. This was a cardigan that I made for myself to wear last summer at the TNNA show in Columbus, Ohio.
Of course I picked a hot pink colorway, since this was for my own wardrobe. The editors liked the color so much that they used my original cardigan for the photo shoot. Worked in Tahki Cotton Classic Lite it is a great layer for wearing in air-conditioned venues, though right now on my mountain I can’t really envision a need for air-conditioning.
The sweater is back with me now and if you come to TNNA in May or the Knit & Crochet Show in July you may spot me wearing this cardigan.
Be sure to stop by again often in March. I’ll have lots of fun blog posts to share with all my wonderful readers to celebrate NatCroMo, including a post on the 15th as part of the Crochetville’s 2014 National Crochet Month Designer Blog Tour.
Mamas2Hands 
I think I may just need to get my hands on Crochet World for your pattern – it’s lovely!
I have been crocheting for 50 years and I can’t believe I can’t figure this pattern out. I’m ok till I get to row 8-18. My increases r all onone side. This is the order of rows: 1,2,3,4 (2),5(3),6,7,6,7,6,7,6,7 ect. Is this correct?
Yes, those row numbers are correct. And you should only have increases on one side. Side 1 works one half of the upper back and that shoulder then goes into the sleeve. Side 2 is worked off the opposite side of your beginning foundation and completes the other half and 2nd sleeve. Look at the lower left hand picture in the magazine that shows the cardigan from the back and you can see the center back foundation.
This is a very different garment construction than most folks are used to, but you will love the way the fabric drapes with the curves of the body once your project is finished.
I’m so excited for you to have found a crocheting challenge after 50 years of crocheting. It’s always fun to learn something new in a beloved craft.
I absolutely love your convertible cardigan pattern which I downloaded from Crochet World Magazine. I want so much to crochet it. We don’t have Tahki yarn in Australia and the only 5 ply yarn I can find is in wool which I have just tried. After doing a couple of swatches to measure the gauge and using a 6mm crochet hook instead of a 5mm, I am one row short of the 4 ins which is the gauge required. Could this be because I am using wool instead of cotton. Our cotton comes in 4ply and 8ply only which is why I substituted 5 ply wool. Is there anything you can suggest that may help me get the row gauge correct please.
Hi Pamela,
Sorry for the slow response, been away at the Knit and Crochet Show the past 11 days and just got home.
I’m not sure about substituting wool yarn for the cotton yarn. You should have gotten closer to the gauge than you did with the changes you made. Since this design is a modified version of top-down construction, you can try it on as you go.
Just make the first part of the pattern for the Right and Left up to where you join for the arm holes. Then pin the join or slip st it to try the garment on and see if it works for you as far as the room in the underarm and across your back. If you are good there just work the arms and keep trying it on occasionally to see if it is coming together. Once you get to the drapery part you shouldn’t have too much difficulty.
The big thing when substituting yarn is to be open to a very different looking result at the end. Fortunately there are no crochet police. Have fun crocheting up a cardigan that is just right for you.
Thanks so much for your advice it is really appreciated. I will try to find a cotton substitute rather than continue with the wool.
Following previous post I have found a substitute cotton yarn that will work with the pattern and have now started my cardigan. This is my first real challenge project. I am doing size L and have a query with row 6 please. Patterns says chain 4, shell in first st, skip 1 st, shell in next chain sp. When I ch 4 and shell in first st, I have 2 sts before the chain sp not 1. I’m obviously doing something wrong so would you please explain this row to me.
Sounds like you may be working too many sts at the end of Row 5. If you are making a size L you should have 2 dc at the end of Row 5, so in Row 6 you will have only 1 st left un-worked before the ch-1 sp, after you work the “ch-4 and shell in first st”. HTH
Thanks for your reply. I’ve done it again following the pattern and still have 2 sts before ch 1 sp.
Row 5 for size M to XL – which is a repeat of row 3 – says Vst to last 3 sts, sk 2 sts, 2 dc in last st. Row 6: ch 4, shell in first st, which leaves 2 sts before ch sp.
Row 5 for size small, says repeat until last 3 sts, Vst and treble in last st, which works out with 1 st before ch sp.
Why is there a difference in row 5 for the larger sizes?
Alright, just skip 2 sts then, sounds like a mistake got into the pattern. It’s been over a year since I wrote that pattern.
As for the difference in the rows for sizes, it’s to get to the number of stitches needed to create that size.