Are you interested in making your first crocheted garment, but don’t know where to begin? Or maybe you are just looking for a simple but fashion-forward top to make and wear. This class was designed around the idea that a beautiful project doesn’t need to be complicated. Perfect for those new to garment making, but interesting enough for those with more experience too, this class will lead you through all the necessary steps of creating this lovely piece of clothing.
Included in this class are downloadable instructions for the Garland Top, graded in 10 sizes with a finished chest measurement of 35.5” to 65.5” [90 to 166.5cm]. The pattern includes schematics and crochet charts for the motifs.
In this class, you will create your own top while learning lots of new crochet skills. You will find out how the yarn you choose will affect the crocheted fabric and gain an understanding of how to read a crochet pattern with multiple sizes. Brenda will help you choose the correct size to follow, and you will learn how and why to make a gauge swatch. These lifelong skills will come in handy for future projects as well.
In this class you will learn how to make the beautiful join-as-you-go motifs featured across the top of this tee, as well as how to work in the very flattering linen stitch pattern. As Brenda walks you through all the steps to create this project, she shares plenty of tips and troubleshooting advice to make sure that your top turns out just how you hoped it would!
Whether you are newer to crochet, or you are just looking for a cute season-spanning top, this is the class for you! With more than three hours of quality video instruction, you will gain all the skills that you need in order to crochet your very own, custom made, Garland Top!
Class Sessions
Introduction
2:06
In this session, Brenda introduces us to her design, the Garland Top. This chic top features join-as-you-go lace motifs across the yoke and the lovely linen stitch pattern throughout the rest of the bodice. This top is designed in 10 sizes from 35.5” to 65.5” chest, and Brenda will discuss modifications that you can make to be sure this top fits you.
Materials
8:35
Brenda goes through all the materials and tools that you will need for this class. She spends some extra time discussing how the yarn you choose will affect the look of your top and shows us examples of how different fiber content changes the properties of the fabric. This way, you will be able to make informed decisions about yarn substitutions for this project.
Determining Your Size
16:25
In this session, Brenda explains how to determine the correct size to follow. She discusses how to measure your body, explains how to use the schematic to help you choose a size, and gives some suggestions on how to decide how much ease you’d like your Garland Top to have.
Understanding the Pattern
12:52
Brenda works her way through the pattern, explaining why each section is important and stating what that part of the pattern is telling you. She shows us how to read through the directions and teaches us how to understand the usage of parenthesis in sizing, and abbreviations.
Making a Gauge Swatch
51:15
In this lesson Brenda walks us through the process of making a swatch. She demonstrates how to make the motifs and how to join them as they are being created. Brenda also shows us how to work in the linen stitch pattern, beginning with working across the two motifs that were created for the swatch.
Beginning the Garland Top
49:11
Starting with the motif strip, we begin creating our Garland Top! Brenda shows us how to add additional motifs and demonstrates how to work across the length of the motif strip to create the simple shoulder shaping.
Sizes 1 & 2
13:51
This lesson is for those who are making Size 1 or Size 2 tops. Brenda shows us how to finish working the front and back pieces, working in the linen stitch pattern. For these two sizes, we are creating a “T” shaped piece, where the sleeves extend past the side seams of the top.
Sizes 3, 5, & 7
11:23
This lesson is for those who are making Size 3, 5 or 7 tops. Brenda shows us how to finish working the front and back pieces, working in the linen stitch pattern. For these three sizes, we are creating “rectangular” shaped pieces, where the edges of the sleeve openings are in-line with the side seams.
Sizes 4, 6, 8, 9 & 10
29:13
This lesson is for those who are making this top in sizes 4, 6, 8, 9, or 10. Brenda shows us how to finish working the front and back pieces, working in the linen stitch pattern. This sizes in this lesson have some shaping at the bottom of the armholes that increases the circumference of the top below the arms.
Blocking
14:22
In this lesson, Brenda demonstrates how to block our Front and Back pieces using two different methods: wet-blocking and steam blocking. She discusses the benefits of each method so that we can decide which one to use.
Seaming the Shoulders and Sides
18:56
Brenda shows us how to use a simple whip-stitch to seam the Front and Back shoulders together. Next, she shows us how to how to use stitch markers to “pin” the side seams edges together in each version of the top. She finishes up this lesson by demonstrating how to create the side seams.
Adding Armhole and Neck Edgings
16:22
In this lesson Brenda teaches us how to work single crochet evenly and neatly along the ends of our rows to create an edging around the sleeve openings. After completing the sleeve edgings, she shows us how to add a bit of extra polish to the neckline edge with a slip stitch. She also demonstrates how to create an invisible join at the end of the round for a flawless finish.
Your Instructor
Brenda K.B. Anderson
Brenda K. B. Anderson crochets, knits, and sews into the wee hours after her kids have gone to bed. She loves designing stuffies that make her laugh, and accessories that beg to be worn over and over again by her friends and family. Brenda is the author of Beastly Crochet and Crochet Ever After and also teaches a Craftsy Class: Crochet Mittens and Fingerless gloves. She has contributed to several books and numerous magazines and is the managing editor of the Creative Crochet Corner. She lives in a little house in Saint Paul, MN where it is sweater weather nine months of the year and blogs about her crafty adventures at Craftsplosion.com.
Bonus Material
Crochet the Garland Top - Resources
Bonus Materials available for download after purchase.
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