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The Evolving Aveline Sweater Crochet-A-Long runs April 13th-May 18th 2024 with my recommended yarn options available from Morris & Sons, Bendigo Woollen Mills and Skein Sisters. (They all can ship internationally too, so nobody misses out)!
This blog post contains support information about prepping for the Evolving Aveline Sweater CAL and (will contain) videos that link to the pattern.
CAL participants please join my private pattern support group Pepper-Gaggle for extra help, to celebrate their progress and champion each other on!
The Evolving Aveline Sweater pattern will be released in stages with pattern updates via Ravelry. Each week, login to your Ravelry account to find your new link to download the updated pattern files(s).
Videos will be progressively added here for the relevant week(s) of the CAL.
Bookmarking this blog will be useful but the pattern contains hyperlinks to videos if you are viewing on a digital device.
If you like to print your pattern out, a QR code (on page 7 of the pattern) can be scanned by the camera app on your mobile device to bring you here where you can scroll through and find the video you need.
Here's an intro video showing some features of the design for the CAL:
I put this together a couple of months ago when pattern testing was happening. Of course, that's all wrapped up now and the blog that shows all the tester samples is here.
Here's some basic garment prep info to get ready for the CAL:
Pattern: Evolving Aveline Sweater is available on Ravelry now.
Languages: English (both UK and US terms)
Level of Difficulty: suited to Intermediate and Adventurous Beginner crochet garment makers, but of course experienced garment makers will enjoy this pattern as well!
Sizing: I graded the pattern to 13 sizes, producing a finished garment bust circumference of 80cm through to 150cm, and the sizes are labelled 1,2,3 etc through to 13 (not S, M XXL etc).
Choosing your size: Measure your bust circumference, add your desired positive ease and choose the size that is closest to that measure. If between sizes, I recommend choosing the smaller of the 2 sizes as pattern instructions to follow, but ordering yarn for the larger of the 2 sizes so you have enough to include added/extra stitches or rows/rounds.
How to Swatch: Follow instructions included in the pattern to make your swatch and check your gauge before and after blocking
Is my gauge close enough? Matching (BLOCKED) gauge is necessary for the schematic measurements provided for each size to be accurate. If you are off gauge, so too is the measurements of your finished garment, as is your yardage.
Swatching for gauge advice for making any garment from a pattern is to play around with hook size, making and blocking 1-3 swatches to see if you can match gauge because this will provide you with the best finished garment result and fit.
If you can't quite achieve gauge for both stitches and rows then "Plan B" swatching for gauge advice is as follows:
Stitch gauge is the priority as this corresponds to the bust and upper arm circumference garment measurements. Desired stitch gauge is 18.5 sts per 10cm.
Within 0.5 sts per 10cm is close enough for stitch gauge. That means when measured across the centre of your blocked swatch that 18, 18.5 or 19 sts per 10cm is good.
Row gauge corresponds to garment length and armhole depth for this design. Desired row gauge is 14 rows to 10cm. Within 1 row per 10cm is close enough (meaning 13, 14 or 15 rows to 10cm) is close enough for row gauge. The top-down construction method for the Evolving Aveline Sweater makes adjusting length pretty easy as you can try it on and assess when the length is suitable as you go.
WEEK 1 CROCHET VIDEOS: Neckline to V-point
WEEK 2 CROCHET VIDEOS: V-point to Underarm
Okay, so to make these videos I had to make a new Neckline and play yarn chicken to get over the line: capturing the essential info at the beginning of round, raglan line and the join at end of rounds without having enough yarn to go across the middle bits. Eeeek.
It took some juggling!! But I got there (yay) to help folk through a bunch of rounds showing key mosaic stitching and yarn handling for colour changes etc... I mention this because you may catch a glimpse of an incomplete round at edge of screen and otherwise be confused. Don't let this throw you - just focus on the stitch in centre screen and slow down playback as necessary.
The other thing you might notice in the videos - occasionally my stitching goes part off-screen for a sec and then comes back. The essentials of what you need to see are still in the video but once I explain my process its easy to understand why this partial screen-exit might happen: Bra-cam is the go to record footage (it's the only way I can see both the screen for what's being captured as well as the work itself). What's bra-cam? Well, my phone is held still for filing by my bra. Yes, you read that right.
It's actually pretty difficult to keep my body, arms, posture etc still, barely breathe and work the stitches without mistakes (mostly) to record what I want to show. The footage is recorded in tall narrow 9:16 portrait format (no other way the bra will hold it up), but Youtube only takes 9:16 landscape format, meaning only a narrow horizontal band of what I record is useful... Sheesh.
So... I record the video, crop it to a small horizontal band keeping an eye watching it back too make sure the essential info is captured because sometimes it doesn't quite all stay within the final landscape 9:16 format.
Now you have the lowdown... Please note any stitch references in these videos use UK terminology.
Enjoy Week 2!
WEEK 3 CROCHET VIDEO: Lower Bodice
Week 3 is using the stitches you already know. The only new thing is the TL-Join (video below) which I used to close these rounds and I offer it for those learning to have a specific technique to use. Experienced makers will know a few different ways to join rounds you can, of course use your own preferred method - it's you project!
This wraps up the last of support videos for this pattern. Be sure to reach out in Pepper-Gaggle to ask for help. Morris & Sons, Bendigo Woollen Mills and Skein Sisters can help you out with yarn. Pre-Sales registrants don't forget your yarn discount codes - they are valid only until May 10th 2024! Just use them at online check out for the relevant retailer. Easy!
As always, you can subscribe here to receive blog notifications and my newsletter, and browse my Ravelry pattern catalogue here.
Stitch on!
Susannah (Peppergoose)
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