What article of clothing did you crochet first?

[Butterflyrose]

I've reached the point of wanting to expanding my crochet horizons. I'm ready to crochet my very 1st article of clothing to wear. I think I can! I think I can! I've crocheted hats, scarves, gloves, booties, purse pouch and my 1st pair of slippers, washcloths, facial scrubbies, dishcloths, potholders, flowers and napkin rings and Christmas ornaments. Now, it's time for me to groooooooow!

What was the 1st piece of clothing that you crocheted? Please suggest an EASY article of clothing for me to crochet.

BTW, I bought 6 skeins of yarn(50 grams each) to make this special piece. The yarn is a mixed fiber in a beautiful blue with strands of tan. It has a lovely sheen also.

Thanks in advance for your responses,
~Beverly~

[nothingnowhere]

I made a tank top.. finished and tried it on was huge lol I eventually took it apart and made a bag and dish towels out of the yarn....

im not sure of an easy pattern as I have yet to make the attempt again lol.... but I know someone will have a great idea. good luck! !

[Barbara G.]

I have done a hat for a premie baby...I have not really done clothing articles and one day want to learn. So much to do and so very little time...one day I will learn to do clothing items, though! :0)

[Irishjl]

The first clothing article I ever crocheted was a cape for my baby sister, who was 18 at the time, and it was made of Phentex. NEVER will I use that again!!!!! It pilled all over me and it kept splitting. But she loved it because it was waterproof. Then I made a vest for my s-I-l.--Jan

[MeerKat]

I don't know if you would consider a Poncho an article of clothing, but I made my daughter a Poncho when she was a toddler, and nothing since other than hats and scarves, I also made a pair of Booties for me.

[Judi Gums]

Years ago I crochet a sweater for my husband. I got all the pieces made then couldn't get the sleeves to go on right. I asked a friend with a lot more experience than I had if she could figure it out and she couldn't get it either. I got so frustrated I ripped it all out and used the yarn for an afghan. One of these days I'll give it a try again, but I think I'll try a vest.....lol.
Judi G

[Jean Marie]

I've made a baby outfit before. I remember making a shawl. I tried a sweater that ended up with one sleeve longer than the other and I think it's shorter in the back. The sweater I made for my niece turned out but it doesn't fit her. I put pockets on it( with a 'G' on one pocket and a rosebud on the other pocket. The sweater is pink. I have made hats and scarves on the round loom.

[twinfaye]

I made a lot of baby sweater sets and I crocheted a sweater a long time ago. I want to suggest an easier pattern that I made it is the spiral sweater. It crochets from the top down and I actually found it easy after I got the pattern down. I had to frog the start three times but after that it was clear sailing. You can make it with sleeves or without or any point in between. This wasn't the first thing I made but it is the first that I was proud of the end project.

[Judi Gums]

Nice job Faye, very cute sweater. I am getting ready to do a poncho on Wed. but that isn't like actually fitting a piece of clothing. But it does have some more advanced stitches. It is the Red Heart Dubonnet Poncho. I am making it in the Boutique Unforgettable yarn in the same color as on the pattern which is Winery, which is shades of pink, purple and orange. I found some pretty iridescent buttons to go on the shoulder.

A friend and I are doing a Crochet-A-Long together in this. I think it is time I start to do some more advanced patterns. But I do love making afghans when I just want to sit down, watch TV and crochet away. It's so calming to me.

Judi G

[grandmajenny]

Butterflyrose, Welcome to the challenge of making crochet clothing. I make clothes all the time, for myself, my daughter and my grand kids, and I have even been paid to crochet a sweater or 2. The first lesson I had to learn was the importance of gauge, and to recheck my gauge and to measure, then measure again, and to continue to check the dimensions of each part of the garment as I went along. When I hear someone tell me that they knit or crochet to gauge I know that I have mete someone who has never finished a garment that has fit. No one crochets or knits to gauge, I always have to change the needle size when I am crocheting off a pattern.

The type of fiber content in the yarn and the weight of the yarn is very important also, how the yarn will drape when worked up. You have already selected your yarn which means you need to find a pattern that uses that weight type ex. 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5. I like to stay in the 2 range when crocheting clothing, crochet lends itself to thick stitches and garments.

Below is the name of a book I found very helpful, I checked it out of the library or you can get it on Amazon.

Custom-Crocheted-Sweaters-Garments that Really Fit by Dora Ohrenstein

In answer to your question as to what the first garment I made, I will add that I made that fit and I actually wear. Is a cardigan I have posted a picture of me wearing it with the Grand kids.

Below is a sweater pattern I made from Redheart yarn that you can use with 4 weight yarn, and I think it is a good beginning sweater. After you make a garment and wear it you will get picky about the yarn you use, because you will find that the cheaper yarns do not hold up as well, they pill and they just don't feel as nice next to your skin. I know the Redheart yarns have nice colors and are easy to find but when made up they feel stiff, and they pill up terribly. When I can afford to use natural fibers, cotton, alpaca, merino wool, silk etc I get an end result that lasts longer.

http://www.redheart.com/files/patterns/pdf/LW3087.pdf

Good luck, and happy hooking.