Frustrated

[palboo]

Help! How do you interpret gauges and calculate multiples when crocheting clothing. I can interpret a pattern when crocheting afghans.

[SusansSoulShines]

Help! How do you interpret gauges and calculate multiples when crocheting clothing. I can interpret a pattern when crocheting afghans.

Hi palboo, I recently took some Craftsy garment classes to learn to make clothing, specifically tops for the most part, and I learned that if you're not given this information in a pattern, there are many stitch patterns for making your own pattern or using different stitches from a pattern for a piece. I've used a lot of them myself for many pieces that aren't even garments.

There are a few books that I know of like 200 or 300 Stitches A Day, and others like that you can search on amazon and read the index of the book and see some of the pages to see if one is one you'll like, and online sites as well, like New Stitch A Day or yarn company sites, that have stitch patterns for various stitch patterns of openwork, lace, mesh, edgings, etc, that give you several basic rows of these stitch patterns with multiples already figured in, and they tell you whether or not the fabric you make will drape well (you want good drape for clothing). You can pretty much make any piece you'd like to with the stitch patterns whether it be clothing or not actually, and whatever piece you're making, and some will suggest what type of yarn you might want to use.

So you can then pick a stitch pattern from these books/sites and take your yarn or their suggested yarn, and try gauge pieces of 8X8 (bigger is better to see how your fabric will behave on clothing pieces) with the yarn's suggested hook sizes. Also, many designers put stitch pattern online on youtube or their website that you can use to make any piece with.

I'm making a top this summer that has a ribbed bottom edge that I don't like. I looked at tons of patterns and watched loads of videos of tops and summer wear being made, besides watching hours of crochet classes, and I'm not using the ribbed bottom row but making a different look that I prefer, and I'd never have tried a top before I learned so much pre-crochet info, much less changed the pattern!

There are quite a few places online now that also help you figure out your own sizes number of stitches per row for your measurements, find your armholes dimensions, breast measurements for your body, etc. I for sure learned that you don't just sit down and whip out a top unless you want a simple cover up mesh for a slim person. There is some measuring and possible math to calculate for a nice fit from a good top!

Once you've taken your measurements be sure to write them down and use them for future reference. I'd love to know what piece you plan to make!