Hello! Well, Mother Nature has decided to keep us chilled a bit longer with another cold snap. The timing is perfect for me, as I just finished crocheting what I am calling an ‘Elmer’ sweater. Elmer is a colorful elephant from a children’s story, by David McKee, who teaches that being yourself is the best way to be. I made an Elmer blanket for my daughter a few years ago (you can see it here). The difference this time is that I added black while connecting all of the colorful squares, and Elmer the elephant doesn’t have that. I’ve been told by friends that this gives it a stained glass look. 🙂
Making this sweater was a huge challenge for me because I did not have a pattern, and I have not made many sweaters. All I had was an idea in my head. It was definitely a learning process, but in the end I was happy with how it came out. I made tiny granny squares, just two rows each. It took me about two months to make, and required way more squares than I’d originally thought! But I loved working with all of the different colors (29 Caron Simply Soft colors in all). A few years ago I switched to Amour Crochet Hooks by Clover. They have made a huge difference with comfort.
The colors should be random, but I did try – really hard – to make sure they were spaced out. This picture is of the back after I took apart my first block of sewing them together. I realized I needed more rows in both directions, so it was easier to unravel the joined up squares and start again. I had a tough time deciding which color to fill in that space with!
This image shows the original block, mentioned above and that was too small, on the right. On the left is the draft of the front of the sweater – including the ‘v’ neck, but without the ‘half squares’. I ended up going with 10 squares across and 8 squares down. The half squares took some fiddling with to get the stitches right – I needed to have 10 stitches on each side. I eventually figured it out! 🙂
My patience were very low with this project as my excitement was very high! Also, since I wasn’t sure what would have to be re-done or re-worked, I kind of rushed through parts to see if they would work. This picture shows the front, back and one sleeve pinned together to see if the sizing worked (it did!).
I knew I wanted a ‘v’ neck, but I wasn’t sure what that would look like. I decided that I would keep the border for all three edges (neck, sleeves and bottom) a simple three layers of black. It just felt right.
So many colors!
Ta-da! That was a fun project. I’m glad I did it, despite not being sure if I could figure it out. And it is a very warm sweater! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
In Peace,
Dana
Mom in the Garden 
Yikes, that’s a lot of work! But, worth it! I remember my cousins used crochet but it is something I never took to.
It was more work than I had anticipated! lol! But yes, it was worth it. I do enjoy crocheting, although having just finished a non-granny square blanket, I found that project to be more relaxing than making all of the tiny squares.
I like that, so colourful and cosy! I did a bit of crochet when my children were young, but haven’t done any for a long time.
Thanks, Pauline! I went years without making anything, but have taken it back up again. I try to challenge myself with each new project, to keep it interesting. 🙂
That is WONDERFUL! Such a lot of tiny granny squares – it must have really tried your patience, but it was definitely worth it. I hope you enjoy wearing it for years to come.
Thank you so much, Su. The worst is always tying in the ends, and with so many squares, there were so many ends! 🙂
Wow, that’s colorful! Derek
Hi Derek, I was a tiny bit obsessed with using as many colors as possible! I didn’t want to have any one dominant color. 🙂
It’s a work of art. My mother-in-law was great at crocheting. It’s a dying art. On another topic, I’m trying to set up a blog site using WordPress, but find it very difficult since they brought in all those blocks. Do you do your own web page? The site is in connection with a book I published recently about my father, who was born in Tallanstown. I came across your web page while doing research on that lovely little village. You had done a blog on a visit you made there. Hope the rain relents, and enjoy the spring when it comes. Derek
Yes, I do my own blog page on WordPress, but I’m not sure I’d be any good to help (unfortunately). I wish you luck with getting that set up – send me the link when you do! 🙂
Thanks. I like yours, it’s nice and plain. I think I was making things too complicated.
At the time I was learning to crochet, I used extra yarn making this scarf.
cjsmissionaryministry@gmail.com
Hi Cathy, I don’t think you have the link right? It looks like an email address. Scarfs are a great first project! I hope you liked yours.
Being yourself is the best way to be. I love that! I must have missed out on the Elmer childhood lesson!
Thank goodness for an occasional cold snap! You look great in that. It looks great too, but inanimate objects cannot know such things! 😜
Ah, thanks, Páraig! Yeah, it’s funny that Elmer is written by an English author yet my friends here in Ireland don’t know it. It was (is) very popular in the US.