A Winter Dress & Crochet Beenie for Elena

As much as I love PDF patterns, I have to give some serious love to this McCall's pattern that I have used at least 4 times in the past year. It is M6785 and it makes all sorts of raglan sleeved tunics or dresses. There are options for a neckband, turtleneck, or hood. You can make a tunic with or without ruching at the bottom or use the partial circle skirt option. There is also a kangaroo pocket piece, applique pieces, and a leggings pattern that I haven't tried. The possibilities are endless! And when you can buy it for $1 at a Joann's sale it makes me, a frugal person, very happy.

McCall's 6785: clockwise from top left: 1. Signature Style 2. Golden Days of Fall 3. Snowflake Dress 4. Version 1

This most recent version uses the turtleneck with the circle skirt in a stretch velour for a really cozy winter dress. Can you get any more comfortable than that? I added length to the sleeves because all my kids have long arms, but I went a bit overboard. They will surely fit all winter. And next winter too! 

Version 1

(Incidentally, her little purse is a free pattern I found here. It's the perfect size for her. I should have lengthened the strap more but I didn't anticipate her wearing it cross-body like her big sister does with her messenger bag. Monkey see, monkey do.)

So that plain version was fine, perfectly nice, but I had a burst of inspiration in the wee hours of one morning so I changed it up. I LOVE it now and am so glad I didn't leave it plain. It's mighty cold out today, but Elena asked to take pictures (code for I want marshmallows). She braved the cold and earned 2 marshmallows and a cup of hot chocolate. 

In order to crochet scallops to the bottom, I needed a way to attach them. I did a quick blanket stitch to provide loops to work through. If you do this, you have to be sure to have loops all the way around, even where you have to join in a new piece of thread.  

Then I did a row of single crochet all the way around. Here's a nice blurry picture of that step.

I'm no crochet expert and I make things up a lot, but the way I did the scallops was to do a single crochet, 3 doubles, and another single in one chain space. Then I skipped one chain space and repeated all the way around. The yarn is from my stash and the label was gone, but I do know that it is 100% cotton and I got it at Walmart last fall.

The beenie began with a magic loop and 11 double crochets. I alternated one row of double crochet, 2 rows of single crochet, and kept repeating until a few final rows of singles for the edge/brim.

I took these pictures in the driveway and front yard of my friend's house right on the lake. I guess I'll find out if she reads my blog or not!

"I can't feel my hands. I can't feel my hands!"