Quick interlude of other pieces of crochet: pineapples and bootees

 Just as a little diversion from the throw crochet-along pattern devising and crocheting of squares for my daughter I started a little bolero from a free pattern on Ravelry that I came across in printed format when I was tidying my workroom last week. It's called From the Middle Bolero by Patons and here is the link:

http://www.yarnspirations.com/patterns/from-the-middle-bolero.html

I must admit to not even reading the instructions as I loved the look of the back and the diagram showed me what to do to make the back so I got stuck in with some Texere pure linen yarn on a cone, I think it's 4 ply or DK, and a 3 mm hook and got started!

It was such fun I do like a pineapple design and have made a few shawls using pineapples, but I really also liked the spreading diagonal groups of shells in this pattern and how they radiate outwards.

I read the comments on Ravelry from all the people who had made it and printed off a few of their photos of blocked front and back and sleeve pieces to see how it would all work together.
There was no diagram for the sleeve and as I was working without checking the gauge I could not work the fronts from the pattern diagram, I had a feeling my gauge or tension was working out a lot larger than in the Patons pattern.





This is how every piece except the back panel starts- radiating shells from a 4 chain....
It is the first time I have crocheted with pure linen and it's tricky but a joy. It feels so cool like crocheting with paper?  It has a lovely sheen and although very splitty and consisting of 11 very fine strands if held and twisted as you go it crochets beautifully most of the time.
And of course it irons out like a dream with fabulous stitch definition.

Here I am working on the left and right fronts which are actually simply worked identically...

I unpicked the side extensions which were 4 groups of shells for 3 rows and changed it to 5 groups of shells for 2 rows as this would fit so much better to the front pieces.

I also added a neckline shaping as I did not want a high straight neckline sitting on the back of my neck, so I added two more rows to each shoulder and tapered it in slightly with a half shell on the first of those rows to create a curved back neckline. See above.

 
 Side extensions changed.

 Fronts in full.

 With sizes so you can compare so much better if the yarn and gauge you have differs.
The tape measure is in cm.

The neatly stepped front neckline, which looks very nice on.

 
After finishing both fronts last night I tacked it all together as I was dying to see how the fit was going to be. I had tried with one front but it did not give a clear view as I was holding up one shoulder and it skewed the view. Having guessed at the repeats needed and also having recently made a few garments always overestimating size and making them too large for me I wanted to see if I could get it more closely fitted for once.
 
Lovely fit at the front, neckline depth just right and edges meet neatly , not too much spare. But also not too tight.
 
The side views show the problem, my bust!  The armhole looks too big and awkward?!
I do not want a huge floppy sleeve that low, do I?
 
The back view is looking very nice indeed.
 

The length is longer than I wanted, at just below my natural waist , when I wanted it just above, but still I do like this.

To make the armhole smaller I made 2 small triangles to sew into that large armhole gap that was seen in both side view photos.

This has worked a treat but now I will have to re-think the way the sleeve fits into the design...

Meanwhile here are some bootees I quickly ran up for a baby girl..