Hook: 5 mm and 6 mm Yarn: 1 strand of size 2/sport or 2 strands of size 1/fingering. I used 2 strands of size 1 (50 g = 160 m), I used 353 grams in total Stitches: half double crochet, single crochet for the edge (waist and wrists). Ch 1 and turn over after every row. You crochet through both loops.
1) Follow the pattern & guide for Doris sweater w. guide — I made mine cropped to just under the bust – make sure to measure the length over the bust to get the right length. 2) Use a 5 mm hook and start with a chainless foundation: first making sc for 7 cm (10 stitches), then switching to half double crochet. 3) When you have made the rows for the shoulder, mark the row to just over the bust (where you want the neckline to start). 4) Depending on where you are on the row either stop at the mark and crochet back or slip stitch until you reach the mark, then continue the row – this way removing stitches from the row where they neckline is. 5) Then continue in rows with no decreases until you only have the shoulder measurement left on the panel. 6) When you reach the end of the row (where the mark would be) chain until you have the same number of stitches as you removed at step 4. (+ 1 chain as turning chain) this way creating length again for the second shoulder. 7) For the other panel (back) you can either just make rows with no decrease at all or you can do the same as step 4, 5, 6 but only decrease by 3-4 cm. This way creating a few cm of shoulder on each side of the panel. 8) Slip stitch the panels together over shoulder and sides. 9) Make the sleeves with a size 6 mm hook – making the same stitches as the body – single crochet first and then half double crochet. 10) Join the sleeves and crochet them onto the sleeve opening – then brush the sweater with a soft brush (nail brush, pumice stone or dry brushing brush) – brush back and forth or in circles until you have the look you want.
Hook: 3 mm Yarn: White organic cotton, superfine/size 1/fingering, 50 g = 160 m. Elatic thread: 4 pieces of elastic, depending on your size at least 1 meter is required. I used 2 meters.
Measurement 1: Below bust to waist Measurement 2: Waist circumference + 3 cm Elastic thread measurement: Waist circumference / 1,5 Measurement 3: Below bust to neck – 10 cm
My example: 2) 14 cm 2) 75 + 3 = 78 cm 75 / 1,5 = 50 cm 3) 24-10 = 14 cm
Hook: 6 mm Yarn: 445 grams for my size small/medium. Link to the yarn I used here (affiliate) – number 23 – light grey Stitches: Single crochet in back loop, half double crochet, double crochet and chainless foundation.
If you want it cropped then measure to just under the bust – make sure to measure over your bust.
You are making the front and back panels with single crochet in back loop and half double crochet through both loops. I had 8 stitches of single crochet for the rib edge.
You are continously making the rib edge in one side of the row – like you do the sleeves.
For the neck part you are making 1 decrease per row – until you are half way – then make 1 increase per row for the same number of rows – this way you get a slight “v” shape for the neck part.
Finish the rest of the panel like you started it.
SLEEVES
The sleeves are made with double crochet through both loops and single crochet in back loop.
You make them the same way as you do with the Doris Sweater
But you are going to make the sleeves slightly wider – so make sure to add a couple of rows more. Try on the sleeve on your arm as you go.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Connect the panels as you do for the Doris sweater
Finish by making a single crochet edge over the neck opening.
Picture this: you have been working on something, indulging yourself in the process, being so creative and expressive, written, taken photos or videos, editing it, admiring your talents and abilities in the creation process and as soon as you click “post” there is silence.
Maybe you are not getting any response at all. Maybe your work is not being seen enough. Maybe you feel that you drown out among all the other amazing posts out there. Maybe no one is liking or very few. Maybe no one is sharing your work or commenting. It can feel like such an anti-climax to have found so much joy, peace or excitement about something you have created and the world doesn’t seem to notice or appreciate it.
Appreciating yourself & the process
Ask yourself if you are truly appreciating your process, who you are and how amazing it is that you have created this and expressed yourself. Or are you more focused on the physical aspect of finishing a product and expecting to get something in return?
First of all it is natural and healthy to get validation from the world, it is needed in order for us to feel OK and feel connected and important in the world. It is not to say that it is enough to care about it yourself – expecting others to care is just as important. But if we only expect others to care and we don’t care ourselves, then it becomes very vulnerable to share because we rely 100% on others opinions – and bare in mind that the response or lack thereof that we get from social media is not a reflection of how worthy we or our creations are.
Practise to really prioritize putting yourself first, notice what it is you love about your creations, who you are and your process. Write a list of everything that is important to you in creating or what it is that is special about you – it doesn’t have to be something other people don’t contain – but what is it you enjoy about your own creations? If you were a stranger looking from the outside on you and your creations, what are some things they might notice or admire about you? Learn to enjoy your own process, feel the joy and induldge in it, excite yourself and let the posting and social media aspect be a less important thing in the process.
Following the social media “rules”
I think there is importance in doing the things necessary to be seen on social media – even if it still means that we still struggle with it. Make sure you are posting regularly or consistently – like not posting 10 posts after each other on your feed, as they will drown out eachother. Posting reels often. Sharing in your story. Making hashtags. Bringing something of value or something people can interact with – like asking a question or for an opinion from people. Are you engaging with other people on social media? sharing other’s work (with no expectation of getting anything in return?)
You are not for everyone, and that’s okay!
First of all it is totally valid to feel insecure, upset or disappointed that you are not getting the recognition that you deserve. Give yourself permission to feel that it sucks and that you don’t have to accept that this is the fact. Second of all, start challenging the beliefs that just because people don’t seem to like or interact with your creations doesn’t mean that they don’t like it.
Of course there will always be people who don’t like you or your work – not everyone is for everyone. Even the most talented people in the world, the most successful or most beautiful people in the world still have haters or people who simply don’t like to follow along. That doesn’t mean something is wrong with any of these people – it just means we are all different and on social media we all look for something in particular.
You matter, you are worthy & your creations are valuable
Maybe you have not yet found your crowd – the people that really value what you have to share. or maybe they don’t know you exist yet. That is not to say that you need to necessarily make yourself even more visible – maybe it is just timing, maybe it takes a while to be noticed.
I want to challenge you to visualise that there are people out there that have not found you yet that are looking for someone exactly like you; with your approach and your creations. Someone who thinks “YES finally! someone whose posts I can’t get enough of, where I get so excited everytime I see a post from them”. Think about someone you like to follow – and imagine that someone could feel that way about you too! Maybe there already is someone.
Embrace the fact that no one cares
Unfortunately we also tend to focus on everything that we lack – all the likes we didn’t get (compared to that profile that gets hundreds or thoudsands of likes), all the people that don’t support us, all the followers we don’t have. Even if you only got 1 like, hell even if you like me have multiple profiles and the 1 like is from yourself – so what?
If no one else cares, make it priority that you care. Practise to embrace the emptiness, the silence, the cold shoulder you get when you feel like no one cares if you post or not, no one cares what you have to say or share, no one finds you interesting.
It can be a positive too! If no one cares you can do whatever you want. Post 10 times a day. Post photos with bad lighting or low quality. Screw the social media rules and do whatever you want with it. Be “too much”. Be a healthy narcissist; post photos you love and write a caption about why you love it so much. Care less about getting others to engage or respond to you and focus more on indulging in your own process, your own worth, your own desires, your own passions – why YOU love it so much. Learn to say more “So what if no one cares?”.
At least if you care enough about it yourself you will also eventually attract people that appreciate you, that beenfit from the way you are in the world and on social media.
I have posted content to my other social media profiles regularly for 6 and 14 years and I get comments from the same 1-4 people.Sometimes I get 2 likes even though the content has been viewed hundreds of times.
I also have not had any goal with sharing other than just share my passion – but recently it has sucked more and more that I find so much value in what I share and the interest is not growing for other people.
I am not interested in making content for other people. I am interested in making content that I like to make. Maybe that won’t benefit me in return but at leats I am staying true to my process. Once again it is a priority – do I want lots of responses and make something I don’t care about or do I want little response and make something I care about?
Hook: 3 mm Yarn: Cotton, superfine/size 1. Link to a cheap yarn with lots of pretty colors here (affiliate).
Follow pattern for Florence top – but instead of sc use hdc stitches. The fit and drape will be different. You can of course also use sc as the pattern.
Finish the top as the pattern says, now measure your measurement over your shoulder – from armpit to armpit, see video here for guide to how to measure. Of course you can also try on the top as you go!
Now place your top flat as pictured above. Insert your hook in the side with a slip stitch and repeat the stitches for the body until you have the strap with you want.
Crochet back and forth until you have your measurement or until you have the length you want.
Slip stitch into the opposite side of the top, repeat the same with the other side.
Hook: 6 mm Yarn: BLUE: 2 strands of superfine/size 1 cotton (50 g = 169 m), OFF WHITE: 2 strands of superfine/size 1 in Tencel/Lyocell yarn (50 g = 141 m) and GREEN: 1 strand of size 3/DK/worsted cotton, viscose and linen blend (50 g = 120 m). LINK TO YARN: Click here, hereand herefor yarn + yarn alternatives (affiliate) I used 355 g for my size M/L.
Stripes: The stripes are made randomly. I change color the following way: on the last stitch of the round I switch colors before pulling the yarn through for the last time. Make sure to mark the start of your round to know when to change color.
SKIRT
1. You will need to follow the pattern Olivia dress to make this. Follow the pattern and see my measurement example in the pattern. Make sure to always try the first row around your hip to see how it fits.
2. The stripes are made randomly – a good tip: alternate between the colors and make 1 or 2 rows of white between the darker colors – this will make it stand more out and blend less into each other. I did not break off the yarn, I just left it and picked it up whenever I needed that color. You still crochet in the same direction, just make sure to mark the beginning of your round so you know when to change color.
BACK OPENING
3. For the back opening you will need to break off the yarn (you only need to do this if you make stripes, otherwise follow the pattern).
4. Place the dress so the beginning of the round is on the side, this way it will be less visible on the front/back. Then mark out the measurement for the back on the middle of the round.
5. Insert your hook with 1 slip stitch and 1 chain from the wrong side in your first mark and make the back.
6. Try on the dress, when you reach the middle of your bust, make twice as many decreases than before.
7. Continue until you reach your collarbone/neck. Finish with 1 row of hdc in white (or the color you want) Now chain for the strap.
STRAPS
8. Chain 70, ss back over the chains. Crochet hdc down the side, over the back opening and up to the other side, chain for the second strap and break off the yarn.
9. Insert your hook with 1 slip stitch in the edge of the back opening (around where your waist would be or below your bust, depending on what you prefer – try on the dress and hold it how you want it to be tied).
10. Tightly chain until you have about 80-100 chains. I only used 1 strand of superfine/size 1 yarn – but you can also make the strap thicker by using two strands.
11. That’s it! Remember to tag @mati_denmark and hashtag #OliviaDress if you share photos of your creation on social media!
