Alka and Arts: November 2024

Hello friends,

I know that you are very much interested in the second part, so here it is.

In the first part we made body.

Now first we shall make button band along with buttonhole band and neck band.

Join yarn at the forst st of lower band.

R1: ch1, sc1 in each st, sc2 in each dc-row till the neck corner comes, (3sctog) there,

again sc1 in each st, at second corner also make (3sctog), other side in same manner.

R2: ch1, sc1 in back loop of each st. Place markers where we have to make buttonholes.

R3: Either make ch1 ,turn or tyrn as shown then no need os making ch1, sc1 in back loop of 1 st, ch2, skip 2 sts, continue sc1 in back loop of 8 sts, ch2, skip 2 sts,

continue like this and make 5 buttonholes, then sc1 in back loop till neck corner, (3sctog) in back loop,

sc1 in back loop till other corner, (3sctog), again sc1 in back loop till end.

R4: turn, sc1 in back loop of each st till buttonhole, sc1 in back loop of both chains, repeat for each buttonhole, remaining same as R3.

R5 and R6: sc 1 in back loop of each st.

Now let's make blouse sleeves. Make the sleeves length 8" and lower part of sleeves 6".

Make the sleeves in round. Join the yarn at lower under arm centre.

R1: ch1, sc1 in each st and sc2 in dc- row space, cl.

Place marker at sc-st where the shoulders are sewed, skip 3 sts on both sides and place 1 marker on both sides,

R2: ch3 (first dc), 2dctog, dc1 in each st, dc1 in each st till first marker (blue), ....

dc1 at the marker's place, ch2, skip 3 sts, (dc2, ch2, dc2) shell at next marker's place, ch2, skip 3 sts, dc 1in mext marker's place

and dc 1 ahead in each st till last 2 sts, 2dctog, cl.

R3: dc1, (2dctog), dc1 in each st till last dc at centre, ch2, shell on shell, ch3, dc 1 in each st, lastly (2dctog), cl.

In order to make lower length of sleeve less than upper length. we change here,

R4: ch1, sc 1 in 3 sts, hdc 1 in 2 sts, dc1 till centre, ch2, shell on shell, ch2, dc 1 in each st till last 4 sts, hdc1 in 2 sts, sc1 in 2 sts, cl.

R5: same as R4.

R6: Decrease row as R3.

R7 and R8: again as R4 and R5.

Now we measure the armholw, it is 6", so no need to decrease any more.

R9: dc1 in each st, ch2, shell on shell, ch2, dc1 in each st, cl.

Repeat R9 till the length of the sleeve 8".

Last Round: dc1 in each st till central design, ch3, sc1 in ch2-sp of shell, ch3, dc1 in each st, cl.

Border: Join yarn at under arm st.

R1: ch8,

sc1 in each ch starting from second, sl st in next st (from the st where we started chs) of sleeve,

R2: sl st in next st of sleeve, sc1 in back loop of each st (7), turn,

R3: sc1 in back loop of 7 sts, sl st in next st of sleeve,

Repeat R2 and R3 till the total sleeve is covered.

Sew the two ends by tapestry needle.

Similarly make other sleeve and it's border.

Sew proper buttons.

Saree blouse is ready.

The following video with English subtitles may help you.

ETC: Enjoy the Creativity.

Hello friends,

It's winter in India. Most of the women with 50+ age wear saree at home also. For them I made this special Saree Blouse which is very comfortable at home. If you want you can make full sleeves blouse also. In video I have also told that how to make blouse of any size directly from the ready saree blouse.

I used Vardhaman Millenium 4 ply yarn and two hooks 2.5 mm for bottom band, hand bands (where we need tight fitting) and 3 mm for other part. It's weight is 287 gm. Always remember that crochet garments need more yarn than knitted.

For this blouse our measurements are:

Chest 36", Height 14" Shoulder 13", Sleeves length 9" and Bottom of sleeve is 6" (when doubled).

We start with Bottom band which we made with a design which is strechable. Hence we make it 2" less than actual measurement. Means if bottom band is 32" in ready cotton blouse then we make 30" only.

Bottom band: Make chs 18 with 2.5 mm hook, (nearly 3")

R1: sc1 in each ch from second ch. (17) (It's length is 2.7")

R2: sc1 in back loop of each st (17). It's length is now 2.7"

Repeat R2 till the length is 30".

Now with 3 mm hook work further.

R1: make sc1 in each row of single crochet, there are total 190 sts.

Fold both parts as front parts of blouse. Make 3 parts of 47 sts one front + 96 sts for back side + 47 sts for other front side. Place markers to show this division means,

47 sts +1 marker (this is side marker for armhole cut) + 88 sts + marker (this is side marker for armhole cut) + 47 sts = 190 sts. Till armhole cut we have to carry forward these two markers.

Also place 2 blue markers on front sides, after 21 sts from both edges.

Means 21+ marker + 25 sts. Similarly on other front.

Now we shall increase sts at these blue markers.

R2: ch2, don't consider it as first dc, make dc 1 in 21 sts starting from first, (dc3) in next, dc1 in remaining all sts tiil blue marker of other front side, (dc3) in that, again place marker in the middle of three dcs, dc1 in remaining sts till end.

Now again place two diffeent colored markers (say pink) in the st before and after blue marker on both sides. Here after the blue marker we have to carry forward and increase one st at both sts (at 4 pink markers) before and after middle st (blue marker), 3 markers in consecutive stitches.

R3: dc1 in each st till pink marker, {(dc2) in that pink marker's st, place marker at the st remote from middle st (means remote from blue marker) dc 1 in middle st, again (dc2) at pink marker's st, place marker at the st remote from middle st}, dc 1 in the remaining sts till other front. There also work from { to }, 4 sts are increased in this row. dc1 in each of the remaining sts.

R4: same as above R3. Again at pink markers make (dc2). There are 2 sts in between blue and pink markers on both sides.

Means we are increasing sts each time on both sides of blue marker in a st remote from blue marker. Just as shown in the photo below,

Repeat this row till the length of this stitches increased part is 3" (later on I realise that it should be only upto 2.5" because this blouse becomes little bit loose). But in video I made it 3". In between this number of sts between middle blue marker and side's pink markers go on increasing. Starting from 0 it goes to 7 sts.

Now check the height, we need arm hole after 7" and this is not 7", so work out 3 rows without increase or decrease, means dc1 in each st.

After this row we shall work front two parts and back separately. So let us work only one front part. Remember the direction from where to start, for that place some yarn piece at the stitch where the new yarn should be attached in order to maintain the design.

One Front Part:

After this we have to decrease the stitches in order to get proper shape. But now we shall not decrease at pink markers (only dc1 at pink markers) and we decrease at blue markers but we still keep all markers.

Decreasing R1: dc1 in each st till 1 st to blue marker. Make (3dctog) place blue marker again at that st, dc1 in reamining sts till 2 sts remain to armhole marker. (4 sts decreased)

Sts between blue and pink markers become 6.

R2: (2dctog ) 2 times, (means again 2 sts decreased) then dc1 in each st till blue marker, (3dctog), dc1 in each st till 4 sts remain (2dctog) 2 times, (here 6 sts are decreased). Numer of sts between blue and pink marker, now becomes 5.

R3: (2dc tog) 2 times, in each st til one st to blue marker, (3dctog), place blue marker, dc1 in each st till 4 sts remain, (2dctog) 2 times, (6 sts decreased). Now sts between blue and pink markers become 4.

R4: same as R3. (6 sts decreased). Number of sts betweenmarkers on both sides is 3.

R5 and R6: (2dctog), dc1 in each st till 1 st to blue marker, (3dctog), dc1 in each st till 2 sts to end (2dctog). In both rows 4 sts are decreased in each.

Now the number of sts on both sides of blue marker and other markers in 1.

Then check the height. For me it's 10" and I have to get 14" height. So we have to work 4" more and also decrease only1 st on both ends till there are 18 sts for shoulder. Then only work dc1 in each st if the height doesn't reach 14". After that there are only 18 sts for shoulder and it measures 3".

One front part is made.

Also note that from armhole cut we work 20 rows.

Now similarly work out other front part.

Back Part of the Blouse: Join yarn skipping 2 sts from armhole side. (means 2 sts decreased from this side)

R1: dc1 in each st till 4 sts to the end, (2dctog) 2 times,cl.

R2, R3: (2dctog) 2 times, dc1 in each st till 4 sts to end, (2dctog) 2 times.

Initially we have 96 sts on back, we decrease 4 sts in each of these 3 rows, so now we have 84 sts.

For back arm hole is not as deep as front side. Hence here onward we don't decrease at both ends.

R4, R5, R6: dc 1 in each st (no decrease) (84)

Now on back side since we don't want deep neck so we keep 18+18 for shoulders and 38 for back neck means after 18 or 19th row we need 74 sts.

Since armhole for front part is of 20 rows so on back side also we have to work 20 rows. Till now we made 6 rows so within these 14 rows we have to decrease 10 sts. (from 84 we have to come to 74)

Now place 3 markers in between to divide back in 4 parts and now we decrease 1 sts at 2 markers (not at middle marker) but in alternate rows.

Next Row on back: RB1: dc1 in each st till one st to first marker, (2dctog), dc1 in each st till third marker (we don't decrease at middlemarker. it is just to get centre of back side, (2dctog), dc1 in remaining sts.

RB2: dc1 in each st (no decrease)

Repeat these RB1 and RB2 five times. (sts 74)