I just made a coat for my little girl, out off small granny square's. with all scrap yarn. Granny squares would not be warm enuogh here far a coat so I made little square's with double crochet, and then slip stitch them together. I made my granny square's small only 2 rows around the first little square. I made the double crochet square's a little bigger I chained 15 and made 5 rows of 15 chains then slip stitch around the front of the granny square. This looks nice then tie off and pull your yarn into the inside off the square. This coat has 68 sqare's I put 4 square's's across the back, and 5 down. I put 3 on each side, in a straight row. I put 1 row of 5 for each front piece. it opens in the front. the sleevs have 3 square's across and 3 down. you put them all together with a slip stitch kepping yarn loos as you work. The sleeve opening will be larger than the sleeve when you slip stitch them together skip every other stitch on the bodice this will gather the bodice up to fit the sleeve. you will have to work at this for a while to get it just right but it does not take very long I made the whole coat in 1 week. Keep in mind that if you are your child want to drees like every one els this coat is not for you it is a one of a kind. It is very cut. I am makeing myself one now. hope some one can use this let me know if you need any help. Lisa

-- Lisa Hopple (hopplehomestead@safezone.net), September 28, 2000

Answers

CONGRATULATIONS LISA ! ! ! I don't crochet yet, but your post brought back memories of when my Dear Grandmother made me a crocheted poncho or cape when I was pregnant with my first child, I still have it and may just wear it this year!! You may be wrong about it not being in style, not that it really matters to most of us homesteaders, but in Wal-Mart at the end of a purse row, there were little girls crochet ponchos just like mine, oh and purses to match. Isn't it fun to make something usefull and needed out of scraps and have no or little money spent, I allways feel soooo good about it when I accomplish something like that and then sit back and say gosh, I really didn't need to go out and buy it at the store after all! Keep us posted on yours!

-- Carol (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), September 28, 2000.

Lisa, how am I going to learn how to crochet? I bought a book on teaching yourself, but I just can't do it. I am sort of teaching myself to knit. Maybe I should hang a sign at the local fabric store, hmmm....

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), September 28, 2000.

I sent Cathy a long reply from my e-mail on how to crochet and where to find help I should have put it here but did not think of that sorry will do better next time. Most small towns ( and large ones ) have a place where elderly go to visit. That would be a good place to find some help with crochet. Or people from church, ect. I learned how to quilt from an elderly lady at the community center I had a blast, and made new freinds. Lisa

-- Lisa Hopple (hopplehomestead@safezone.net), September 28, 2000.

Hey Cathy...I taught myself to crochet...and guess what! I hold the hook all wrong! But it gets the job done! People DO stare at me though!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 28, 2000.

Our library gives classes on knitting and crocheting .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), September 28, 2000.

I saw those at Walmart, too. I used to make those for gifts about 25 or more years ago. If anyone still has a patten, I'd love to have it.

-- Teresa (otgonz@bellsouth.net), September 29, 2000.