Drops Top 60-14 modifications

Somehow in all my postings on this top I never included in my blog the pattern changes I made. So here they are.

Original Pattern: Garnstudio Drops Design Top 60-14; size M
Hook & Yarn info: I used a 3.0mm hook with GGH Bali yarn shown here.

Clarifications/Modifications:

1. "sc into the next ch 5 loop" - we decided it looked cleaner if we actually put the sc into the 3rd ch on the ch5 loop.

2. Making a single bobble - the bobble explanation was definitely missing a step or two as written.
My version was as follows:
"YO, Pull a loop through the sts (see the chart) and make it approx. 1 cm [3/8"] long, YO, pull another loop through the same sts and make it approx. 1 cm [3/8"] long, YO pull st though all but one loop on hook, YO pull through last 2 loops". This sort of tied up the bobble at the top of the stitch.
An alternate method would be:
"Pull a loop through the sts (see the chart) and make it approx. 1 cm [3/8"] long, YO, pull another loop through the same sts and make it approx. 1 cm [3/8"] long, YO, pull st though all loops on hook." It works, but leaves the bobble a bit open & tilted, in my hands.

3. Bobble placement: The way the pattern is written the bobbles that form the flower petals are not centered in one spot. I'm way too anal to live with that... so I changed it as follows..

For the right bobble, say on row 3 (for righties), instead of [sc,ch 4, then do your right bobble into the previous sc, sl st into the top of the next bobble from the row below], I did sc, bobble into the top of the next bobble from the row below (the bottom bobble of the flower), ch 4, sl st into the top of the next bobble from the row below...

For the left bobble.. I did it as written - Ch 4, bobble into the top of the bobble from the row below, sc into the next ch 5 loop.

Then in the next row the top bobble is made into the same space (not the slip stitch) - so that the right, left and top bobbles are all made INTO the bottom bobble.

In the photo the first row is the old way of bobble placement, the 2nd row is the new way.



New




Old




4. Sleeves: I didn't write out the pattern changes I made here. The first sleeve I made just didn't look like it could be "eased" into the armhole. When I tried to pin it in place I would never have been able to lift my arms. I had to make a sleeve to fit the armhole. A woman I know making the XL didn't have this problem.

5. Side seams - Needing a bit more ease, I joined the front and back panels as follows:
I joined yarn to front panel at bottom, ch 7, slip st to back panel bottom ch, turn. Sl st into sc on back panel, sc across the ch 7, sl st into sc on front panel, turn. Ch5, sk 3 sc, sc in sc, ch5, sk 3 sc, sl st into sc on back panel, turn. *Sl st up dc on back panel, ch 3, sc in 3rd ch of ch5-loop, ch 5, sc in 3rd ch of ch5-loop, ch 3, sl st to next row of front panel, turn. Ch 5, sc in 3rd ch of ch5-loop, ch 5, sl st to back panel, turn. * Repeat from* to * all the way to sleeve seam. I slowly decreased the width of this side panel beginning at the armpit so that it was gone by the sleeve edge. Then I repeated this for the other side seam

Unfortunately this created a ridge where I had slip stitched up the panel to get to the next row. I was too tired to fix it, but, what I should have done was this (hind sight is always 20/20):
Join yarn to front panel at bottom, ch 7, slip st to back panel bottom ch, turn. Sl st into sc on back panel, sc across the ch 7, sl st into sc on front panel, turn. Ch5, sk 3 sc, sc in sc, ch 2, sk 3 sc, dc into sc on back panel, dc into top of dc on back panel (next row up), turn. *Ch 5, sc in 3rd ch of ch5-loop, ch 3, sl st to next row of front panel, turn. Ch 5, sc in 3rd ch of ch5-loop, ch 2, dc into dc on back panel, dc into top of dc (next row up) on back panel, turn. * Repeat from* to * all the way to sleeve seam. I slowly decreased the width of this side panel beginning at the armpit so that it was gone by the sleeve edge.

6. Bottom edging: Because of the added side panels the bottom didn't have a smooth edge. I added a row of sc all the way around.