I am really pleased to be able to let you know that my Whirl Skirt crochet pattern features in Crochet Foundry Magazine January 2024. I was so excited for the public launch of this issue on 3rd January 2024. It includes the full pattern along with customisation tips, yarn reviews and a bonus craft idea, plus a fantastic range of beautiful, bright neon projects that are perfect for Winter and articles on yarn related topics. Well done to editor Jessie Rayot for another great issue full of tempting makes. Do take a look and see if your next project might be in there!
Why make the Sand Timer Tunic Crochet Pattern?
It’s going to be a wonderfully stylish addition to your wardrobe featuring high fashion details such as the skirt ruffle. The bold colours used as an accent are perfect for showing movement in ruffles. Plus it's versatile, as you can wear it in winter with leggings, for nights out with a satin underskirt or tights or perhaps as a beach cover-up in summer with your swimwear.
The stitches are easy and rather repetitive while the construction is interesting so you have relaxing parts to work when you don’t want to concentrate and more focused tasks that could expand your skills as you complete your project.
It's also very adaptable. You could easily make a shorter denser version without the split if you wanted something more office friendly simply by switching to a thicker yarn and working fewer rows.
Creating the Whirl Skirt Crochet Pattern
I had originally presented a design for a single colour skirt with the contrast shade only on the details but when I looked at the Cascade site to see which colours best matched the theme of the magazine, I saw the black and grey yarns together and though it would be fun to make it with three different shades getting darker toward the bottom and then with the ruffles drawing the dark shade through the lighter ones as a base for the neon yellow.
I worked on the sample whilst travelling to visit family over the summer and it was a perfect travel project; although the skirt is long, the laceweight yarn meant it was very compact and easy to carry about or work on in the car. The easy stitch pattern meant I was able to carry on with my crochet whilst catching up with friends and family or watching my children have fun in the parks and playgrounds we visited.
I was very pleased with how the yarn worked up. Cascade Alpaca Lace has just the right balance of drape and springiness for a v-stitch skirt and again the perfect level of fluffiness whilst still running through the fingers nicely for a speedy make with minimal frustration. I didn't find it splitty either, which was really important for working the ribbing in black without always having good lighting!
I was, as always very appreciative of Technical Editor, Pia Thadani's input for this design. It was really helpful to have someone else's input on how the instructions are presented for the reader and identifying any errors before it goes to print. Not only was Pia Thadani knowledgeable and great at explaining any improvements, she was also very friendly and didn't make me feel silly for any errors.
Seeing the finished project in the magazine was lovely. The colours in this issue are so bold and cheerful for cold grey wintery months and the garments are a wonderful collection, varied and interesting. I know that I'd be tempted to make several of them if I wasn't already keen to make myself a version of the Sand Timer Tunic, my other design in this month's magazine!
Pattern: Whirl Skirt
Published in: Crochet Foundry Magazine January 2024
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Alpaca Lace: Black 1406; Silver 1413; Charcoal 1414.
Do let me know if you make the set or one of the pieces. I'm always so excited when I see that someone has used one of my patterns! I love to get comments on my blog too, so do let me know your thoughts on the design or ask any questions you have below.
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