Crochet: The Zodiac Tunic
© positivelylace
Sorry for my delay in updating posts, it is nearing the end of my son’s homeschool year and we are working hard to finish up his courses! I have so many projects from Doris Chan’s Convertible Crochet book on my to-do list, however, the last time I was at the yarn store I was able to pick up a few skeins of super-wash merino cashmere on sale (which was called for in the Zodiac Tunic pattern). For the past week or so I have been working on this in my spare time and am absolutely in love with cashmere, having never worked with it before… I am hooked!!
I only slightly altered my tunic (I omitted the sleeves) because the store ran out of my color yarn, but I am really happy with the short sleeve look. Also, even though I used a similar weight class/different brand super-wash merino yarn as called for, my gauge was slightly smaller and my tunic is more form fitting (see below image of Zodiac Tunic from Doris Chan):
© Doris Chan
The closest I was able to come to the gauge was by increasing my hook size from an H-8/5.00 mm to an I-9/5.50 mm. Even though it does not have the same drape, I really am proud of how it turned out. The pattern calls for Filatura i Crosa Zara 100% superwash merino wool (size 3) and I used the closest I could find at Michael’s which was Lion Brand Superwash Merino Cashmere (size 4, 72% merino wool, 15% nylon, 13% cashmere). I really love this yarn, it is super soft and surprisingly stretchy! I can’t wait to use it again for a sweater pattern, but it isn’t very cheap (hopefully I will find it on sale again before winter!!).
© positivelylace
The tunic consists of two basic motifs, large copernicus octagons (at the center of the front and back, as well as for the sleeves… which I omitted) and smaller copernicus pentagons that form a ring around the central octagons. (Please excuse my blurry photo below, this shows basic placement of the top).
One side of The Zodiac Tunic
© positivelylace
As with every Doris Chan pattern, this was very simple to make and I could have finished it much sooner if I wasn’t pre-occupied. I love how it turned out, and I cannot wait to wear it! Again, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Doris Chan’s book Convertible Crochet. Every pattern in there consists of just a few, extremely simple to make, motifs. Enjoy!
The back of the finished Zodiac Tunic
© positivelylace
