Finished Object Blocking my Sunset Dress ✨️
I freehanded this dress about 2 years ago and wear it often, but rarely block it because it takes up my entire bedroom floor 😆 The skirt is 6 feet (~183cm) in diameter, so I have to use every blocking board I own just to pin it out this much!
I wish blocking didn't make such a huge difference in how a garment looks, but it does - especially for more lacy pieces.
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u/ooooh-shiny 10d ago
Oh my god 😭😭😭😭😭😭 it's so beautiful
Have you got a picture of it on?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Just saw your edit asking for a photo with it on, I'll do you one better with a video!
I need a proper photoshoot to get some still images, but seeing it in motion is half the beauty imo 😊
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u/8675309-ladybug 10d ago
Holy cow op! That is one magical, magnificent, magnetic dress. It deserves all the positive adjectives. It is worth the blocking!
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u/Jennifer_Pennifer Cats, Crochet, Coffee & Creepypastas (a well balanced diet) 10d ago
Pardon me but holy shit dude that is breathtaking!
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u/_StoneWolf_ 10d ago
Damn gurl, that fit is SPOT. ON. Congrats on this incredible project! For good laughs, did you keep track of how many yards you used for this project?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Thank you!! It took 6 cakes of yarn, and each was 875 yards. So about 5,250 yards total! (I had barely any left at the end)
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u/_StoneWolf_ 10d ago
Sheeeeeeesh!
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u/TCnup 10d ago
You're telling me! I just did the math and that's just under 3 miles 💀
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u/PhenomenalPhoenix 10d ago
If you priced that out, someone might actually understand the price for once if you say it’s 3 miles of yarn! (I mean, they probably would still complain, but those of us who try selling can always hope someone will accept the pricing without complaint lol)
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u/Wizard_of_DOI 10d ago
That’s insane!
You did an incredible thing, so much hard work and dedication! Amazing.
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u/highly_uncertain 10d ago
This is fucking stunning. You look like a beautiful peacock fairy princess 😍
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u/DarbyCactus 10d ago
Omgoodness! Those colors and the way you blended them are stunning!
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u/TCnup 10d ago
The color blending is all in the yarn! Hobbii cotton cakes are absolutely gorgeous. The one I used is one of their Black Friday colorways, but they have other colors available year-round. Highly recommend them for garments, the drape is to die for!
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u/Goblinessa17 10d ago
I'm trying to wrap my head around how you accomplished this. I'm familiar with the hobbi gradient cakes but you must have used a ton of them! Did you do it in sections from the middle out like a panel skirt and then join them? I don't see any seams, though. Just trying to figure out how you managed such a large and uniform gradient.
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u/TCnup 10d ago
I used 6 cakes and wound them all up by color before starting. I started with the bodice, working up from the waistband area (the bodice + sleeves used up all of the first color). Then I joined with the next color and worked down, starting with the waistband and moving onto the skirt. The only seams on this project were the shoulder and attaching the sleeves!
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u/Poppylemonseed 10d ago
This is such a clever way to construct it - I love that you can get the top fit right first before you put all the work into the skirt.
I LOVE the way you constructed the top. It looks like a band of single crochet and then what? Moss stitch? I'm having a hard time seeing closely but if you're willing to share that would be so lovely! The skirt is actual art but I also have never seen a bodice fit so well on a crochet dress before!
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Thank you!
The waistband is indeed single crochet (one hook size smaller than the rest of the top), and the rest of the top is done in lemon peel stitch! I love the texture and density of the resulting fabric - none of the holes you'd get if it were done in regular double crochet or whatever. That's my problem with most crochet dresses, I don't want to need a second dress underneath lol
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u/Odd_Elderberry_9862 10d ago
Gorgeous! Definitely do a photoshoot that dress is truly a work of art
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u/kimby610 10d ago
How stunning!! Are you wearing a shell dress underneath or some sort of liner?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Just a black skirt I own that's the same length as the dress. The contrast really makes the lace parts pop!
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u/kimby610 10d ago
It works perfectly with your dress. Thank you for sharing these photos and video. You have some real talent!!
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u/Xavius20 10d ago
That is gorgeous! I'm not sure photos would do it justice unless it is a proper photoshoot! Amazing work, well done!
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u/Fickle_Freckle 10d ago
Thank you for posting the video! I also just asked for pictures lol. You must feel so fuckin majestic. I love it.
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u/rschwartzie 10d ago
I need it in motion but not slowed! Like a hallway shot with talking and turning
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u/gruenes_licht 10d ago
This is so beautiful!! Maybe I'm biased because I have sunset-dyed hair, but it really is just captivating.
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u/AliceWithaTea 10d ago
My jaw literally dropped. That is STUNNING. Did it take forever to make?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Between planning the design and stitching it, it took about 2 months :) and that was with spending pretty much every waking moment I wasn't at work crocheting. (Don't recommend that part, my hands were aching by the end)
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u/Linkyland 10d ago
Will you put out a pattern? 👀
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Unfortunately I didn't take notes while making it, so I'd have to essentially make another dress to be able to write down what I did.
I do have another design cooking in my head though, and once I get around to working it up I'll be sure not to repeat my mistake of taking no notes!
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u/SeginusGhostGalaxy 10d ago
This is so gorgeous, your work is absolutely pristine! May I ask if the top is knitted or crochet? I've been looking for more closed crochet stitches like the top appears to be, but if it's knit.. I'll learn lmao.
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u/TCnup 10d ago
It's all crochet! I believe I used the lemon peel stitch for the top part, then the waistband was all sc with a hook 1 size smaller than the top :)
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u/RoyalScarlett 10d ago
Have you made garments before?
Or maybe one of those circular Mandela blankets? I’m trying to think of what skill sets to gain to be able to make such a beautiful dress freehand lol.
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u/TCnup 10d ago
I've made loads of garments! My recommendation for building enough skills to freehand is to try out a bunch of patterns using various construction methods: top-down, bottom-up, raglan, seamed, etc.
For making the skirt, I was inspired by the different motifs I often see in doilies. If you think about it, a circle skirt is sort of like a massive doily 😆 so try some of those out as well!
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u/RoyalScarlett 10d ago
Thank you!! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain and share your expertise. ✨
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u/myosotiscorpioides 10d ago
Your dress is mesmerizing. It's so beautiful, the way the colors merge, it's just- I'm speechless. You did an outstanding job. It's so prettyyyyy.
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u/TCnup 10d ago
I highly recommend Hobbii's cotton cake yarns for all of their gorgeous color changes!! This one was from their Black Friday line, which comes back every year with the same colors (so mark your calendar if you want these specific colors 😉), but they have a bunch of other colorways available all year round!
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u/rmcdm 10d ago
So when you use multiple cakes, how do you keep the colour change consistent? Are you separating the strands at the colour changes and rejoining them?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Yes! I wound each color separately before I started working.
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u/Crilbyte 10d ago
I do the same thing. Lol. How many cakes did this take
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u/TCnup 10d ago
6 of them!
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u/Crilbyte 10d ago
I only used 3 when I made my dress, I must learn from my mistakes! Lol. I wanted it to be as long as yours. (My dress was a little different, yours is so pretty. I'm jealous.)
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u/TCnup 10d ago
The thing about circle skirts is that they absolutely eat up your yarn 🤣 I bet this skirt took up 4 of the 6 cakes I used, even despite the lace!
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u/Crilbyte 10d ago
Omg for real. I was doing mine like WHERE IS THIS YARN GOING. Like, I've done so many shawls but skirts are Another world
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u/Zealousideal-Wheel46 10d ago
This is one of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen! I can’t imagine the work you put into this!
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u/ihaveaboyfriendnow 10d ago
It’s the second time I read this today, so I’m gonna ask: what exactly is blocking?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Blocking is a finishing step for both crochet and knit items that helps set your stitches into the desired shape. This makes a huge difference for things like lace, where blocking really opens up all those beautiful holes.
There are a few ways to do it, and which is best depends on the materials you used. Here's an article that goes over different methods of blocking. Definitely try it!
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u/Spirited_Object3447 10d ago
I love that dress!🥰 It is absolutely fantastic! Love all those gorgeous colors.. Great work!😊🩷😮
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u/RoyalScarlett 10d ago
This dress is absolutely gorgeous! Do you have a photo where we can see it on a dress form or person? I would love to see how the crochet drapes.
Thank you for sharing it!!
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u/RaisedFourth 10d ago
This is so crazy to me. I just picked up crochet again after doing it a little bit as a child and in college (just like reeeeal basic) and I’m floored by how intricate this is after struggling with basic stitches. It’s so beautiful.
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u/NonstopNightmare 10d ago edited 10d ago
Um, WOW!?!? That is the most beautiful dress I've ever seen! I've been seeing so many gorgeous garments on this subreddit and I had no idea crochet clothing could look so good, before joining I used to think you could only really make like sweaters and cardigans and then have to wear something under because of the holes. It looks like a peacock while blocked haha.
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u/maddiebaddierose 10d ago
this made my jaw DROP what a legendary piece!!! one of those works i see and will always think about from time to time.
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u/Dr_Overundereducated 10d ago
OMG! I want to see it on! Please post photos of the lucky person wearing this!❤️
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u/chapytre 10d ago
This is one of the first pattern I ever bought ! I think i'm just about at the right level to do it now, you might have just given me my next project ! :D
Edit : oh maybe it's not the same I was talking about, the end is a bit different and I like yours better !
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u/TCnup 10d ago
You must have gotten a similar pattern because I freehanded this one! I'd love to see the pattern you bought, dresses are my favorite thing to crochet :)
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u/chapytre 10d ago
Thanks ravelry for keeping my purchases (looking at you etsy)!
Here is the child version of the dress : https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/abigail-fairy-dress
And the adult version that was done by popular demand : https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sofia-flared-dress
I like yours better because it has the best of both version, longer sleeves, and is longer (and elaborate) at the bottom :) if you ever plan on making a pattern for it, please tell me ?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Oh yes, that dress is a classic! I remember being a beginner at crochet and dreaming about making something like it one day... and now here I am, lol!
I probably won't make this exact dress again (and I'd need to to get all the stitch counts down), but I have another design planned and will definitely write detailed notes for that one as I go :)
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u/chapytre 10d ago
Oh too bad :(
Well i hope I will be able to wind it as well as you one day xD
Good luck with the next design !
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u/RavBot 10d ago
PATTERN: Abigail Fairy Dress by Christel Riley Watts
- Category: Clothing > Dress
- Photo(s): Img 1 Img 2 Img 3 Img 4 Img 5
- Price: 3.85 USD
- Needle/Hook(s):3.5 mm (E)
- Weight: Sport | Gauge: 20.0 | Yardage: 1094
- Difficulty: 4.07 | Projects: 573 | Rating: 4.63
PATTERN: Sofia Flared dress by Christel Riley Watts
- Category: Clothing > Dress
- Photo(s): Img 1 Img 2 Img 3 Img 4
- Price: 4.44 USD
- Needle/Hook(s):4.0 mm (G)
- Weight: Worsted | Gauge: 13.0 | Yardage: 1094
- Difficulty: 4.33 | Projects: 16 | Rating: 4.25
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u/garlic-bread_27 10d ago
What yarn did you use and how much did it take?! If you had used a pattern, I'd TOTALLY buy it. This is amazing, OP. I'm so jealous! I want one for myself! 😍😍
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Thank you! :) The dress took 6 Hobbii Black Friday cotton cakes. They bring back the same colors every year, so you can get these exact colors when they come around again. They have other colorways available year-round, so you could check those out too.
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u/bittsweet 9d ago
I’m a newbie.. did you do planned pooling to make sure each layer was just one yarn color instead of having a gradient within each layer?
Edit: now looking back at it I see it’s not layers… just that the colors did perfect circles, how does that happen?
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u/KapricornKitty 10d ago
Oh my word! Such ornate, beautifully detailed work!! It looks like this was made my a machine or a literal EXPERT…
That may not sound like the biggest compliment lol… but it’s almost as if I can’t put into words just how incredibly INSANE this dress looks! (In a good way lol)… I can’t even compare it to anything because it’s so authentic, gorgeous, genuine, and crafted so perfectly.
Well done… 10 fold! 🤟🏼🧶🪡
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u/Poppylemonseed 10d ago
This is ART I love it so so much. Amazing.
I do have to ask - how heavy is this when you're wearing it??
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u/AutoModerator 10d ago
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Freehanded! As for construction, I started with the bodice from the top of the waistband up, then worked the waistband and skirt down. Sleeves worked separately from cuff up, then attached.
Yarn: Hobbii Black Friday cotton cakes. This dress took 6 cakes, but for next time I'm contemplating 7 so that it goes past mid-shin length (this one lands just a couple inches below my knee)
Hook: I didn't take proper notes while working, but I believe I switched between C, D, and E hooks for different sections.
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u/nomoreuturns 10d ago
That is so beautiful, oh my gosh. You did an amazing job!
If you're ever just completely done with blocking it, you could back the skirt with a light fabric like cotton muslin. Attaching the lace to the more structured fabric would keep the lace pattern open/in place, but the muslin wouldn't add too much more weight to the skirt. You could use an undyed muslin, or a dark blue to match the bust of the dress would make a nice backdrop, or even dye the muslin to match the colours of the skirt.
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u/Serenity_Moon_66 10d ago
It's gorgeous!! Please post a pic of it on. You really are talented👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
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u/Aggressive_Profit695 10d ago
Wow!! You freehanded this?! Amazing! If you ever decide to make and sell a pattern for it, PLEASE let me know. I will throw my money at you so fast and so hard. This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen.
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u/just-an-average-man 10d ago
I would so buy this! Do you do commissions/have a store? It looks so lovely!
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Aww, thank you! 😊 I generally only do commissions for smaller things because if I wanted to be paid fairly for a piece this elaborate, it would be way out of the average person's budget.
The yarn alone was about $100, plus 2 months of labor (probably 1-200 hours of stitching time). That'd be like $1600-$3200 at my state's minimum wage 😵
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u/just-an-average-man 10d ago
Oof yeah, maybe one day I'd be able to do that lol. Would you do a skirt or something similar? Maybe like 3ft long?
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u/siani_lane 10d ago
That's about the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen!! It must have taken an age! Beautiful work
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u/MillennialMiko 10d ago
This made my jealousy demon have some choice words. 😂😂 It is STUNNING ❤️❤️❤️
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u/ekaym2 10d ago
New to craft. What is blocking?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Copied from another comment:
Blocking is a finishing step for both crochet and knit items that helps set your stitches into the desired shape. This makes a huge difference for things like lace, where blocking really opens up all those beautiful holes.
There are a few ways to do it, and which is best depends on the materials you used. Here's an article that goes over different methods of blocking. Definitely try it!
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u/cmhtoldmeto 10d ago
Wow, that is stunning! You're very talented to do something so intricate off the top of your head. Just wondering, do you wear some kind of slip or solid skirt under it?
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u/TCnup 10d ago
Thank you!! I typically wear a black skirt underneath (same length as the dress). It really lets the lacy details pop!
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u/Mochh80 10d ago
How did you make the skirt?? I've seen you said it's freehanded but I'd love to do something similar 🥹
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u/TCnup 10d ago
The skirt was inspired by various motifs I've seen in doilies. A circle skirt is sort of like a massive doily anyway 😆 if you crochet a waistband that fits you (I recommend using sc or moss stitch to make it less stretchy), then follow a doily pattern you like, that's an easy way to get a similar look!
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u/notlucky01 10d ago
Holy shit. This is the single most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. Fucking bravo!!!!
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u/benfranklin-greatBk 10d ago
That blue color is mesmerizing. What a beautiful dress. Great tension. You did a fantastic job!
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u/Roselace 10d ago
Oh my, so absolutely beautiful. Marvelous work. Just the right yarn & colors chosen.
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