sketch and photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

or,

It can be a nightmare.

In the case of  opera singer, Deborah Voigt, the LBD was a turning point in her life.

She got fired by Covent Garden for not fitting into the costume-

You guessed it…..

A Little Black Dress.

Humiliating.

She took her life in hand, and lost a phenomenal amount of weight, and by gum, she was invited back to Covent Garden, and wore the Little Black Dress.

She made a very tongue in cheek video about The Little Black Dress:

I hope that your experiences with your Little Black Dress are MUCH happier!

A couple of my designer friends will make sure that you do have a very happy time, indeed, with your Crocheted LBD!

Jill Hanratty’s gorgeous Little Black Dress is featured in the current issue of Crochet! magazine.

photo copyright Mary Jane Hall used with permission

And, Mary Jane Hall’s wonderful book, Crochet That Fits features a gorgeous LBD on the cover! Yum!

Thanks to Mary Jane and Jill, we can all sing the praises of the crocheted, perfect, Little Black Dress!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

I’ve been thinking about classic designs lately, and wondering-

What exactly is THE PERFECT LITTLE BLACK DRESS and can you crochet it?

sketch and photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

The perfect little black crocheted dress absolutely must:

1.Be Comfortable – it has to fit without binding, drooping or emphasizing places that prefer to be blessed, not blushed over.

2. Be Versatile- The Perfect Little Black Dress must be a champion of  multi-tasking. It needs to be able to be worn in several different ways, and be suitable for many different occasions and events.

3. Be Layer-able- Worn over, worn under, worn with …. shrugs, shawls, sweaters, fancy tights, bluejeans, leggings, bare legs

4. Be  Timeless- Well, perhaps not ~quite timeless~ but certainly needs to be able to stand up to several seasons of changing fashion.

5. Be Fun to make- That may mean that it is incredibly complex or it could mean that it is super simple. Both are definitely fun.

6.  Be Yarn appropriate- It must be made in a yarn that is a pleasure to work with and wears well.

7. Probably have drape through the skirt.  Having drape integral in the skirt is going to mean that it moves beautifully and won’t get pulled out of shape by sitting. Nothing looks worse than having the bum of a skirt go all droopy.  A little flex and drapability goes a long way in alleviating humdrum bumdrop on the back of the skirt.

8. Have a stitch structure that gives stability over the shoulders. Have lots of stability through the upper bodice and over the shoulders is essential. It’s going to make the dress much more durable and will sustain the shaping, which will make it fit better.

9. Make you feel absolutely DIVINE! There has to be a certain something that is totally magical about it, that makes you want to hug it to you like a teddy, but makes you feel like a million dollars when you wear it.

10.  Inspire your Creativity! Perhaps the PERFECT LITTLE BLACK CROCHETED DRESS  IS NOT A DRESS!  It might just be a wonderful tunic, like Doris Chan’s, or a spectacular skirt (like the tunisian stitch skirt that I designed for Crochet! magazine), paired with a brilliantly designed little top ( like Angela Best’s Sweetie Pie Top) , or Halter top (Like Amie Hirte’s spectacular Amelia), and possibly topped off with Doris Chan’s fabulous circle jacket

11. The most important and final rule: It has to be something that you will enjoy. So, get out your hook and black yarn, and a really good light (crocheting black yarn can be challenging!) and  ENJOY your perfect LBD!

So, tell me, have you crocheted your PERFECT LITTLE BLACK DRESS? I would love to see pics!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn