The Marigold Sweater
Everything was sad.
It was late May 2020. The pandemic was two months in with no end in sight. A sad heaviness permeated my house as the news of George Floyd’s death sent a shocking reminder that our country still has such a long way to go when it comes to human rights. My head was in a downward spin as I worried about my black friends and family. I was having one hard conversation after another with people who have various understanding and experience of black rights in America and honestly, it became so emotionally exhausting that I needed something to help process all the pain and fear.
I needed yellow- the color of turmeric.
Turmeric is one of my favorite spices because of it’s color and anti-inflammatory properties. I needed inflammation of the soul so I found the most beautiful golden yellow yarn that I could and began my design process.
A trend I have been particularly excited about is puff sleeves. Anyone who’s seen my designs knows I’m into a dramatic sleeve. I found an inspiration photo (pictured on the right) but of course wanted to turn the concept into something uniquely my own. I loved the intricate floral lace and sought out to find another version of it that I could adapt. I began to search for floral lace patterns and found a tutorial on youtube for puff stitch flowers. PUFF STITCHES?! How perfect for a puff sleeve! It was meant to be. After watching the tutorial and learning the basic concept, I adapted the stitch counts to suit the worsted weight yarn I was using.
A trend I have been particularly excited about is puff sleeves. Anyone who’s seen my designs knows I’m into a dramatic sleeve. I found an inspiration photo (pictured on the right) but of course wanted to turn the concept into something uniquely my own. I loved the intricate floral lace and sought out to find another version of it that I could adapt. I began to search for floral lace patterns and found a tutorial on youtube for puff stitch flowers. PUFF STITCHES?! How perfect for a puff sleeve! It was meant to be. After watching the tutorial and learning the basic concept, I adapted the stitch counts to suit the worsted weight yarn I was using.
I made the sleeves first. This beautiful color and new floral lace pattern was the perfect balm for my soul and I was able to process through much pain as the yarn flowed through my fingers. It was big and dramatic and beautiful and the cuff finished it off nicely.
The next big thing to figure out was how to make a bodice that would support the weight of the sleeve and give the right lift to create a puff. I scheduled a time to take pictures of the sweater on my favorite model/ bestie/ housemate Kiara. The only problem was… I didn’t have the bodice finished. On the morning of the shoot, I was still stitching and trying to figure out how to make the sweater work. She was all ready for photos and I figured out how to make the sleeves sit the right way but still wasn’t happy with the bodice overall. If you look through those photos you’ll notice that I didn’t take many photos where you could see the bodice of the sweater. Still- we managed to get some great shots and I decided I’d figure out the bodice later.
For the final look of the bodice, I went with something really simple and high-necked to support the sleeve. I created texture by doing front loop only and back loop only to make little ridges through the rows. I then lengthened the sleeve to make it look proportionate to the bodice.
Once I finalized the design I wrote the pattern with much help from my tech editor Jovette DSouza Pinto and testers. I had the pleasure of working with the very talented and helpful Laura Murphy, April Gopwani, Brittney Hawkins, Ashley Millard, and Crissy Willis. I can’t even begin to say how amazed I am by the support and talent of the crochet community and these amazing makers are no exception. Treat yourself and check out their work ;)
Ashley Millard
I decided to name this sweater the Marigold Sweater. Marigolds are flowers famously used to decorate Ofrendas for Dia De Muertos, the Mexican Day of the dead. The aroma, along with the vibrant color, is believed to guide spirits of the dead back to their families during Dia de Muertos.
Photo by Lerina Winter. Florist: Margaret Joan Florals.
I felt this was the perfect name because the floral lace in the sleeve is reminiscent of these gorgeous golden blooms. Just as the marigolds are used to honor those who have passed, I also wanted to honor those who have passed at the hands of injustice.
