My first crochet summer blouse

Hello lovelies... Good to see you...
 
This post features on my first attempt of crocheting a summer blouse. Yeah, its spring - summer here, though Glasgow in very far for it. Still need jackets to put on.. However, a very good friend turned customer of mine has asked me if I could crochet her a summer blouse. Yikessss!!! I was thrilled when she asked me that, but I haven't ever crocheted a blouse till now. So I ask her if I should take a chance and she said YES.. Wow, that's indeed a good sign. Also someone has trusted me for the purpose.
 
I then intimated in my group that I will be suspending my current tablecloth work for a while as we get very less sunshine here in UK. All of them supported it. Thanks to everyone. I started diving in the google for a good pattern for the summer blouse. Took a couple of days to find out an apt pattern for me. There were loads of it and confused me to choose. I then finalised with the pattern posted in http://www.girliescrochet.com as I felt the instructions were so simple and easy to understand. And as a beginner like me, there were enough of instructions and photos. 

     

My first attempt
 

I started understanding the pattern reading the instructions first and making pics of my own to understand it well. Heyyy no no, I am not yet a pattern writer. Hardly designed  my own for the table cloth. But one day I will.

Yeah, so after understanding the instructions well, I started making my first summer top and finished it. The top looks a bit dense, which would be more suitable during fall-winter season, I felt. Its my understanding, however.
 
I published it in my group and everyone liked and appreciated. I thanked God that he has given me the ability to this extent. My friend who is running a boutique in India immediately asked me to make her three tops for her. What should I say? I was so happy to see my creation and I instantly posted it for my friend.
 
Little I knew about the crochet dresses. So I asked my friend to give me feedback after trying it.
 
The feedback was good, but the dress turned small for her. I was sad, but was confident enough that I can alter it. So asked her to post it back to me, so that I can work on it. I was pondering where I went wrong. Everything were like the pattern. Then I realized I misinterpreted the stitches mentioned. I was supposed to follow the instructions in the brackets provided, but somewhere, at some point of time, I misread the instructions. I didn't bother to unravel the stitches as I feared the original yarn would have been lost. Also to find the stitches weaved in is a herculean task too. So I kept aside the top and decided to unravel the stitches when I get free time and use it for my personal purposes.

The altered one

I then started crocheting the new one. But this time. though I followed the same instructions, for the body, I decided to put my own design. Since I felt the first one has denser stitches, I wanted to avoid those instructions and use only the double crochet stitches along the body length. I increased the number of stitches for the body as it was from there I went wrong. The stitches I increased did not produce much change to the original pattern. I felt it would be snug enough. I ensured in each and every step that the stitches were correct. And in no time I found the top growing and growing. I measured the length too this time as that was also a requirement.
 
I then decided to use the same neck pattern for the border part, so that the look will be identical and lo, it turned out to be a frilled type one. I was so thrilled to see the outcome. I didn't know that it will come out like that, and it has its own beauty.
 
I have posted my first picture in the girliescrochet website too. Am yet to publish my second one.
 
I learnt few things in this project.
 
1. Pay proper attention to the work whatever be the pattern level, easy or difficult. Not always is it possible to spare time for rework.
 
2. Always measure the stiches length and breadth wise according to the requirements.
 
3. It is better to seek permission from the customer if the dress can be put on for a model or at least for self for the photo shoots.
 
4. The more we get involved in the work, the more we get knowledge and understand it better. I understood my mistakes, came up with my own design and a new outcome of the work.
 
5. I got a hang of trying new tops too, this time for my little one. 
 
Fingers crossed, I am awaiting for my friend's response. Hope this time it is exactly as she wanted.
 
Apologies for the post being too lengthy, but I wanted to share my experiences with this very new project. I would like to know about your feedback, so please post your comments too. Until then its bye from Kala.