Simmons Monika - Double Stitch: Designs for the Crochet Fashionista

erika + monika simmons

This book is dedicated to God for gracing us with this opportunity to share our gift of crochet design with the world.

Thanks to our Family: Momma, Grandma, Sekani, Toni, and Kim for inspiring us to start crocheting in the first place and for setting the stage for us to Act, Feel, and Be superstars in all of our endeavors!

Thanks to Chris and Nyree for their constant love and support throughout our growth as human beings and artists.

Special thanks to our fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Pugh, for introducing us to the art of crochet.

Thanks to our wonderful Sista-preneurs, Malaun, Vershawn, Doni, Dale, Jocelyn, Tiffany, Kelley, Akua, Erika B, etc.... for supporting us in our quest to keep Doing what we love.

A super special thanks to Jada Russell for her vision and dedication to getting the Double Stitch name out there.

Thank you to Gwen Blakley Kinsler for introducing us to the world of Interweave Press in our first Interweave Crochet article, thus leading to this book.

Many thanks to the entire Interweave Press team for keeping us on track and teaching us the book writing ropes every step of the way: Tricia Waddell, Katrina Vogel, Donna Druchunas, Rebecca Campbell, Jaime Guthals, and Laura Levaas.

Thanks to the Karla, Brian, Monica, and Cass for their upbeat attitudes and obvious talent that made shooting our first book a wonderful experience.

And, of course, thanks to Lori Jean for her patience and pattern-writing expertise.

We first learned to crochet in an after-school program when we were in the fourth grade. We could not have known at the time that crochet would eventually carry us to where we are today. As models, dancers, fitness instructors, and professional hair braiders, weve spent many years observing the business of fashion, as well as health, beauty, and entertainment. These experiences, along with a renewed interest in crochet as adults, led us to launch our own crochet accessories line in 2002. The fledgling business rapidly expanded into a full fashion line that has been featured in numerous print publications and on television. Today the Double Stitch brand has a broad fan base stretching from New York to Los Angeles. This just goes to showdont forget those arts and crafts you learned as a kidyou never know what could happen when you pull them out and get creative!

The next step in cultivating Double Stitch was to write this book for the crochet fashionista, that artistic individual who is ready to take the leap into crocheting fabulous garments and accessories that will turn heads and stop traffic. No matter what you do, or where you call home, you will find fantastic projects in the pages of this book to fit a variety of occasions and seasons.

As twin sisters, we find ourselves constantly looking for new ways to put our own personal stamp on an outfit so that our individual personalities and sense of style come through in our clothing. As women, we are committed to flattering the female body and accentuating feminine silhouettes of all shapes and sizes. You will find that many of the garments featured in this book are adjustable through lacing. Others feature an easy fit and airy, open structure without becoming shapeless orheaven forbidboring! Details like fringe, ruffles, and loops along with unique color combinations make these projects a perfect way to inject a little fun into your wardrobe. The construction also happens to be deceptively simple, due to our unique methods such as crocheting in the round, which often eliminates the need for seams. Whether you just want a crochet accessory to add to an outfit or you want to jump in with both feet and wear crochet from head to toe, weve covered it all! We have brought these fresh designs direct from the runway to your crochet hook, so grab some beautiful yarn and get started. And just thinkthe next time someone wants to know where you got such a great outfit, you can proudly say I made it myself.

erika + monika

Whether youre heading out to spend a day at the beach, at the office, or just running errands around town, youll want to look fabulous doing it! This section is full of flattering, feminine silhouettes, and unique designs for every season. We love chic alternatives to what everyone else is wearing, such as overhead sleeves instead of a cardigan or a cozy poncho instead of a jacket. Soon youll be wearing crochet in ways you never imagined and loving every minute of it! Get ready for fun, funky, and functional crochet that will be sure to gain you some admirers.

with Fringe

Believe it or not, this halter top was designed with a little coverage in mind. The fringe adds visual length, allowing you to maintain a little more mystery than a traditional cropped top would allow while creating sexy drama. This top is the perfect choice for anything from an afternoon pool party to evening cocktails.

S (M, L) sized to fit 3032 (3436, 3840)" (76.581.5 [86.591.5, 96.5102] cm) bust circumference (exact size is determined by adjustable ties).

About 17 (19, 22)" (44 [49.5, 56] cm) across bottom edge (exact circumference determined by ties) and 36 (36, 37)" (91.5 [93, 94] cm) long with fringe.

Worsted weight (# 4 Medium).

WE USED: TLC Cotton Plus (51% cotton, 49% acrylic; 178 yd [163 m]/3 oz [100 g]):1 (1, 1) ball #3643 kiwi (A); 2 (2, 3) balls #3615 jazz multi (B).

Size G/6 (4 mm). Adjust hook size if necessary to obtain correct gauge.

Removable markers; tapestry needle.

13 hdc and 12 rows = 4" (10 cm).

With A, ch 57 (61, 65).

ROW 1 (RS): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, turn56 (60, 64) dc.

ROW 2 (WS): Ch 2 (counts as hdc), hdc in next 27 (29, 31) sc, turn.

Continue working on this half of the front only.

ROW 3: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each hdc to last 2 hdc, sc2tog, turn.

ROW 4: Ch 2 (counts as hdc), hdc in each sc to end, turn.

Rep Rows 3 and 4 until 6 sts rem. End after working a WS row.

NEXT 6 ROWS: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in each st across, turn.

If necessary, continue working in dc until piece measures 14 (15, 15)" (36 [38, 39.5] cm) or is long enough to reach around to center back neck. Fasten off. Weave in end.