This cardigan was inspired by a shrug I fell in love with at a-store-which-shall-remain-nameless. If I was not a crocheter, I probably would have succumbed to its siren call and bought the gorgeous thing, despite the fact that it was priced at about 3 times what I considered reasonable. But being a crocheter, buying it would not have satisfied my desire; instead I was compelled to MAKE it, or to make something to invoke the same response in me. (I’m sure you’ve felt the same longing when shopping and encountering a crocheted treasure: “I want to MAKE that!”)

So I went home and I did. Unfortunately, it came out TOO GOOD, too much like the original, and had to be reinvented. So now it is a different garment in many ways, yet still distantly related to the pricey shrug I admired.

It has some features I really like. First, it works up fast due to all the lacy chaining. Second, there is no sewing involved; all motifs and sections crochet together with ch3s and scs, so you stay in the “crochet-zone” throughout. Third, the open fabric makes for a light summery garment. And fourth (I’ll stop after this), I used what is traditionally considered the “wrong side” of the motifs as the “right side” because of the wrong side’s curly beauty, which reminded me of a Dahlia. (I have always liked the wrong side of crochet and think it is underutilized; I almost called this the “Wrong Side Cardigan,” but decided “Dahlia” sounded better…)

Let’s hear it for the WRONG SIDE!!!

Instructions for 4 sizes (32-52” bust), 2 body lengths (waist and hip length) and 3 sleeve options (sleeveless, cap sleeves or half-sleeves).
Shown in size Med, waist length, half sleeves.
Thanks to EffinEffie for her editing and test-crocheting!
(Modeled here by my beautiful photographer - Sarah Emily)