Have I raved about the garments in Doris Chan’s book Everyday Crochet before?  I often look through this book and admire the beautiful yet practical garments she has designed.  Finally I have completed one, the Galena vest.  If you are on Ravelry you can check out other people’s versions of this vest here.

I actually completed crocheting this vest in September last year but only blocked it a week or so ago. And blocking makes such a difference to the final shape and appearance!

It’s still a fraction shorter than I’d like, but I’ll be wearing it in winter layered over other garments. The shape of the neckline is lovely after blocking, and I enjoyed the process of crocheting a garment from the top down. There are no seams!

The shell stitches expand beautifully to fit around the body. The yarn I used was divine – it’s handspun and handdyed alpaca from Charly who is the amazing woman behind Ixchel fibres and yarns.  Not only does she dye and spin the yarns herself, she even grows many of them!  I squeezed some of her camel/yak yarns (no, I don’t think she grows those ones) last week at the Sunday Arts Centre Market and they were so, so lovely.

If you are on Ravelry it’s worth taking a look at Doris Chan’s other designs – distinctive and so very wearable!   There are plenty more in my queue.