Lotus Lace Tunic

Here it is, my completed hemp project:



I call it my Lotus Lace Tunic (the lace detail at the bottom and at the neck is called a lotus design). I'm quite pleased with it because it's the first project I have designed myself.

Here is the back:



This actually started off as a tank top from another pattern. The lace at the bottom was supposed to be the bottom of the tank top. I mis-measured (actually, I didn't measure at all) and created lace that was far too wide for my waist. I didn't want to completely lose all the work I'd put into the lace, so I thought about what I could do with it instead.

I decided to push it down below my hips and create a tunic instead. I measured properly this time, did some calculations, and figured out how many stitches I needed to work around the body in specific places. It looks like a tube, but I actually did lots of waist and bust shaping to get a perfect fit.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to add sleeves, and then my yarn went missing and that decided that. When I decided to make a tunic, instead, I wasn't sure if I would have enough yarn, since my original project was a tank top. I was going to use the extra yarn to add sleeves, so when it didn't arrive, I decided to use my last skein to turn it into an apron-like top. (The company did kindly send a replacement package, so I did eventually get the yarn, but by then I'd already made my decision.)

I'm incredibly pleased with myself, and I learned a lot, too, primarily about the necessity of proper measurements.