Call it a scarf. Call it a vest. Call it a shawl. Call it a cowl. Or, heck, call it a cape. It won’t matter how you refer to Katniss’ (Jennifer Lawrence) knit accessory in Catching Fire, fans of The Hunger Games will totally get you and your obsession with it.
Trish Summerville, who designed the movie’s costumes, told the New York Times the following about Katniss’ look: “I wanted to bundle her up a bit and give her something that had a feel of the Capitol, but still with keeping in those nubby, big natural fibers—something, say, her mom could have made her.”

Summerville turned to Los Angeles-based knitwear designer Maria Dora to create the piece, which Dora prefers to call a “shield.” Sadly, Dora has no immediate plans to offer any similar styles for sale—this, of course, hasn't stopped the internet from exploding with thousands of fans picking up their knitting needles and crochet hooks and improvising their own patterns.

In terms of projects, it was a long one....and yarn-hungry too! But the finished project was well worth the occasional frustrations, and while it is nowhere near an exact replica, it turned out rather nifty...and fashionable too!

It Ain't Just For Grannies Anymore - The Crochet Revivial

In many people's minds, when they think of crochet, they picture their grandmother making afghans or someone making those crocheted barbie doll dresses ... but nothing could be further from the truth.
A person can outfit their home with "pretties or practicals" or both! using just a hook and yarn. For busy, time-strapped men and women, crocheting has turned out to be the perfect craft--and one can make incredible-looking designs using easy, simple stitches. As can be seen in the round rug pictured here, I've combined both pretty and practical to produce an eye-catching rug worked in single crochet. (See bottom of this Hub for my notes on how I created this rug)
This Hub will explore the many wonderful and useful items that can be made from crochet using easy-to- execute stitches. By the time you've finished reading, you just might see why crocheting is considered by many to be the craft of choice. (Why, dear old grandma, just may have known a thing or two!)

Why Crocheting is Making a Come-Back

In challenging economic times, crocheting has become the craft of choice. Crafters have discovered the sheer practicality of crochet. Perhaps no other craft offers so much potential in relation to the variety of both pretty and practical items that can be produced, without having to invest in all sorts of tools or machines and without a huge initial outlay for supplies before you even get started.
Crocheting doesn't require a costly investment in materials and allows for creation of attractive and unique-looking pieces that withstand the test of time. A person can outfit a home and supplement a wardrobe using easy-to-master crocheting techniques.
A consideration of what can be made from crocheting sheds insights as to why crocheting is enjoying a resurgence in popularity and is considered the craft of choice.