Tag Archives: stitch

Nothing Ever Stays the Same

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ScannedImageI usually see an image of what I want a particular yarn to be, by simply holding it and letting my mind wander, but that is where things actually become difficult. Now I need to play, okay, it is swatching, but I have never been good at creating swatches, I want to get on to making something not just make squares of stitching.

However, I usually need to figure out how to get my image translated into an actual creation, and that often means finding the stitch patterns that will accomplish this.DSCF0868.1

Sometimes I get into the process and realize that I like something else better, and either re-create my idea or create something completely new. Okay, this happens in many aspects of life; from everything like what to have for dinner of what I am wearing to that holiday party. Ideas constantly evolve. This is my reminder that nothing is a constant; the only thing that I can accurately predict is that everything will always change. I will admit, this keeps me from getting too attached to any one idea for very long, and I hope helps keep my work fresh. One can hope at least.

Keeping the Holiday Spirit… In My Shoes

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ScannedImageI am attempting to get into the holiday mood….the last few years that has proven to be a little bit of a challenge. This is, I feel, that I have felt overwhelmed with everything that is expected and all the extras that need to be done…the decorating (guess I should clean the house), the baking (hope these cookies actually make it to the neighbors instead of in my dessert pile), the gifts (what do I get so-&-so? I need ideas), wrapping (hide in the bed room, attempting to make that roll of paper last for one more odd sized package), and the cards (okay, I actually like this one, it is the one time a year that I actually sit back go through my address book, the old fashion paper book kind, and think of friends and family…realizing yet again that too much time has passed since our last visit).

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Elf Slippers, adult and child sized

So far I have not hit my “holiday wall” yet, and to help keep that spirit alive and not turning bitter I have been working on a holiday design. Elf Slippers. My kids love these, and I admit that they are pretty fun. They are worked in Red Heart Super Saver, and 1 skein actually makes at least a couple of pairs. I have them sized for adults and kids, as well as notation on how to customize them for any size.

They are a quick stitch pattern, and the addition of the bells gives them quite a bit of charm. So if you have a love for stitching, want to create some quick gifts, or just want to keep the spirit alive, check them out at:…

Ravelry or Craftsy

Halloween Costume Confessions

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ScannedImageWith tomorrow being Halloween I have seen many adorable crocheted costumes on various social media outlets. There are so many creative and talent stitchers, that I will admit put me to shame.

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My “Mummy” and “Witch”

Several people believe that my kids must have adorable hand crocheted costumes to wear to various Halloween parties and trick or treating events. They would be grossly incorrect. I am not saying that I spend a fortune on the costumes that are available in many stores, heck; I even balk at spending $25 for a costume that will be worn for only one night, so many of my kids’ costumes are homemade, relatively speaking.

One year my son wanted to be Indian Jones, so a pair of khaki’s, a white shirt, brown hat and a piece of rope (to simulate a whip) and he was quite happy. Another year, a mummy, white face paint some medical gauze rolls, done. My daughter wanted to be Iron Man, her red sweat pants, a red sweat shirt, and some felt cut into a few shapes and tapes on to the clothes…okay I did crochet a red hat to attach a cardboard mask to, but that was it.

There are a couple of years that I spent more time in putting a costume together. One year I made Toothless, the dragon from the How to Train Your Dragon movies, this was a little more involved, but only in taking felt to make the tail and the wings. The rest is just black sweats. Another year the kids both wanted to be a Genie, I had some extra fabric around, so I made some harem pants and simple vests, but these were my more involved years. Fortunately, Toothless has been worn my more than one child, and more than once for Halloween, the Genies have had many play-times at home.

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My “Genies”

This year, the kids are putting together their own costumes, my daughter is creating a Spider Witch and my son…well, my son has come to the age, that he only wants to dress up because that is what needs to be done to trick or treat and receive candy, so he is putting together some mask with a cape.

While I greatly admire the costumes many have created in crochet, and the talented ideas and artistry these creators have, I am one of the moms that is keeping it simple, and stitching up some sweaters for use on more then one night.

Thoughts on the Thermal Stitch…

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ScannedImageWhen I started out to write this post, I was thinking of the cold weather I was seeing on the news, and it made me think of the thermal stitch. I have always been a little intrigued with this stitch; it makes a double layer fabric and has the resemblance to long johns, with the little indented squares. But as I started writing, I realized that there were questions about the properties of this technique that I couldn’t quite answer. So that is how I will preface this post, that it is a little beginning exploration for me with this technique.

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Insert hook from the bottom of the loop, beginning with the back loop from the row below (now facing) and the front loop of the stitch of the current row

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Yarn over and pull through 2 loops

The basic premise of this stitch is that you work single crochet stitches in the front loops of the row as well as the back loops of the row below. Working the stitch into the foundation chain can be a little daunting, so to give you an understanding of the stitch I will begin on the second row of a piece of single crochet. The rows of single crochet will be offset from one another, this creates the setback, while pulling up the lo op from a row below creates the edges to the “indented little square”.

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Yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops to finish stitch

One of the main things to remember with this stitch is to insert the hook in the loop of the row below from the bottom, then insert it into the front loop of the next working row from the bottom.  You then yarn over and pull through both loops (you might want to pull up a longer than usual loop), yarn over again and pull through the two loops remaining on the hook to finish the stitch.  This will create a dense fabric, and if you want to have a little fun, you can alternate colors every row and get a double sided fabric (although there would be many ends to weave of leave it fringed).

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Using two colors, here is one side….

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…here is the other.

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Play swatch, showing same technique using sport weight yarn and an N size hook (in one color), look at the open effect…has some possibilities….

One of the areas I plan on playing with is large hooks with finer yarns. In the small sample I started working with I was impressed with the draping I received as well as the slight openness of the fabric (made me think of springtime). Amazing how attempting to explain a simple concept can yet lead to more questions, and hopefully better understanding…I will keep you posted.

The Tentacle Stitch and the Sideways Skirt

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Crochet! Magazine Summer 2013- photo thanks of Annie’s

ScannedImageAmazing how time can come and go so fast. It seems like only last month that I was writing up my article on the Tentacle stitch that is featured in the current issue of Crochet! Magazine.

 

I know the name might sound funny, but to me it was reminiscent of an octopus arm reaching out to the rows not yet created. Some might

Tentacle Stitch Spa Cloths

Tentacle Stitch Spa Cloths, photo courtesy of Annie’s

 

wonder how I ever can up with this idea, well ideas come in the most unusual ways. This one came to me while looking at the color patterns on cow hides ( okay, I am a country girl), nature very rarely has color in straight lines, they often curve and bend, and I was envisioning ways that I could create these bends, and thus the tentacle stitch was created, you never know what you find when you play. By working the color over rows already created, like in Mosaic crochet styles I didn’t like the thickness, and working in same rows color change like intarsia or tapestry crochet I didn’t feel free enough to play since I had to plan the stitches by grid, so by free-forming I came up with this technique (and had some fun with it too).

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Sideways Skirt, photo courtesy of Annie’s

 

In this issue I also have a Sideways Skirt. This skirt looks straight forward, until you realized that is worked entirely on the diagonal. The reason for this….I really liked the way it fit. When looking at construction I have began to wonder why are all the seams for everything in the same places? Crochet lends itself well to designs that do not need to be seamed or at least only minimally. I felt that placing seams on the sides of this skirt would cause it not to drape as softly over the hip (nothing like an addition of a seam allowance to cause a pucker that makes my hips look bigger then they are), I like a nice smooth feel when I where a skirt, it feels womanly to me. So I designed this skirt completely on the diagonal so that the one seam runs across the body and blends in better. Also the shaping is done by changing hook sizes ( I know it can seem a little tedious to change hook sizes in a row, but it allows for a smaller waist and a flared hem, with very little effort).

Anyway, there are some thoughts on the latest designs I have out in the world, and I hope you are inspired to play a little too.