Cutting Crochet- It is Possible

I have been quite a few questions lately about how to cut crochet. Granted it is not a simple process, but it is a skill you can acquire, with some simple understanding about your fabric.

First what do you want to cut your fabric? Maybe the beginning chain is way too tight in comparison with the rest of the fabric, and you would love it fixed. Maybe you made the something the wrong size, an afghan you made to wide, a sweater you made too long. The reasons can be vast.

To begin with cutting crochet fabric is unique and different almost every time you do it. The approaches to cutting across rows for fabric (horizontally) and cutting through stitches (vertically) might be similar, but horizontally is a bit easier. So let’s start there.

Before cutting through a row of stitches you want to run a thread through the bases or “feet” or the stitches that are being worked into the row to be cut. This thread will help prevent the fabric from unraveling.

Once the thread is in place, cut the row off. Now remove all the excess yarn bits. You should have crochet stitches that are now worked on a thread. It is relatively simple to finish this fabric off by a new fabric to the base of the stitches on the thread and crochet into the “bottoms” of each stitch. Once all the stitches are worked into, you can remove the thread.

To cut vertically in the fabric, the approach is similar to run a thread through the stitches adjacent to those being cut, but it can be more difficult to ensure that each loop that encompass a stitch is secure in this process, so I add an extra stitch. After running a thread through the stitches, you can cut the fabric (note, if you want to save both sides of the fabric from the cut you will need to run a thread on either side of the cut to ensure that neither piece of fabric unravels).

Once the fabric is cut, gently remove the excess yarn form the fabric at the cut, being careful to watch each row and ensure that no yarn is unraveling past your thread. If it is, as you have missed a loop, place a removable stitch marker in the “uncaught” loop. This removable stitch marker can be as simple as a paper clip. After removing the excess yarn and determining unsecured loops on the edge you will need to join with yarn and crochet over the edge, making sure to incorporate the unsecured loops into the new stitches you are creating. This will assist in preventing them from unraveling. After you have successfully crocheted the edge you can remove the thread. You may find that the edge still looks a bit shaggy, so you may have to weave in assorted ends throughout the edge to ensure a tidy finish.

Like I said it is not a project for the faint of heart, but it can be done. If you want to progress in further in cutting your crochet fabrics, I would suggest checking out teh work by Vashti Braha of Designing Vashti….she went down the rabbit hole with Self Healing Stitches and such….find them here. Why Self Healing Stitches, Self Healing Stitches Resources, 

Stair Step Wrap- Free Pattern

I have always appreciated relatively simple repeat patterns that are successful with only 1 skein, so playing with this design I have actually created a few different variation. The Stair Step Wrap increases is worked side to side, with one edge being straight and the other having all the increasing and decreasing be worked.

It is simple enough to use any yarn in this pattern, simply choose a compatible hook for the yarn, and work the increase end of the pattern until you have used half of the yarn, then begin the decrease end of the pattern. To know if you have reached the “half way” point of a skein, you can use a kitchen scale to weigh the remaining yarn and subtract this from the total weight of the skein. This should be noted on the band wrapper for the yarn, if not simply weigh all the yarn, used and unused together and divide by 2 to find the halfway point.

Stair Step Wrap

Materials:

  • Mountain Colors Twizzle light weight 85% merino wool, 15% silk yarn (100g/240 yrds) colorway Lupine
  • L/8mm crochet hook

Special Stitches

BegV= (Ch 4, dc in same st) counts as dc + ch 1

V st= (dc, ch 1, dc) in same st

Increase End

Row 1: Ch 4, dc in first ch, turn.

Row 2: BegV, sk 1 ch, dc in next ch, turn.

Row 3: Ch 3, V st between 1st 2 sts, sk dc and 1 ch, V st in next ch, turn.

Row 4: BegV, V st between next V sts, dc in turning ch, turn.

Row 5: Ch 3, V st between dc and V st, V st bet V sts, sk dc and 1 ch, V st in next ch, turn.

Row 6: BegV, V st bet each V st across, dc in turning ch, turn.

Row 7: Ch 3, V st between dc and V st, V st bet each V sts across, sk dc and 1 ch, V st in next ch, turn.

Row 8-31: Rep Rows 6 & 7

Row 32: Rep Row 6

Decrease End

Row 33: Ch 3, V st between dc and V st, V st bet each V sts across, sk dc and 1 ch, dc in next ch, turn.

Row 34: Ch 3, V st bet each V st across, dc in turning ch, turn.

Row 35-62: Rep Rows 33 & 34

Row 63: Ch 3, V st between dc and V st, sk dc and 1 ch, dc in next ch, turn.

Row 64: Ch 3, sk V st, dc in turning ch, fasten off. Weave in ends, block.

I have worked this up in a couple of different yarns, this one I like too. It was made with Plymouth Yarns Arya Ebruli 

 

I am A #HumansThatYarn

Humans that yarn. Sounds like an interesting caption, but to the Craft Yarn Council it is a bit more than that.

The Craft Yarn Council is a nonprofit organization that is designed to promote all things yarn that includes certifying knitting and crochet instructors….it is an interesting course that I completed of crochet in 2012, and really has helped me to teach crochet more effectively. (You can find information about the program here). The Humans that Yarn campaign is an effort by this organization to hear the voices of those that craft with yarn.

Often as crocheters it seems like we are defined by the fact that we are not knitters, and this campaign gives us an opportunity to talk about who we are and what yarn means to us, so I thought I would share my thoughts.

For me I really do not remember a time in my life without yarn somewhere around. As I have talked about in the past I taught myself to crochet at the age 10 from a book, but it wasn’t from a true desire to crochet as much as it was to learn and create. It just happened that I had access to yarn, hooks and the book.

Most of my yarn came from others. Other people would give me there left over scraps and partial skeins. There was a time when I finally committed to creating my first afghan that I convinced my mom to allow me to purchase some yarn. I remember spending time going over patterns finding the one that I wanted to create. I remember standing in the aisle of the store putting various combinations of yarn together to find the perfect colors. I remember asking my mom’s advice on the color selection, she after all as in many different art classes at the time.

Yet yarn is not just a memory for me. It is a way of moving my hands and keeping my mind flowing it is being productive in even the most likely of times.

It might be that I tend to want to do or experience things that no one would quite expect to look at me. No one in grade school would expect me to be crocheting, I had many friends in high school look at me like I was crazy when they found out…although many still have the afghan I made them. I guess I liked a bit of the awe factor. Not fitting into any particular mold…I still find it appealing.

People that know me are no longer surprised by the crocheting, but they tell me they are inspired by my designing, teaching and taking it on as a business. The title “Crochet Designers” does garner surprise from people I meet, as they never thought of any career like it.

So I guess, my easiest summation for Who am I? when considering Humans that Yarn, I am contrite wanting to be different and a bit surprising while utilizing a common craft.

Share your #HumasthatYarn story, Who are You?

Crochet Craftvent- Sugar Plum Fairy

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is fast approaching. I already have students working on crochet gifts, and have friends making holiday plans; I am in awe of this organization. I really use to be on top of the calendar many years ago, but somehow have lost this skill as I have gotten older.

Fortunately this year I have an easy count down, I designed the first Crochet Craftvent for Jimmy Beans Wool, Sugar Plum Fairy. So, if you are like me the first question is …what is Craftvent? Well in a nut shell it is like an advent calendar but with yarn and yarn related treats!

The shawl is broken up to manageable sizes and the yarn is balled up in just the right size amount so that you can open a new square on the countdown to Christmas. Just like when you were a kids and had the little boxes with pieces of chocolate; okay, my sweet tooth usually meant that I would break into several day ahead, but it was still a treat.

There are 8 different yarns highlighted in this shawl, as a result it becomes a bit of a “yarn taste” treat for the user. You get to play with many different yarn that may not be in your everyday stash of yarns. There are yarns with sparkle, yarns with great stitch definition, yarns with beautiful colors, it is a special gift with every day supply of yarn.

In addition Jimmy Beans Wool has “extra” notion treats placed throughout the calendar. What a great gift for yourself, or your favorite crocheter.

The shawl itself begins at the narrow points and increases along one edge. It is an essentially 2 different sets of patterns, one a bit lacy, one with a bit of texture. Both patterns are simple row repeats, and it is the combination of these with the color changes that creates such a dynamic piece.

Once you wrap this shawl around your shoulders it really comes to life, it really frames the face well with the colors and texture. It is stunning on everyone.

Get yours HERE! Quantities are limited!

Working the Star Stitch

There are various ways to create a stitch in crochet, and one that can turn peoples head a bit is one that is often referred to as the star stitch. I am not completely sure where this stitch gets its name, to me it does not really look like a star unless I count the middle of the night squinting I do at the little light on the smoke detector and wonder if I need glasses. It has the light radiating in a couple of directions, a bit like light through a prism.

Some find this stitch intimidating, as it looks more difficult than it is. Essentially this stitch is worked very similar to a single crochet decrease over multiple stitches, but instead of working it over several stitches you are working it with the parts and components of just one stitch. This makes really the only difficult part of this stitch is knowing where to place your hook.

I find it easiest to work a row of basic crochet stitches, either a row of single or double crochet, then working the star stitch in subsequent rows. This does not mean that you cannot work the start stitch directly into a foundation chain, it is simply my preference to have a little more fabric to hold on to.

The stitch is worked by first inserting the hook into the “eye” or hole of that was created by the last yarn over and pull through of the adjacent stitch, you then yarn over and pull up a loop.

Next insert the hook around the last “leg” of the adjacent stitch. I tend to only pick up the front portion of the “leg” and do not worry about putting the hook all of the way through the fabric. Yarn over and pull up a loop.

For the third insertion point (fourth loop on your hook) you insert your hook into the stitch in the row below, which has already been worked into by the adjacent stitch, once again yarn over and pull up a loop.

The final insertion point is to insert your hook into the next stitch, and pull up a loop.

You will now have 5 loops on you hook, yarn over and pull through all 5 loops. Now chain 1, this will create the “eye” that the next star stitch will begin being worked into.

 

 

 

 

If you are beginning a new row, there is no adjacent stitch to work into, so you pick up loops in the turning chain in the same manner as you would for the stitch. The turning chain is typically a chain 2 to match the height of the stitch, you then simply insert your hook into each chain and pull up a loop in each chain, insert the hook in the base of the chain and pull up a loop, then insert the hook in the next stitch and pull up a loop.

This stitch can create a dense fabric, so prepare to use a large hook if you want a bit more drape. Also, this stitch has a very different look if it is worked in the round, without turning every row. If you like this look, yet need a flat fabric there are people that cut the yarn at the end of every row and then reattach and work with only the right side of the fabric ever facing forward. This is a really nice look, I am just not a fan of weaving in that many ends.

So give this stitch a try, it does share interesting texture and appearance, something not every stitch can garner.