Tag Archives: stitch

Working the Opposite for Nice Edges

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ScannedImageSometimes all the difference in a handmade piece is the finishing. One of my favorite ways to finish a piece is with edging, and one I really like is the reverse single crochet, sometimes known as the “crab stitch”.

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The Reverse Single Crochet Stitch

Crochet names, like “crab stitch” does not often tell you anything about the stitch, but at least “Reverse Single Crochet” gives you an idea…and it is pretty accurate. Essentially you are working a single crochet in the reverse direction.

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Insert your hook in the next stitch, from front to back, but in the Opposite direction from what you usually work.

You work the single crochet in the same manner, inserting your hook into the next stitch, yarn over, pull through a loop, yarn over and pull through two loops, but the difference is that instead of working in the normal direction of your crochet rows it is worked in the opposite stitches. So if you are right handed you will be working in the stitches located to the right of your work, and if you are left handed you will be working in the stitches to the left. This is in the opposite direction than you usually work.

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After yarning over and pulling through a loop, yarn over again and pull through 2 loops

The most common error made when working this stitch is reversing the processes even further by inserting the hook from the wrong side of the fabric, this actually creates a single crochet stitch, but it is just a single crochet, just as if you had turned the work. So always insert the hook from the front of the fabric and complete the stitch.

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Relax your tension, and pull up your loops a little taller than usual.

Starting this stitch can feel very awkward, and the first couple of stitches may look a little odd, but after you work a few you will start to see a stich that looks almost like a rope. It is this twisted effect of the stitch that really allows it to be used only as an edging.

Not only do I use this stitch as an edging, I occasionally use it as a joining stitch. I place the fabrics I am joining together wrong side together and work this stitch through both fabrics. It creates a raised rope at the edges of the fabrics. I find that this creates a nice textural effect as well as visual interest.

There is one tip I can offer to working this stitch, relax with your tension and pull up your loop a little higher than usual, this makes it a little easier to work in this different direction.

No Stitch Join and Standing Stitches

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ScannedImageThe more I play in crochet, the more I realize there really are no rules.

It seems that with colder weather finally descending on my community, everyone wants to crochet hats; most of them first time crocheters. So, as of late I have been teaching how to start circles, all three different ways. I have been teaching how to increase stitches. I have been teaching how to join rounds.

An interesting thing with joining rounds, there are a couple of ways to do it, and it can give you some different results. The method that I have been playing with lately does not actually involve a stitch at all.

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Remove hook from working loop, insert it in the point of the join.

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Put working loop over hook and pull it through joining point.

When you get to the point of joining, the hook is removed from the working loop and inserted into the point of the join, the working loop is then slipped back on the hook and pulled through the point of join. This creates a join that has no extra yarn, no extra loops, and does not necessarily flatten out the stitch that is joined to as can happen with joining to a beginning chain.

If this is not enough, I added in a chainless starting stitch. So anytime you begin a new round or when working flat and turning your work, you usually chain a certain number of stitches to equate to the height of the stitches that are being worked. This is because all crochet stitches end at the top of the stitch, and thus the stitches next to it need to be of a similar height or it just pulls the stitches down. When beginning a new round the working loop is at the base poof the new stitches, and if no beginning chain is worked it can pull the stitch over and distort it. However, to get to this height of stitches, you do not necessarily need a chain.

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Pull up a long loop and work a double crochet in the same stitch.

Sometimes this is called a standing stitch, essentially all it is, is a long loop. After pulling the loop through the joining point, pull it up nice and tall, then work a double crochet (or whichever stitch you may be working) in the same stitch. You can even work the long loop among the stitch making it even less visible.

There are always pros and cons to various techniques, and with these two I find that the join can create a slight distortion, but in a different manner then the slip stitch; also it is a little slower to work and when I am crocheting along mindlessly it definitely stops my rhythm. One of the things I really like about this join is that it closes any gaps that might be created in my stitch placements at the joining point.

With the standing join, it is nice that everything looks pretty uniform, and there is no beginning chain that looks different than the rest of the stitches, yet there are times that the long loop can get a little distorted and uneven for me, I guess I need to work on getting a more even tension with it.

I guess with crochet there is always more to discover.

Tunisian Simple Stitch….Yes, It Is That Simple

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ScannedImageTunisian stitches are unique in crochet as they are worked by “loading” your hook with live loops across the row then working a Return Pass to work all the loops back off. So every row has a two part process, load up the loops, and then work the loops back off. It is also unique as you do not turn your work, but work back and forth on the same side. Tunisian Simple Stitch is a classic stitch in Tunisian crochet, it was one called the “afghan stitch” and creates a vertical line where the stitches stack up upon one another.

Before beginning Tunisian crochet, you need to select the correct size hook, this technique can create a dense fabric if the hook size is too small. My standard rule of thumb is that whatever stand size crochet hook I would use with the chosen yarn, I go up at least 2 sizes in Tunisian. Meaning if with standard crochet I would use a size H/8/5.00mm with a yarn I would choose a Tunisian hook of K/10 ½/6.5mm to get the same drape and feel of the fabric.

To work this stitch, you begin with a chain, insert your hook into the second chain from the hook and pull through a loop, insert your hook into the next chain and pull through a loop, continue this insert hook and pull up a loop until you have worked all the chains have been worked. You will have the same number of loops on the hook as the number of chains you began with. Now you work a Return Pass.

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Insert hook into chain stitch, yarn over, pull through a loop. Repeat this process in all chain stitches across.

The Return Pass is always the same regardless of the Tunisian stitch, unless otherwise stated. You begin with working a chain 1 with the first loop on the hook, then yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through 2 loops across the loops until 1 loop remains. Now you are ready to begin the next row.

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Return Pass….Chain 1 (with the first loop only, this creates the last stitch), yarn over and pull through 2 loops, repeat the yarn over, pull through 2 loops until 1 loop remains on the hook.

As with most things with crochet the Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss) is where you place the hook. You do not work in the stitch directly below the loop on your hook, unless otherwise stated as this will cause an increase in the work, working from right to left you insert your hook under the vertical bar of the next stitch, yarn over and pull through a loop, continue inserting your hook under the vertical bar and pull through a loop until you reach the end of the row. Insert your hook into the chain 1 created in the beginning of the Return Pass, this is a little more difficult to work into, and is the last stitch of the row. Now you work the return pass again.

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Insert hook under vertical bar from right to left (reversed if you are left handed), yarn over, pull up a loop, repeat to “load” the hook.

Continue this process, as you are now creating the Tunisian Simple Stitch.

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Tunisian Simple Stitch, also known as the Afghan Stitch

Masters Day Teaching….Learning Too!

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ScannedImageI have been meaning to write a post about my experience at the Crochet Guild of America’s annual conference last month in Charleston, SC, but I keep putting it off. I finally have realized that it is because it was too overwhelming, so I have decided to break it down into more “bite size” posts.

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Masters Day, Charleston, SC 2016

There really is really just so much going on at this conference that I could not participate in everything, and feel like I hardly saw anyone, as I was running from event to event. And another confession, I was horrible at getting photos of, well anything…

So I left a month ago for Charleston, SC, and have new found respect for air conditioning. Living in California I live through days of hot temperature, but the humidity is something that I do not experience. Deplaning at 1:30am and finding that it was 85° F and 55% humidity outside, was a completely new experience for me. California nights cool off while we drink water, not breath it. Even though the hotel and conference center were only a couple of blocks from dining options, I did not venture out, physically I never really adjusted to the climate.

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Masters Day, Charleston, SC 2016

However I arrived a day early to ensure that I would be up for my new adventure of teaching at this national venue. I was officially teaching 4 classes; Re-Invented Broomstick Lace, What the Pattern Doesn’t Tell You, Yarn Overload, and Beads Three Ways, yet in addition I also help teach all day at the Master’s Day. These all over the course of 4 days are a bit of mental gymnastics, I become completely submerged in all things crochet, even more then the everyday.

The Master’s Day was the first event. I helped facilitate this all day event with other reviewers of the Master’s Program offered by CGOA. The Program consists of 48 swatches and 13 questions that is completed via correspondence, I successfully completed the Masters of Advanced Stitches and Techniques in the summer of 2010. Essentially it was this program that began my career in crochet design, and teaching, but that is another story. Since completing the program I have been a reviewer critiquing the work of others, as well as help organize and teach the Masters Day at the annual conference, with the one in Charleston being our third such event. In addition, I am currently combining the work of many talented teachers and writing a new Master’s program, so in a sense I am completely immersed in all things Masters.

I believe the event was successful, and I even came away learning things myself. The students began applying the various techniques that were taught; linked stitches, foundation stitches, gauge, finishing work, reviewing your work and such, while they were coming up with new ways to approach all of these techniques I had an eye opening moment of how Tunisian Crochet is really just linked stitches combined with Foundation stitches. It is amazing how much of crochet is built upon other skills that are really just other versions of the same other basic techniques.

The other highlight of this day was getting to catch up with some of the other reviewers that I only get correspond with via email. They really are a great group of women that have a great passion for crochet, and I always find time spend with them to be rewarding.

Knitted Yarn that Allows Crochet Stitches to Shine!

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ScannedImageLooking for something different to crochet with? Want something with a little stretch and great stitch definition? Well Red Heart Strata comes to mind.

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Single and Double Crochet in Red Heart Strata yarn, every part of the stitch is highlighted.

This 76% acrylic, 24% nylon…well for lack of a better term….yarn, can fit the build. Strata is actually a more like a knit fabric, but it is not any cut strips like some T-Shirt yarns, it is a knit tube around a soft fill. This tube filled with fluff, creates a “yarn” that has some body and does not lay flat on itself when used. As the encasing is knit in what appears to be the fashion of an I-cord, there is no seam, no fray edges, just a smooth round pliable material.

The stitch definition with Strata is very impressive. The unique structure of this “yarn” with the soft roundness of the strand allows parts of your stitches to become more visible in a sense, causing a different appearance with even every day stitches. By this I mean that even a fabric of just simple or double crochet will look like there is great texture. It allows every yarn over and every pull through an opportunity to stand out on their own, and almost seem separate from the overall body of the stitch. I think this gives crochet a fun opportunity, as with minimal effort you can get a fabric that has a textured feel.

This is definitely a “yarn” to be worked on large hooks and needles, as even through it feels like a more medium weight, it works up as a bulky. This allows for fast projects, however with the small yardage per ball, just 95yrds/86m, you may require more skeins that first imagined to complete a desired project.

I can easily envision household items with is “yarn”, like towels or trivets, potholders or mats, maybe even a nice bath robe or pool side cover up. With the overall tendency of this “yarn” to seem heavy, and stretch, I would caution garment construction in most cases.

Overall though an interesting “yarn” that can offer a lot to the imagination.