Tag Archives: inspiration

Latest Designs, Different Names and Stunning Results

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In this last few weeks I have released a couple of new designs and I wanted to share my thought about them with you.

The first is Robert’s Vowel Wrap. Yes, it is a bit of a different name, but it reflects my son’s first comment when seeing the final piece of “awe”. Apparently he likes this one, and to get a positive comment on crochet from a teenage boy…that says something.

Robert’s Vowel Wrap

This design was a bit of a challenge for me to get the math to work out for the increases, but once I found it, I am quite happy with the way it works up. Essentially it is a reverse miter rectangle, starting with a small rectangle and increasing on 2 sides until you get the nice wide width. Then the length is finished off on one edge.

The contrasting colors really are set against each other in this design, and gives a bold statement, but if you wanted to change colors to something more subtle I think you would be just as happy. (The sample is worked up in Anzula Milky Way yarn, colors Petunia and Black)

Gee Circle Shawl received its name from my daughter, because “Gee I want I one” was her statement. I guess I will have to place this design on my hook again and fulfill her request.

Gee Circular Wrap

The half circle design actually holds the shoulders, as it is slightly over a true half circle size and then quits the increase, causing the design to gently pull inward to stay in place on your shoulders. It actually works up fairly quickly and really allows two colors to play off of each other well. (The sample is worked up in Anzula Gerty yarn, colors Orchid and Victoria)

Get these patterns for yourself at my Ravelry store here,  and create some stunning projects for yourself or someone special in your life.

Woven Kisses Wrap- Free Pattern

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For the last few years I have released new patterns featuring yarn from Lisa Souza Dyeworks to highlight the New York Sheep in Wool show, affectionately known to many simple by the town that hosts it, Rhinebeck. This year is no different.

With Rhinebeck occurring this next weekend, October 20 & 21, 2018 at the Duchess County Fairgrounds, I have designed a new shawl; Woven Kisses.

Woven Kisses is essentially a mesh, but not created with your most common stitches. It is worked with tall stitches and Love Knots (aka Solomon Knots). It works up quickly, and adds a great airiness while giving beauty. If you need to learn how to create these lofty stitches, I share how here.

This wrap is airy and have a beautiful drape. One of the things that I always find interesting is that even with the openness, it is quite warm, making for a delightful project. In addition, this entire wrap is created with only one skein of yarn, everyone loves that. It helps keep things cost effective, while also only having 2 ends to weave in, my favorite kind of project.

Even if you cannot attend Rhinebeck, you can enjoy this design, since I am sharing it as a free pattern. I hope you enjoy it and that it helps you get into the crochet season.

Woven Kisses Wrap

Materials

  • Hook size 1/9/5.5mm
  • Lisa Souza Yarns Delux Sock light weight 80% superwash merino, 10% nylon 10% cashmere (4oz/495yds): 1 skein color: Rhinebeck 2018 (www.lisaknit.com)

Gauge is not critical for this project

Finished Size approximately 24” x 84”

Row 1: Ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook, 50 LK, turn.

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as tr now and throughout), LK, tr in knot between 2 LK, [LK, tr between next 2 LK] rep 48 times, LK, tr in last knot, turn.

Row 3: Ch 4, [LK, tr in next tr] rep across, turn.

Row 4-26: Rep Row 3. Fasten off, block.

Understand Crochet Post Stitches

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In crochet Post Stitches are all about where you put your hook. It really can be that simple, yet it can be intimidating. It is from post stitches that interesting textures and designs can be created. But first it helps to understand the basics.

To work a Front Post Stitch, the hook is inserted between the “body” of a stitch, from the front of the fabric to the back, then returned back to the front of the fabric. Causing a post (or “body”) of a stitch to be pushed forward. In all the examples I show here I am demonstrating with Double Crochet stitches (US Standard), but really any stitches can be utilized in this manner. Then the indicated stitch is completed as normal.

As for a Front Post Double Crochet -FPDC, (US Standard), you would yarn over first, insert the hook as indicated above, yarn over and pull through a loop to anchor the stitch, then yarn over pull through 2 loops, and repeat the yarn over pull through of the last 2 loops on the hook.

To work a Back Post Stitch the process is very similar, it is just placing the hook in the reverse order, pushing the post (or “body”) of the stitch toward the back of the fabric. Essentially inserting the hook between the “body” of the stitch, from the back of the fabric to the front, then returning the hook to the back of the fabric. Once again you complete the stitch as indicated.

When working a Back Post Double Crochet -BPDC, (US Standard), you would yarn over first, insert the hook around the post of the stitch from back to front, then front to back as described above, yarn over and pull through a loop to anchor the stitch, then yarn over and pull through 2 loops two times.

Knowing these stitch positions opens up many different stitch texture opportunities, such as basket-weave and cables, I have displayed here a simple basket-weave of alternating front and back posts, as well as working a front and back post stitch around the same stitch. Working around the same stitch you will have to skip a stitch between or work the stitches over a mesh base. Using the same stitches, and in this case even in the same order (alternating front and back post stitches), you can get very different effects. Try this stitch placement out for your self. 

 

Cutting Crochet- It is Possible

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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, 

I am A #HumansThatYarn

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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?