Tag Archives: Caldor fire

Crochet Unspoken Words The Free Pattern

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Crochet Unspoken Words, the free pattern. Often I find that crochet can speak emotions when I cannot, and it really does speak from the heart. At times when I am overwhelmed emotionally I can easily find my fingers and hands nimbly moving a hook with yarn to work through my feeling and sharing them with others.

I know that I am not alone in this feeling. Many use crochet for charity and gift giving, however I recently found myself crocheting due to natural disaster.

When I learned my friend lost her home during the Northern California Caldor fire this last August I felt at a loss. My heart was heavy for the undertaking she was facing, so I created an afghan to wrap an eternal hug.

Unspoken Words Throw

Just some pattern insight

I know that many find themselves in similar situations, so I thought I would share the pattern. It is a 2 row repeat just changing the straight edge stitches from single to double crochet, while having the same stitches used at the “valleys” and “peaks” of this ripple pattern. The colors are alternated between three colors, there is no need to cut the yarn, just carry it up the side (learn how here).

Unspoken Words Throw

Finished size: approximately 55”x55”

Materials

  • K/10 1/2 /6.5mm crochet hook
  • Medium Weight yarn in 3 colors, 600 yrds of each color. (Sample created in Plymouth Encore 75% acrylic, 25% wool (100g/3.5oz/200yd) yarn, 3 skeins each of color #848, 1204, 1232)

Special Stitches

Back Loop 3 double crochet together over center (blodc3togcenter)– yo, insert hook into back loop of next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo pull through 2 loops, yo insert hook into top of decrease worked 2 rows below, yo pull up a loop, yo pull through 2, yo, insert hook into back loop of next st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull up 2 loop, yo, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Step One: yarn over, insert hook into first back loop
Yarn over, insert hook into top of decrease 2 rows below
Yarn over, insert hook in last back loop
Completed Back Loop 3 double crochet together over center stitch

Abbreviations

  • ch(s)=chain(s)
  • sc= single crochet
  • blodc= back loop double crochet
  • blosc= back loop single crochet
  • blsc2tog= back loop 2 single crochet together
  • bpdc= back post double crochet
  • fpdc= front post double crochet
  • sk= skip
  • st(s)= stitch(es)
  • rep=repeat

Crochet Unspoken Words -the Free Pattern

Row 1: Ch 160, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 6 chs, 3 dc in next ch, sc in next 7 chs, [sk 3 chs, sc in 7 sts, 3 dc in next ch, sc in next 7 sts] rep 8 times, change color, turn.

The (fpdc, bpdc, fpdc) around the next stitch….

The Repeat Begins

Row 2: Ch 2, working back loops, blodc in next st, blodc in next 6 sts, (fpdc, bpdc, fpdc) around next st, blodc in next 7 sts, [blodc3togcenter, blodc in next 7 sts, (fpdc, bpdc, fpdc) around next st, blodc in next 7 sts] rep 8 times, dc2tog, change color, turn.

Row 3: Ch 1, blsc2tog, blosc next 6 sts, (fpdc, bpdc, fpdc) around next st, blsc in next 7 sts, [blodc3togcenter, blosc in next 7, (fpdc, bpdc, fpdc) around next st, blsc in next 7 sts] rep 8 times, sc2tog, change color, turn.

Repeat Rows 2 and 3, changing colors every row, alternating between three colors, until desired length.

Crochet Unspoken Words, the free pattern

Edging for Crochet Unspoken Words free pattern

Worked sc evenly around entire afghan. Fasten off, weave in ends.

It has been one week.

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It has been one week. One week since I was awoke by the sound of traffic.

I live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the road I live on is a major access for the community of Grizzly Flats. It was one week ago that from the traffic, being too heavy and commuting in the wrong direction, that I knew something was wrong.

I checked news sources and social media outlets, but it was at least 30 minutes until I found confirmation that Grizzly Flats was being evacuated due to fire. By morning I would learn that longtime friends had lost everything in the Caldor fire.

My turn- It has been one week

Only 24 hours later I would receive my own evacuation warning. My family loaded up the pets, packed the “important papers”, loaded up favorite mementos and left home. It is a surreal experience.

We have since returned home, as our notice is actually a “warning”, we are not under a “mandatory” evacuation. However we continue to live in a heightened state. Everything is still packed, and when things need to be used, they are re-packed immediately after. It is kind of like camping at home.

These are the times when you find out what is important. I am surprised at where crochet fit in this for me. Among my packings, I made sure my hooks found a vehicle. However only the yarns that I have current commitments had the same fate. The only completed projects that made the cut were ones that needed photography, as they are near a publication date. I didn’t pack any books, not any of my “specialty yarns”. I didn’t even pack my “specialty” or “collectable” hooks. Just the everyday hooks made the car, and that current projects made it there too.

Maybe it is because crochet is not a “thing” for me. Maybe the process is really what drives me. The movement of my hands, the twisting of the hook, the flow of the yarn between my fingers. Granted times like these make it difficult to be creative and design something new. Yet, crochet does keep my hands busy and my mind focused.

How you can help

As of today the fire has evacuated a physical area nearly half the size of the state of Rhode Island. If you want to assist those evacuated or how have lost everything, here is a site listing ways.