Crochet, Old and New

 Everyone has that special teacher. Mine is Jane at JSP Creates.

Review: 

This is for people who already have a working knowledge of crochet but may need some review.

 I am working on crochet in the round and want my piece to lie flat. The circle may morph into a hexagon, octagon or even a pentagon. If you want your polygon to end up as a square, you must work on a shape that can be divided by 4: An 8-, 12-, or 16-sided polygon. More sides than that, and you may as well make a circle, but it’s possible. The point is you can’t make a perfect square from a (5-sided) pentagon. With each new row, the circle or polygon gets bigger. You accomplish that by increasing the stitches on each row. A very small circle needs twice the number of stitches, but as the piece gets larger it takes fewer increases to keep the piece flat.

                 To increase you can make 2 or more stitches in one stitch*, or

                Make one stitch on either side of each stitch, 

                                          *which may be a ‘chain stitch space’.

                                            The top of a stitch lies between stitches.

If you have a row of DC+ch1, there will be 2 stitches in each space. This means that for each DC+ch1 (2 stitches) you now have 3 stitches: the DC of the previous row, plus 2 stitches (one on either side).

 

Gray row: DC+ch1 in each stitch.

Tan Row: 2DC in each space.

     Note that the first tan DC is created with 

                                        1 long chain 

                                                                        instead of a ch3.

In the gray row, can you find the ch3 that normally starts a DC row?

(You won’t find it because it isn’t there.)

Striped circles are great for learning the basics, but in time I need more of a challenge. To add variety to your piece:

1.        Combine stitches with spaces.

 

2.        Use a variety of stitches. Be aware that different stitches will have different heights.

a.       A slip stitch adds no height nor width (in theory).

b.       A chain stitch adds little height, but some width.

c.       A single crochet adds a little more height and width.

d.       A double crochet adds more height, not more width.

e.       A triple crochet adds yet more height, not more width.

f.        A multiple of double crochet in one space adds width, not more height than a single double crochet.

g.       A cluster of double crochet can add height and width but covers the area of one stitch at the top and bottom.

 

3.       Combine items #1 and #2 to create a ‘pattern.’ A 'stitch, ch 3, stitch' in a single stitch or space will create a corner, changing the circle into a polygon.

By starting with a small circle (that will become a 3” or 4” square) you can resort to ‘trial and error.’ If you don’t like the look of what you just did, it is easy to rip out and try something else.

“Start with the End in Mind”

One of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Effective People

“Every step you take, every stitch you make” – no one is watching you. Do what pleases you.

A bad start almost never ends well . . . 

The key here is "almost" . 

   To be continued.

Post Script:

Something to remember when learning a new technique: focus on one thing at a time. The first time you work it, the quality of the stitches may be wonky. That’s OK. Designers don’t publish first drafts. Tackle only one thing at a time. A photographer may take 1,000 photos to get that one ‘great shot’.

With that in mind, be aware that I am recovering and re-learning after a traumatic brain injury. Before the incident, eight years ago, I was a professional designer/writer and illustrator. As a freelancer, I had to learn many different disciplines. Retired now, I provide this information for free and hope it is shared. There are mistakes in my work - I do that to see who is paying attention. (I wish). Actually, I love mistakes. We learn more from our mistakes than we do from our successes. 

If my work doesn’t look as wonderful as that of designers who are publishing patterns, it may be because this is a journal, of a journey to recovery. I don’t work on any one discipline long enough to develop mastery. There may be months between posts. It happens that way. 

Counted Thread Embroidery on a Journey to Crochet

 I am skipping over the several months of counted thread embroidery to adventures in crochet. More to follow. 

In the following posts, I combine the counted thread embroidery with crochet on linen - it is certainly a counted thread technique - worked on a ground that is not so much counted, except as counted by the ruler.

Meanwhile - watch this space. More to come.

Stress Free Stitching

I turn my attention to counted thread embroidery in these latter days of the year. 

Sometimes we need an intense challenge, but the holidays have their own challenges. We don't need more. But neither do we want boredom. Rather, our souls seek a comfortable balance. Winter, in general, can be stressful with bone-chilling weather, and light deprivation.

Blackwork, also known as Holbein embroidery, after the 17th-century portrait artist in the court of Henry VIII is a favorite of mine. Others are pulled thread embroidery and Hardanger. Almost any embroidery stitch can be worked over a set number of threads. 

From the book Blackwork & Holbein Embroidery, book 2, by Ilse Alrherr (self-published), this pattern has been modified. The book is out-of-print. Attempts to contact the author for permission to reproduce part of her pattern were fruitless. The modification makes the border narrower and required a re-design of the corner motif to compensate for the change.

In my long life, I have observed that trends in the fiber arts market turn to the predictability of counted thread work when the social climate and world politics are uncertain and unstable. The year 2022, coming hard on the Covid 19 pandemic and disputed political outcomes have been unsettled with little to suggest an impending change.

I have worked on several of the patterns in my books by Altherr, and consider her a master of historical hand embroidery. I took a class from her in the 1980s in Mobile, Alabama through the local Embroiderers' Guild. I chose this pattern for a specific piece of fabric that I wanted to use as a table centerpiece and worked it in ecru pearl cotton on Hardanger cloth.

A.B.C.s of 1 x 1 Cables

Bromefields Knitting Shop on Etsy

Knitted Cable Sourcebook

Infinite Cables

Cables - 

cars, telegrams, landline telephones, lifelines, internet, KNIT !

Who doesn't love cables? 

What follows here are my observations while learning to knit cables. Listed above are some excellent sources for those interested in furthering their cable knitting education. As always, nothing on my page is a 'paid advertisement.'

1. The first listed is an inexpensive booklet on some traditional cable variations.
2. Norah Gaughan presents a comprehensive study of cables.  
3. Melissa Leapman presents her class on working cables as an icon, instead of a vertical row.

         Note: In the book, Norah presents a lovely edge stitch that she does not explain in the book. Being the lovely person she is, she gave me the 'recipe' along with permission to share it with you.

    

A cable, in its simplest form, is comprised of multiple strands. In the case of knitting, a cable requires more than one stitch. A Bavarian Twisted Stitch (also on Craftsy) is sometimes called a 'traveling stitch' and uses a 1 x 1 pattern. It's similar but is not quite the same, being knitted through the back loop.

Technically, a 1 x 1 cable stitch is not a 'traditional' cable stitch. As originated with Aran Sweater knitting in the British Isles, cables are made with a 2 x 2 (or more) sequence.

My hat pattern is from the Bulgarian knitter Elena Dimchevska, on Ravelry.

Used with permission from the designer

Milka Hat

What made this hat so much fun for me, a challenged knitter is that it is cable-simplified, but not simple. I made mistakes, but part of my challenge was to keep on knitting by either making a way to continue on with the correct number of stitches, or drop back and repair one or two stitches - but not rip out an entire row or pattern repeat. That in itself is a learning experience. Again, the mantra is Swatch, Swatch, Swatch.

To the Good Stuff - 

The A.B.C.s of 1 x 1 cables

A. The forward stitch will usually be knitted - unless the designer says otherwise.

B. The behind stitch will usually be purled - unless the designer says otherwise.

C. Both stitches are knit when you want to create an X, or the behind stitch will become a forward stitch very soon, as in the next pattern row.

D. Stitches might be Knit/Purl when you want the forward stitch to lean to the right.

E. Stitches might be Purl/knit when you want the forward stitch to lean to the left.

F. Why aren't the stitches interchangeable? Because you are usually working right to left.

Unless you work left to right sometimes, and right to left other times.

Unless the designer tells you to do it differently - 

Crochet Cotton vs. Knitting Cotton Yarn

 What's the difference?

Consider the crochet "doilies" popular in Victorian decor. That trend lasted well into the 20th century and is still revered by some.

The crocheted doily was a knock-off of historic laces, that had been practiced for centuries but required skill and specialization. To this day, crochet is considered a 'lesser ' needle art in some quarters. Not this one.

Lacis, a favorite of Mary, Queen of Scots is, in my experience the most difficult of all the lace techniques. It requires the lacemaker to first knot a net as a base. Then to embellish the net, she or he enters the net with the needle at one point and weaves. If the lace has been executed correctly, the needle will emerge at the same place it entered the net when the weaving is finished. 'Net weaving' is a less complex version of Lacis and is often done on a commercially made net.

In crochet, the 'look' was accomplished by the technique "Filet Crochet," wherein the embellishment and the netting was created at the same time, row by row.

Knitting is a different discipline altogether. While lace can be knitted, not all knitting is lace. The same could be said of crochet, however, so what is the difference?

Crochet was popular for home decor, back in the day. It was washed often and must withstand chlorine bleach, or harsh sunlight. Knitting was most often done in wool, but we are discussing cotton here - so what about knitting? Both crochet and knitted items are popular today.  

Using crochet cotton for either knitting or crochet means using a more firmly spun thread, while cotton prepared for knitting is often softer. It is up to the user which they prefer.

Color Coding Your Chart

 I love color coding. I got my first BIG commission for introducing a color-coded filing system to Boeing in the 1960s. It was for the 737. Don't blame me, it was only the files.

To move on, I have had a lifetime of experience with color - and coding - and color coding. 

Today I am applying the principles to 'Knitted Cables.'

Fortunately, the color wheel has more than 3 primary colors: Red, Blue, or Yellow.

We get to use secondary, or even tertiary colors.

To make it even more fun - we will distinguish between warm and cool colors. And light and dark colors! What a festive array!

Secondary colors are what you get when you mix two primary colors: Purple, green, or orange.

By now you may have noticed that some colors are easier to see if they are darker. For example, 'orange' has been made 'brown' so it can be seen easily.  (I have not shown yellow at all, except - see below) !

But, if I put any color within a black outline, it is seen much more quickly. Even white  will show up if it has a boundary of black - as in:

 

(Black on black defeats the purpose of the illustration)

Notice that yellow and black have the most contrast. That is because yellow is a warm color, while black, like white, is neutral. Grey without an outline, almost disappears from the page. Also, scientifically, black is either all colors or no colors, (I forget which) and white is the opposite, but black is dark and shows up well.

Typographers will use those features of colors to give their message an impact. But everyone enjoys color - as witnessed by movies and tv producers.

Given that yellow, and its neighbors, red and orange, are warm colors and appear to come forward if I am illustrating a stitch that comes forward I will use a warm color.

Likewise, a stitch that lies behind a stitch that comes forward gets grey, outlined in black. Because it is behind - and harder to see.

That takes care of 'knit' and 'purl' - but what if your cable is ' knit - knit' or 'purl knit' ? Or 'knit - purl - knit'?

That is when we use tertiary colors and values. 

Tertiary colors happen when you mix two secondary colors, or a secondary color and a primary color.

They will show up as 'lavender-blue' or 'red-violet'.

The Value is seen as the lightness or darkness of a color. Such as 'red' vs. 'pink', or black vs. white.

So we have a whole array of colors, and values and temperature to record our data. And that doesn't even touch on texture. Y'all know what texture is - all touchy/feely.

When vision fails . . .

If we are lucky, we are blind from birth and can learn to see in other ways, from birth.

If we are lucky, we lose our vision gradually and can find ways to compensate.

If we are lucky, we lose our vision suddenly but have had a lifetime of seeing.

Either way, we are fortunate and will find a solution.

Here I will share mine, for knitting patterns . . .

I happen to love artificial intelligence. It helps me every day to find solutions to my problems.

For my waning vision, even after cataract surgery, I bought a good scanner.

1.  Print my downloaded knitting pattern.
2.  Scan it at 300 D.P.I. - dots per inch.
3.  Open the 'picture' taken by the scanner in a photo manager with editing capabilities. I  use Microsoft Paint for simple tasks.
4.  Resize the image to what you wish, making it smaller. For most knitting patterns, this gives me about 20 rows of knitting per portrait-layout page. In 'Paint' all I have to do is print in a portrait (or landscape) layout. I like approximately 3 rows to the inch.
5. Now my pattern is large enough to color the squares, if desired, and can be seen easily from a distance when placed on my magnetic board.

Note:  Chart is for Milka Hat - found in Ravelry.Com

Milka Hat Pattern

Used by Permission from the designer.