These are two of three Tropical Scarves designed by Mimi and may be found on her website (thanks, Mimi!). I finished crocheting these scarves a few weeks ago and have thought of the possibility of designing dresses based on scarf patterns and designs. The scarf, basically a long rectangle, presents a good and simple springboard for new designs and ideas. Ensembles also provide an opportunity to explore and expand a particular pattern or design.
Summer Shells Scarf in crochet cotton thread.
Beach Pebbles scarf in crochet cotton thread.
Crochetology problem: Start with a simple scarf pattern, such as Mimi’s Tropical Scarves, and experiment with color. Then extend the pattern by visualizing the shape into other objects such as a belt, a stole, a shawl, a collar, hems of a skirt or dress, a table runner or a wall-bound artwork.
The usefulness of the crocheted long rectangle is that the shape lends well to testing its texture, the direction that it stretches, how it looks in color combinations and how it might work out with other materials.
A Cardigan which I made a few months ago is an example of work that was developed from a scarf pattern. The sleeves and upper section of the cardigan draws from a scarf design, in combination with a number of other patterns and stitches from a crochet stitch dictionary.
You can also extend any design by applying the pattern across an ensemble of objects, for example, a scarf, a bag, and a blouse.
Lehenga Choli
Looking for ensemble inspirations, I was drawn to the Indian dress. This gorgeous lehenga choli (photo right) from HomeIndia.com, gives an example of how pattern and color are applied across a dress ensemble. The blue khara dupatta (upright stole or scarf) is woven with zari (gold thread) and decorated with latkans (tassels), coordinating with the embellishments of the choli (short-length blouse) and lehenga (a bridal dress).
While this dress is embroidered, it is not impossible to envision and create crocheted clothes and accessories in vibrant colors of threads, and of course, crocheted fabric itself can be embroidered and embellished.
Below is a project I started a few weeks ago, using the same scarf pattern that I used with the cardigan. This time, I combine it with the square motif and experiment with lighter cotton threads and more subtle gradations of the color (yellow). However, I would like to use more color and embellishment in my work this year.
Work in progress.
So, start with a simple scarf design and try extending it into a dress ensemble (or other series) to generate more ideas in crochet design.
Twisting coir in Kerala, India, 2008.
