Crochet flowers in color

Posted on November 24, 2011 by fats

Focussing on natural and neutral colors for the past few months, I turned back to bright colors recently, in particular, for some crocheted flowers. It was also the opportunity to use the multi-color threads in my stash.

I’m quite surprised at how well the multi-color threads worked out. One way I used them is in combination with lighter solid color threads for the flower center.

Another way is to use a combination of different multi-color threads, for example, variegated orange and variegated red with berries in variegated violet.

Following these simple rules for combinations, I made several crochet jewellery. Many of them are all-fiber jewellery, that is, they contain no metal findings or plastic or stone beads. There are, it seems, quite a number of people who have allergies to metal and therefore can only wear fibre jewellery.

The strap for most of the crochet jewellery are based on patterns I’ve just learned to make from the Swimsuit #3 issue of Duplet magazine. I usually work the straps in natural, beige or other light or neutral color. I also crochet any number of flowers and berries, focussing more on the flowers themselves rather than on their arrangement on the necklace (or bracelet).

Only later do I arrange the flowers, berries and leaves on the strap, every now and then wearing the necklace to see how the flowers lie around the neck. The weight of the flowers affect the appearance and comfort/wearability of the necklace, especially when I lean forward and move around. Often, I need to add extra crocheted flowers and berries to complete the piece.

Here is a necklace that I made using a metal button.

Summer flowers necklace in green and yellow

I like the color combination of this necklace, and didn’t expect the green and yellow multi-color thread to work so well. The flowers and berries are all made with the same thread but the flower centre uses a thread of the same hue but lighter than the color of the strap. I think that lighter color gave the necklace a kind of focal point. I’m very happy with the result and have also discovered that the color combination is very flattering to the skin.

Here is a similar design using the same combinations of threads but this time using a crocheted berry for button. I have also decided to add a couple more flowers and berries around the necklace to make a more asymmetrical design.

Green and yellow color combination

This necklace uses a lavender color strap and flowers in red and orange variations. The berries are in violet multi-color thread. I used violet to match the hue of the necklace strap. I also love the result of these color combinations!

Violet is the focal point of this necklace.

Usually, I try to choose a hue as focal point and reflect it in other parts of the necklace. The focal color need not be the most dominant color in the piece but it’s role is to balance the visual design of the piece.

For the green and yellow necklace, I realize now that the hue I used as focal point was beige although the dominant colors are green and yellow.

Although green and yellow are domianant colors, the necklace's balancing color is beige.

I hope that these notes are helpful for other designers working with color, especially with multi-color threads.

These necklaces and more are now available at The Crochetology Shop.

Forest Candy

Posted on April 23, 2011 by fats

Forest Candy is a truly colorful necklace made with green crochet cotton thread and multi-color thread. Choose you favorite multi-color thread – in sunny colors such as this, or in blues, browns or reds to change the mood of the piece.

When making crocheted jewelry such as this, you may wish to starch the pieces so that the edges don’t fold over while wearing. There’s a very good page about stiffening/starching crochet at the Crochet Memories website. You can starch mildly and wash off when you launder the necklace. Apart from stiffening, starch protects the fabric and so dirt goes to the starch and not on the fabric.

If you like these patterns and make a finished object, please let me know. I would love to see finished work or modifications of the patterns I make. If you have any questions or comments or if you find any errors in the patterns, please let me know as well, so that I can correct and update the patterns.

Forest Candy by Fatima Lasay

Skill Level: Intermediate

Finished Measurements: Approximately 11” long without ties; 26” long with ties

Yarn: Multi-color crochet cotton thread size 8

Green crochet cotton thread size 8

Hook: Steel crochet hook size Japan 3 or US 10 Steel (1.3mm)

Aluminum crochet hook size Japan 4/0 or US 0 Steel (2.5mm)

Gauge: Exact gauge is not crucial for this pattern.

Notions: Needle and matching-color thread

Terminology: Pattern is written using US crochet terminology (see chart on last page for conversion).

Instructions:

Special Stitches:

Back Loop Single Crochet (BLsc): Work sc as normal except that you insert the hook not in both loops of the st, but the loop that is further away as you look at the work. The result is a softer, stretchier fabric that looks very different from stitches worked in front loops only or in both loops.

Picot: Ch 3, sl st in base of ch-3.

Motifs:

5-Petal Flower: (Make 2)

With multi-color thread, ch 4, sl st in 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 10 sc in ring, sl st in 1st sc to join.

Rnd 2: *Ch 2, 3 dc in next sc, ch 2, sl st in next sc, rep fr * 4 times, sl st in 1st sc to join. Fasten off.

6-Petal Flower: (Make 3)

With multi-color thread, ch 5, sl st in first ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: (Ch 3, [yo, insert hook in ring and draw up loop, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times, yo and draw through all loops on hook, ch 3, sl st in ring) 6 times. Fasten off.

7-Petal Flower: (Make 3)

With multi-color thread, ch 5, sl st in 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 14 sc in ring, sl st in 1st sc to join.

Rnd 2: *Ch 2, 3 dc in next sc, ch 2, sl st in next sc, rep fr * 6 times. Sl st in 1st sc to join. Fasten off.

12-Petal Flower: (Make 3)

With multi-color thread, ch 6, sl st in 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 12 sc in ring, sl st in 1st sc to join.

Rnd 2: (Ch 5, sc in 3rd ch fr hook, hdc in next ch, sl st in next ch, sl st in next sc of previous rnd) 12 times. Fasten off.

Leaf: (Make 5)

Crochet symbol chart for the leaf.

With green thread, ch 10.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in 2nd ch fr hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next 2 ch, tr in next ch, dc in next 3 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in last ch; ch 1, 2 BLsc in last ch (this turns you now to other side of foundation chain), BLsc in next ch, *picot, BLsc in next 2 sts, rep fr * all around leaf ending with sl st in 1st sc to join. Fasten off.

Rings (Make 2):

With multi-color thread, ch 4, sl st in 1st ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 10 sc in ring. Fasten off.

Experiment with other colors of thread and other arrangements of the motifs.

Assembly/Finishing:

Using the photograph below as guide, arrange the motifs and pin together. Turn over and sew at the back with matching color thread.

You may use this photo as guide or you can create your own motif arrangement. Add more motifs as needed.

To make the ties: With two strands of green thread held together, join to ring with two sc, ch 54, 3 tr in 4th ch fr hook. Fasten off. Rep for other ring.

Weave in tail ends and block flat.

To wear the necklace, simply tie at the back.

Jewelry in Irish crochet

Posted on April 23, 2010 by fats

I finished this necklace today for our Design Crochet Along. I’ve been wanting to make an Irish Crochet piece using the Priscilla Irish Crochet Book from the Antique Pattern Library and finally managed this one.

This necklace is made with crochet cotton thread size 8.

It didn’t take very long to finish, I only started last night. From the Priscilla book, Irish crochet seemed really difficult so I just had to make modern modifications to manage with what I have – which is a size 8 thread (not very fine thread usually called for in Irish crochet) and a size 1mm steel crochet hook.

My friend Mimi recommends this page for those who wish to learn Irish crochet. I think it is a good start for those who might find the antique books difficult to understand.

The necklace uses an S hook for closure.

While working on this, I found a few techniques to make the instructions on the APL Irish crochet book a bit easier to understand and make. I didn’t use a padding cord but instead used a long chain, and I didn’t baste the motifs to make the background netting but I tried to find ways to crochet the motifs in a single piece so there’s less sewing. Hopefully, I will be able to write the pattern for it shortly.

However, there will probably be the need for free-form techniques in the pattern, since exact pattern instruction for Irish crochet backgrounds is not advisable. As the Priscilla book on Irish crochet said, “… to follow directions for a given number of bars composed of a given number of stitches, would be fatal to the beauty of the lace, as no two workers would space alike.”

For the pattern to respect the creative freedom of the crochet worker, the Priscilla book recommends the use of a “general plan”, in particular for filling in the backgrounds surrounding motifs, which the worker should familiarize herself with and use adeptly under the immediate circumstances with the aim of producing the finest lace.

I work with cotton threads of very limited size – mostly size 8 threads and sometimes, size 10. In traditional Irish crochet, these are thick threads used for the padding cord and making large motifs. With the necklace above, I have made a number of ‘adjustments’ that I thought could work with the materials that I have, and additionally, have developed the design that fits the material and the methods.

Hopefully, these would be of interest to other workers as these are of interest to me. Nevertheless, I would recommend learning from the original material, which are available from the Antique Pattern Library, whenever possible.

Green dress in sieve stitch

Posted on January 14, 2010 by fats

Crochetology problem: Given basic Sieve Stitch pattern:

Sieve Stitch

And the offset mesh pattern:

Make a multiple of 2 sts.
Rnd 1. (Right side): 1dc into 6th ch from hook, *1ch, skip1 ch, 1 dc into next ch; rep from * ending 1 dc into last ch. Tun.
Rnd 2. 4 ch (counts as 1 dc and 1 ch), skip first 2 sts, 1 dc into next ch sp, *1ch, skip 1 dc, 1 dc into next sp; rep from * to turning ch, 1 dc into next ch. Turn.

Rep rnd 2.

Crochet a sleeveless dress using at least 4 colors.

Continue reading →

Multi-color-texture Wrap-around Skirt

Posted on January 1, 2010 by fats

A garden of color and texture.

Crochetology problem:

Using some basic textured stitches:

Ribbed stitch
Make a row of single crochet. Turn. Make another row of single crochet but this time pass the hook through the back part (or back loop) only of the stitches of the preceding row. Use different colors for each row to emphasize the effect of the stitches.

Raised treble
Start with a row of simple treble stitches. The row with the raised treble stitches consists of three simple treble stitches, then one double treble connected with a loop trough the stitch of the previous row. Continue with three simple treble stitches then one double treble, and so on. Use different colors for each row so that the raised treble stitch is more visible.

Shell pattern
The pattern is made up of three rounds of stacked shells that area laced together with chain stitches in the third round of the sequence. Each shell is made by working (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in the same stitch or space.
Row 1. (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next stitch, ch 2, skip next 2 stitches; repeat from * to end. Turn.
Rows 2 and 3. (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of first shell, *ch 2, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of next shell; repeat from * to end. Turn.
Row 4. (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of first shell, *ch 3, sc in ch-2 space between 2 shells two rounds below, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch-2 space of next shell; repeat from * to end. Turn.
Row 5-7. Repeat Rows 2-4.