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.

Make a wrap-around skirt of at least 4 colors.

This skirt s really very simple. The upper part consisting of single crochet double crochet, ribbed stitch, and raised treble and the lower part a variation of the shell pattern.

I used Monaco rayon threads and mercerized cotton. While I was more concerned with the color, I found it particularly interesting the blending of the two different types of crochet threads.

The rayon thread is much softer and doesn’t stretch, whereas the mercerized cotton thread is stiffer and stretches much better. These are two of the most popular crochet threads in the Philippines – and they are manufactured here as well, although the cotton (according to what I was told) are not grown here but are rather imported from China. What is done here are dyeing and mercerizing (in the case of cotton). For rayon, it seems that the raw materials are also imported.

Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulosic fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic fiber. Rayon is known by the names viscose rayon and art silk in the textile industry. It usually has a high lustre quality giving it a bright shine. Rayon contains the chemical elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Well, it is quite a pity that most of the goods manufactured here don’t really have the strong (and safe) industrial base here … nevertheless, the production of rayon crochet thread could be discontinued supposedly because there is little market demand, and that production will focus instead on the mercerized cotton thread market. Ironically, in the early to mid-20th century, it was the uptake of manufactured fibers such as rayon that caused the economic crash in cotton-producing countries.

Anyway, I am still thinking about natural fibers in the Philippines and their possibilities for crochet work.

Bamboo, for example, is now becoming fashionable with the resurgence of the “green imperative.” Furthermore, bamboo fiber is softer than cotton and supposedly has anti-bacterial properties. And then there are fibers from pineapple (pinya) and banana (abaca).
Back to rayon, I also suspect that the tedious and environmentally unsafe chemicals needed and resulting from the production of synthetic and semi-synthetic fibers could be reasons not to continue making them. However, the use of natural fiber doesn’t necessarily solve the environmental problems either; more research is needed in improving the process of converting raw materials into usable fibers.

A closer view of the wrap skirt.

Stitches used in making the Multicolor Wrap Skirt:
Note: A very good tutorial on crochet is found at Chapter IX Crochet Work of “The Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework” by Therese de Dillmont.

Ribbed stitch
(Use this stitch for the upper half of the skirt. Alternate with rows of Raised treble stich.)

Make a row of single crochet. Turn. Mae 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
(Use this stitch for the upper half of the skirt. Alternate with rows of Ribbed stitch.)

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
(Use this stitch for the lower half of the skirt. Alternate with rows of Ribbed stitch.)

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.

The other side of the skirt present a slightly different pattern.

Shell and Bobble Stitch:
(Use this for the hem of the skirt)

CL3 (3-dc cluster): (YO, insert in sp, yo and draw up a lp. yo and through 2 lps on hook) 3 times in same sp, yo and draw through all 4 lps on hook.

Row 1. (WS) Ch 1, 1 sc in each st across. Turn.
Row 2. (RS) Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), skip first sc, 1 dc in next 2 dc, ch 1, *skip 1 sc, 1 dc in next 2 sc, ch 1; rep from *, end skip 1 sc, dc in last sc. Turn.
Row 3. Ch 1, 1 sc in each dc and ch-1 sp across. Turn.
Row 4. Ch 5 (counts as 1 tr and 1 ch), (1 tr, ch 1) twice in first sc, skip 4 sc, 1 sc in next sc, *ch 1, skip 4 sc, (1 tr, ch 1) 5 times in next sc, skip 4 sc, 1 sc in next sc; rep from * to last 5 sc, skip 4 sc, (ch 1, 1 tr) 3 times in last sc. Turn.
Row 5. Ch 1, 1 sc in first tr, *ch 2, skip next ([ch-1 sp, 1 tr] twice and ch-1-sp, [1 dtr, ch 2] 4 times in next sc, skip next ([ch-1-sp, 1 tr) twice and ch-1 sp), 1 sc in next tr; rep from *, end last rep 1 sc in 4th ch of t-ch. Turn.
Row 6. Ch 1, 1 sc in first sc, *ch 4, skip next (ch-2 sp and 1 dtr), CL3 in next ch-2 sp, [ch 3, skip 1 dtr, CL3 in next ch-2 sp] twice, ch 4, skip next ch-2 sp, 1 sc in next sc; rep from * to end.

Starburst pattern
(Make 2 rows of the Starburst pattern for the waist. Don’t use rayon thread for this because rayon is too soft)

Row 1. Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in next ch and in each ch to end – 15 dc. Turn.
Row 2. Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc throughout), skip first dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 5, [skip 2 dc, 1 tr in next dc] 3 times, ch 5, skip 2 dc, 1 dc in last dc, 1 dc in top of t-ch (turning chain). Turn.
Row 3. Ch 3, skip first dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 4, skip 4 ch, 1 sc in next ch, 1 sc in next 3 tr, 1 sc in next ch, ch 4, skip 4 ch, 1 dc in last 2 dc. Turn.
Row 4. Ch 3, skip first dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 5, skip (ch-4 sp, 1 sc), 1 sc in next 3 sc, ch 5, skip (1 sc, ch-4 sp), 1 dc in last dc, 1 dc in top of t-ch. Turn.
Row 5. Ch 3, skip first dc, 1 dc in next dc, ch 2, skip ch-5-sp, [1 tr in next sc, ch-2] 3 times, skip ch-5 sp, 1 dc in last dc, 1 dc in top of t-ch. Turn.
Row 6. Ch 3, skip first dc, 1 dc in each st and ch across, end 1 dc in top of t-ch. Turn.
Row 7. Ch 3, skip first dc, 1 dc in each dc across, end 1 dc in top of t-ch. Turn.
Rep rows 2-7.

At the top of this pattern, make a round of single crochet and an extension of chain stitches (on both sides of the skirt) of suitable length to make the ties around the waist. Make the ties thicker with one row of single crochet.

Simple scallop lace pattern
(Use this to create the small scallop edging of the skirt along the sides)

Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, sk 2 sts, sl st in next st.

Skirt in progress. I started this skirt in Manila in 2008, and conitnued working on it in India and Malaysia in 2008-2009, and finally finished it in Manila in 2009!

Some lessons learned:
Apart from working more boldly with color, working on this skirt presented to me the need to look more closely at the materials (particularly the threads) that I am using. Although I am yet to use (and produce) my own natural fibers, it is clear that the quality of the material is often only “discovered” once it is crocheted or woven into a piece of fabric.

This skirt is also a swatch or sampling of crochet stitches and therefore also the opportunity to “discover” what difference different types of stitches make on different types of threads.