Ladder Braid

Before heading off to last week’s Embroiderers’ Guild fair I grabbed some threads to do a braiding demonstration. Initially I had no clear plan about which braid I would demo. Fiddles around with a few different structures before deciding on the ladder braid.

This braid is so simple to do and lends itself to some pretty smashing embellishment. The holes that are formed are perfect for threading through beads, ribbon etc.

I’m not sure what I will thread through but I know it won’t be this gold cord. Wrong.

Off to Market

This Sunday is the QLD Embroiderers’ Guild’s Annual Mother’s Day Fair. I’ll be there with all of TrishAlan Designs Eco Dyed Threads and Fabric as well as some extra  one off goodies.

If you have been following my recent Crochet Blog posts here, here and here you will recognise these. I actually didn’t plan on making anymore of these bangles or at least not in time for the fair but thanks to Mum’s recent stay in hospital I did a few more while visiting. If you can’t make it to the fair you can have a go at making your own here.

What’s New

The shop has been overdue for a rearrange for ages. I finally stopped  procrastinating and did a total makeover.

It also gave me an opportunity to play around a bit more with my new camera. It took me absolutely ages to find the anti-blur setting.

Usually I display like products together because I am basically lazy.

This time I went for a colour theme.

I love the finished look but already I’m noticing that I need to do more tidying throughout the day. Not my favourite thing. I wonder how long I can keep this display going?

The Crafter’s Way 224–Crochet Bangle Tutorial

As promised here is a tutorial to make Crochet Bangles. I’ve included the instructions in both US and English language. I have used the term yarn even though I am technically using thread. For this project you will need a metal bangle, crochet hook size 2.75mm and 16m of  of my Eco Dyed Rayon thread.

US Crochet Language:
Start by making a Slip knot on your hook. We are now going to cover the bangle. These* instructions* will be the same for both US and English. With the slip knot on the hook place the hook under the bangle. Yarn over hook. (1) Draw hook under bangle. Place hook over bangle. Yarn over hook. (2) Pull hook through first two loops, leaving one. Repeat this step until you completely cover the bangle.*
                                                  
When you return to start join both ends with a slipstitch (slip st). Make 2 chains (ch). Insert hook into top of 2^nd stitch from slipstitch. You should now have 2 stitches on the hook. Yarn over, draw yarn through both stitches. This is a Single Crochet (sc). Continue making sc into every second stitch until you reach the beginning again. Make another slip st (3).

To make the scallops: in the same stitch as the last slipknot make a Half Double Crochet (hdc), Double Crochet(dc), Half Double Crochet(hdc) , slipstitch(slip st).# Chain 2 (4), miss 2 stitches, slip st, hdc, dc, hdc, slip st. ( all these are into the same stitch) (5). Repeat from # until you have completed the bangle. Join with a slip st.
               
English – remember the instructions * are the same for both crochet languages.
When you return to start join both ends with a slipstitch (sl st). Make 2 chains (ch). Insert hook into top of 2^nd stitch from slipstitch. You should now have 2 stitches on the hook. Yarn over, draw yarn through both stitches. This is a Double Crochet (dc). Continue making dc into every second stitch until you reach the beginning again. Make another sl st.
To make the scallops: in the same stitch as the last slipknot make a Half Treble Crochet (htr), Treble Crochet(tr), Half Treble Crochet(htr) , slipstitch(sl st). # Chain 2, miss 2 stitches, sl st, htr, tr, htr, sl st. (all these are into the same stitch) . Repeat from # until you have completed the bangle. Join with a sl st.
Happy crocheting.

The Crafter’s Way 223 - Crochet Around The World

 

When my Grandmother taught me to crochet Australia was still very much immersed in our English heritage. Today we live in a different world; we are influenced by many cultures and as such often have different understandings of the same things. Craft is not immune from the differences. While recently being laid up with a broken foot I decided to do some crocheting. I googled some patterns and then came to an abrupt halt. The patterns had been written by an American and the pattern used the same words to explain different stitches. I decided to back track and make some granny squares using their patterns to immerse myself in the new language. I chose the granny square because I knew what that was supposed to look like. Funny enough after about half an hour I was confidently following the pattern.

Abbreviation	US	Abbreviation	English
ch	chain	ch	chain
slip st	slip stitch	sl st	slip stitch
sc	single crochet	dc	double crochet
hdc	half double crochet	htr	half treble
dc	double crochet	tr	treble
tr trc	treble triple crochet	dtr	double treble
dtr dtrc	double treble double triple crochet	triptr	triple treble
trip tr tr trc	triple treble triple triple crochet	quadtr	quadruple treble

Cut out and keep this ready reckoner with your crochet patterns. Crochet Hook sizes can also vary. If you have a penchant for vintage patterns you will need to check if the hook sizes stated are imperial, that is pre-metric. For some sizes there is no comparison

Metric: mm	US	UK Imperial
1.00	10 Steel	_
1.25	8 Steel	_
1.50	7 Steel	_
1.75	5 Steel	_
2.00	B-1	14
2.25	B-1	13
2.75	C-2	12
3.25	D-3	10
3.50	E-4	9
3.75	F-5	9
4.00	G-6	8
4.50	7	7
5.00	H-8	6
5.50	I-9	5
6.00	J-10	4
6.50	10 1/4	3
7.00	K-10 1/2	2
8.00	_	0
9.00	_	00
10.00	_	000

Next week I’ll share the crochet pattern to make the bangles in the image.

Space Dyed Crochet Bangles

I’ve been enjoying making these crochet bangles so much I started using some of my variegated Eco Dyed threads.

Loving the purple and blue one, lucky I’ve made two of these.

The purple and pink one is going to the little girl next door. Should I do another one? I’ve got the thread and the bangles so probably….

Crochet Bangles

These cute crochet bangles started life like this.

I found a heap of these metal bangles at a garage sale recently.

Simple and fun to make and wear.

Hello Old Friend

Crocheting was the first ever craft I learnt. I still have all the hooks my Grandmother gave me. Unfortunately they have seen better days largely because I insist on using them for other things like making fabric beads.

Just after Christmas I was strolling through Spotlight when I happened upon this.

A complete set of shiny new hooks. Of course this meant that I would have to do some crocheting. With all of the funky crochet flower patterns available I decided I would grab some of my hand dyed threads and make some. My enthusiasm didn’t last long. They are all written using American Crochet and I grew up with English Crochet. Back to Crochet School.

Started on a granny square ‘cause at least I knew what it should look like in the end.

I stayed with the wool and tried a simple flower. Ready to move on now. Different patterns and more interesting yarns and threads.

Craft Day

Last night when the was rain bucketing down I made the decision to not go into the shop today. I had planned to do some dyeing but knew the fabric wouldn’t dry. A day at home creating would do me good.

I started making some fabric coasters. Probably should have kept going until I finished them but today wasn’t about shoulds. Besides I didn’t feel like doing detail work. I was in a scrappy mood.

 Grabbed some fabric and did a bit more on the fabric collage I have been working on. Then I ran out of glue….. 
Delved into my bag of thread scraps, found some fabric strips  and started twisting.

Still need to add brooch backs to these. Will make a few more before I start that step, I haven’t even made a dent in that thread bag.
PS The sun came out.

Cloth Weaving

Late last year I used up some old thickened dye and created a fun piece of fabric.

 I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with it until I stumbled upon Morna Crites blog. Suddenly I knew I wanted to try Cloth Weaving and what I could use for my first piece.
   The first cut is the deepest. I cut my strips 7cm wide.

This is as far as I’ve got. I need some backing fabric and a few more bits of fabric to weave into it before I start stitching. Like Mona, I think this could be the first of many.

Nothing Basic About These

Seems I’ve been on a Kumihimo roll lately.

I’ve been braiding some Glasses Chains. Chains seems the wrong word somehow but it is all I’ve got right now. Feel free to chime in with suggestions.

I made this one for myself. This is the same braid structure as the first braid.

Some Flat Braids. These are a different structure to the basic flat.

I do like red and pink together.

Wish I knew how I got the gold colour. I randomly mixed together some left over dye before adding the thread. Isn’t it always the way.

Even my too cool for school twin brother has one of these glasses chains. He wanted Khaki, I’d have thought he would have had enough of that colour by now.These have all been made using TrishAlan Designs Eco Dyed Threads.  Need to stop braiding for the moment, need to focus on some other creations for a few weeks.

Kumihimo Basics 5

Variations on the basic square braid.

From left to right: Crochet cotton, Fine Cotton, Viscose, Silk and Viscose. All threads have been Eco Dyed.

The Crafter’s Way 202–Craft Magic

I’m weaving a little magic with this week’s Messenger column.
What is this?

No, it’s not a wand, it’s a Yarnz. I spotted it while aimlessly roaming the aisle of a craft store. Having just come from the doctors where I had been diagnosed with a high temperature I threw caution to the wind, ok it was probably delirium, and invested a whole $2 to give it a go.

Step 1: Insert elastic through the hole in the middle. I used 6mm elastic. Slip the end of the elastic into the notch and tie a knot.

Step 2: At the other end secure your thread/yarn around the tube with a knot.

Step 3: Hold the tube in your left hand and wind the thread around the tube with your right( reverse for left handers).

Step 4: Slide the wound thread off the tube and onto the elastic. Continue winding and sliding until you have your desired length.
The instructions on the pack tell you how to finish off a scarf. I was making bracelets/hair scrunchies so simply knotted the elastic and let it spring back into the wound thread.

This is super simple; I made 6 bracelets in 15mins. I can see these in this year’s Crafty Santa Stockings. Be sure to include plenty of threads and yarn as it is sure to be a Christmas day activity.
For $2 how could you go wrong?This is the best piece of craft magic I have seen in a long time.

PS: After heaps of queries re this product I thought I should pop back and tell you all I bought the wand at Spotlight.

Works in Progress (alt title–Don’t hold your breath)

I have been filling small snatches of time with some simple hand embroidery. You know those times when you are waiting for the bus, waiting waiting, waiting.

These are destined to be brooches.

Using more scraps of my hand dyed fabrics and threads.

There is no wrong way.

Eventually I will add some beads and other embellishments.

By the time I finish them though I could well have thought of another use for them.

I’ve also started embroidering some samples for an upcoming project.

Up close and personal.

No details just yet, still some work to be done before the grand reveal.

More Faux Crazy Patch

Had a few people message me wanting to see more of the Faux Crazy Patch Angels.

Unfortunately they haven’t earned their wings yet so I can’t show you the finished pieces but I can show more images of the stitching.

The pencil guidelines rinse right out at the end.

I’ll also add a few bead embellishments before I make them up.

I have a few more stitched fronts to complete before I get down to the assembly stage. Sitting here isn’t getting me any closer to being finished, so Bye for now.