Hello everyone,
Sorry for not updating in a while. But due to ill health (nothing too serious!), I have decided not to update this blog any further. I am leaving the blog online so that others may be inspired by my existing content. Apologies in advance for any future comments that may go unanswered.
Thanks to everyone who has visited the blog and provided feedback!
Best wishes
These two design swatches are variations on the basket weave pattern and according to the very old scrappy copy of the charts that I found, both designs were originally used for cross stitch.
After working the second swatch using the original chart, I recreated the chart as the original contained an error.
Simple designs but very nice.
This beautiful design is one of those that you discover by accident, having made an error whilst failing to concentrate on the task at hand. In this case watching TV.
I was given a pattern chart for a diamond shaped motif. I think it is a mosaic knitting chart but cannot be sure. I tried to crochet a swatch consisting of three repeats of the diamond motif in order to get an idea of how an overall design would look. Halfway through the swatch I found that I had made an error in the second repeat. The error was not unpleasant to look at, so I decided not to correct it and finished the swatch.
The swatch containing both the correct and the incorrect motifs looked very interesting. However, I found that I preferred the design created by my error. In fact, I liked it so much I decided to share it. I created a chart for my accidental design and worked another swatch.
I think the overall design is very nice and would be perfect for almost any project.
Here are a few more of my successful meander designs. As with the first part of these designs, I have again used left over Double knitting Acrylic yarn from my stash and a 4.mm crochet hook. I have been trying out these designs for use as borders on future projects. However, someone has pointed out that with the addition of a fringe at each end, these designs would make a perfect seasonal scarf.
The sample measures 16 inches wide, which is a little wide for a scarf and of course the design on the wrong side of the fabric is horizontal stripes.
If worked in the round with a few additional motif repeats, I think these designs would make a very nice scarf!
Happy Holidays!
I’m now totally hooked on Mosaic crochet. I have had a few failures, but can’t stop experimenting with different designs. I will very soon be knee deep in swatches. I am currently working on meander designs that can be used for borders on future projects. These designs are some of my successes.
I used left over Double knitting Acrylic yarn from my stash and a 4 mm crochet hook.
I discovered mosaic crochet approximately five or six weeks ago, I’m now totally hooked!
It is very much like mosaic knitting/slip stitch knitting, but with a crochet hook. In fact, I used mosaic knitting pattern graphs/charts to practice sample swatches when trying to get to grips with the crochet technique. I found that most of the pattern graphs/charts created for mosaic knitting can also be used for mosaic crochet.
I found a very helpful blog which covered everything you need to know to get started: http://www.clearlyhelena.com/how-to-mosaic-crochet/
l have a book called Celtic Charted Designs by Co Spinhoven. I really like most of the designs in the book and wanted to try to adapt one of my favourite designs for use with the mosaic crochet technique.
This design is my first attempt.
I used double knitting acrylic yarn and started the sample swatch using a size 4 mm crochet hook, but I found it quite difficult to control the tension of the work. I changed to a size 5 mm crochet hook and found that using a larger hook produced a good uniform tension.
I also found that most of the mosaic knitting pattern graphs/charts that I tried used one extra stitch at the beginning and end of each row. I choose to use three extra stitches, as this made it easier for me to follow this particular charted design. Given that each row is worked in a different colour, the pattern design on the wrong side of the resulting fabric is always horizontal stripes.
The finished fabric has quite a firm texture and I feel that any future project would benefit from a surrounding border.
This shrug has three quarter sleeves and is made with previously used yarn. The yarn was originally used to make a sweater, which was not much worn or liked. I unravelled, then wound the yarn into balls, which I lightly steamed prior to knitting, and then hand laundered the finished shrug.
I used the two pattern charts below and size 3.5mm knitting needles, having first worked a pattern swatch to obtain the required tension/gauge.
Unfortunately, as the yarn had been previously used, I have no information about its manufacture. I also have no idea of the amount used to make this project. The yarn is definitely a man-made fibre and I think it is double knitting weight.
The yarn turned out to be perfect for this project as the knitted fabric is very pretty with a slight sheen, soft and lightweight. It also knitted up very smoothly and very quickly.
For the body: After knitting the final row of pattern I slipped all the working stiches onto a length of coloured yarn. I joined the sleve and side seams, then using four double pointed size 3.0mm needles I picked up all the stitches at the cast edge and together with the stitches held on the length of coloured yarn, and knitted 6cm of K1, P1 rib, which was then folded over to form 3cm double cuff around the body.
For the sleeves: I picked up one stitch at the end of each row of the sleeves on four double pointed 3.0mm needles, and knitted 8cm of K1, P1 rib, which was then folded over to form a 4cm double cuff. Weaved in all ends.
This project is the second of two cushion/pillow designs I’ve been working on. The requirements for both cushions/pillows are that, the designs are “non-girly” and the finished size must be 20×20 inches.
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The inspiration for this second design came from a black and white photo which I can no longer find, I think I first saw it on Photostock.
Materials for this project:
Yarn: 300grms of burgundy and 125grms of green Acrylic DK yarn
Needles: 3.50mm crochet hook.
Cushion/pillow pad 20×20 inches. (firm over-stuffed)
Firstly, I worked a plain filet swatch in each colour to calculate the final size of the cushion. Then, I created the above chart/graph as a pattern/guide to work from.
For the front of my cushion:
I worked a foundation row of 64 cells in the burgundy colour yarn and 63 cells in the green colour yarn, then followed the chart/graph.
For the back of my cushion:
Using the burgundy yarn only, I worked 66 rows of 100 double crochets and fasten off. The resulting fabric is plain, yet textured perfect for the back of the cushion.
To join back and front:
Using the burgundy yarn with front and back together, right side facing and working through both the back and front I worked single crochets evenly around the cushion, working 2sc in each filet cell and 4sc in each corner until 3 sides are joined together. I then inserted the pad and continued working single crochets around to join the fourth side, sl st in the top of the beginning ch, fasten off and weave in the ends.
I did not create an opening to remove the cover for cleaning as both the yarn and pad are synthetic, making the whole cushion machine washable.
As with the previous design, I loved every minute of working this project and could not put it down.
At 16 inches wide, this scarf is much wider than a normal scarf, this due to the fact that on occasion it is required to double as a head covering.
The scarf is required to be light and airy with an overall design suitable for all occasions. Black yarn was chosen as I felt this would be perfect for any formal occasion. It would also blend with any other colour, yet look casual when required.
I used scrap yarn to work a swatch to determine the finished size of the scarf and also to get an idea of the look of the final project. I worked a foundation chain equal to the number of motifs required for the finished length of the scarf, then simply worked repeated rows of motifs until I achieved the desired width of the finished scarf.
The design is worked from the bottom up, instead of from the beginning to the end of the length of the scarf. It can clearly be seen that this scarf could quite easily become a stole/shawl, simply by increasing the number of rows of motifs used.
Materials for this project:
Yarn: Black Acrylic 4ply machine knitting yarn
Needles: 3.00mm crochet hook.
Scarf measures: 16” wide x 72” long
The instructions for the motif used to make this scarf is shown in the video below….
This project is the first of two cushion/pillow designs I’ve been working on. The requirements for both cushions/pillows are that the designs are “non-girly” and that the finished size must be 20×20 inches.
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The inspiration for my first design came from this photo of the fabric cushion below…..
Materials for this project:
Yarn: 300grms of burgundy and 125grms of green Acrylic DK yarn
Needles: 3.50mm crochet hook.
Cushion/pillow pad 20×20 inches. (firm over-stuffed)
Firstly, I worked a plain filet swatch in each colour to calculate the final size of the cushion. Then, I created the above chart/graph as a pattern/guide to work from. The yarn provided for this project was not a brand that I had previously used, and the packaging stated a hook size of 4.00m. However, I had some difficulty with the green colour yarn, and in the end I had to use a size 3.50m hook to obtain the require project measurements.
For the front of my cushion:
I worked a foundation row of 62 cells in the burgundy colour yarn and 61 cells in the green colour yarn, then followed the chart/graph.
For the back of my cushion:
Using the burgundy yarn only, I worked 66 rows of 100 double crochets and fastened off. The resulting fabric is plain, yet textured perfectly for the back of the cushion.
To join back and front:
Using the burgundy yarn with front and back together, right side facing and working through both the back and front, I worked single crochets evenly around the cushion, working 2 sc in each filet cell and 4 sc in each corner until 3 sides are joined together. I then inserted the pad and continued working single crochets around to join the fourth side, sl st in the top of the beginning ch, fastened off and weaved in the ends.
I did not create an opening to remove the cover for cleaning as both the yarn and pad are synthetic, making the whole cushion machine washable.
I loved every minute of working this project and could not put it down.
blaze2014
Gripping Yarns 