Undaria Flutter Scarf, New Short Row Design

Check it out: I've just done a whole new kind of blog post, right at my DesigningVashti.com website, and it was easy! It's about my newest crochet pattern coming out very soon, the Undaria Slip Stitch Flutter Scarf. 



You can see a gallery of TEN ways of wearing it over there. 

I'll have more links created after Thanksgiving. For now, here's its Ravelry project page, and its online photo set.


Edited on Dec. 3, 2011 to add: 

• I blogged the story of the "Undaria" name here. 
• You can now download the final pattern at DesigningVashti and in Ravelry.

Being able to blog right from my website is making me irrationally happy and kind of wonderstruck. I've had that website for a little over a year, and it's been slow-going for me to remember how to update it. (I'd rather be designing...) Meanwhile, I know how to blog and enjoy it, and how to create colorful newsletters. 


Wow. A Wordpress-driven website is going to be FUN! 

Tunisian Crochet Lace: New Habits

After designing several lacy Tunisian crochet wraps, and teaching how to crochet Tunisian lace to both knitters and crocheters in local yarn shops, I've noticed a few things. I thought I'd blog them below as a way of listing my tips, strategies, and observations in one place.

My newest Tunisian crochet lace design!

The #1 most remarkable thing to me about Tunisian crochet: it can be super-lacy, but rarely is. I suspect that a lot of people don't know just how lacy it can be. Instead, a huge amount of Tunisian crochet that I see is perfect for keeping someone warm. For me, Tunisian crochet can also be breezy, weightless, and super-lacy: perfect for a Florida summer! 

Sequined Tunisian Net for Evening

In my Tunisian crochet lace classes, I find that many crocheters start out expecting to use a tighter gauge with Tunisian stitches--even if they have experience making other kinds of lacy items. Some think that their Tunisian stitches are done correctly if they look and feel like they have no 'breathing room' (no extra ease built in). 

I've seen some people make lacy Tunisian stitches, then assume that they need to rip them out and start over with a smaller crochet hook size to firm up the stitches. (This would be true for making sweaters and blankets.) Actually, they might only need to spritz with water to dampen and block. 

Sneak Peek of Rivuline

When I look at looser Tunisian stitches, I see room for the lace to open up and "blossom," with flexible joints for beautiful draping. 

I suspect three possible reasons for non-lacy approaches to Tunisian crochet:

My Petals Tunisian stitch pattern.

1. When many crocheters and knitters learned how to do Tunisian crochet, they made afghans first. These students need to see the familiar stitches (such as Tss) in a new way: more open, with room to breathe and drape.

2. Each Tunisian crochet stitch tends to be shorter and smaller than most regular crochet stitches, especially when making lace. So, viewed up close, looser Tunisian stitches can look too loose, even sloppy to some, but will look elegant and stylish as clothing, especially after blocking.

Shaktism, a sneak peek

As a designer, another way I'd put it is, the fine-grained smaller scale of Tunisian stitches inclines one to lose sight of the larger perspective, which is how these stitches look together from a distance as a larger piece of fabric.

3. The unique Tunisian crochet process of adding all loops of a new row onto the crochet hook during the Forward Pass, and then working them all off during the Return Pass, might make some people want to "yank" their loops too tightly, rather than too loosely.

Weightless Tunisian Wrap

Most of all what I see in my classes is a habit, or comfort zone, of working Tunisian crochet so that the stitches are snug and dense. This is fabulous for afghans and winter sweaters, hats, and scarves. If this is true for you, don't worry. It doesn't take long at all for your fingers and eyes to start experiencing Tunisian stitches in a new, lacy form.

Here are some tips:

- If it's your first experience with a Tunisian crochet lace pattern, really try to match the designer's gauge as a way of learning a new way of perceiving, and a new feeling for the stitching fingers. (Normally, matching a designer's stitch and row gauge exactly might not be essential for wearing a loose-fitting, gorgeous swath of Tunisian crochet lace, unless you want to match the finished dimensions and yarn amounts stated in the pattern as closely as possible.)

Ennis Wrap: Tunisian Filet Crochet

- I suggest swatching with a yarn that has gentle color changes if this is your first Tunisian project featuring multiple Tyo. The color changes make it easier to distinguish a Tyo loop from the nearby vertical bar of a Tss.

- When making three or more Tyo (Tunisian Yarn Over) in a row, tug on them a bit to firm up how they're wrapped around the hook during the Forward pass. (If they don't slide easily along your hook though, then you've tightened them too much). 

Easy Smokestack Vest

- When working multiple Tyo loops off of your hook during the Return pass, use longer stitches. I stretch them a bit as I work them off of my hook.

- Spritz your stitches with water as you crochet anytime and gently stretch open the lacy holes to see how the extra ease of a looser gauge allows the lace to open up.

Slip Stitch Crochet Lace Possibilities

Woke up this morning and saw this:

It could only mean that fairyfolk got into my yarn stash while I slept. 


I don't know if they forgot to take this swatch with them, or what. Maybe they're hinting at something. I'm not even sure what the fairies mean it to be, but get this: 


These are slip stitches. I can see why the wee folk favor slip stitch lace--slip stitches being all about small and all. 


I'm seeing a wide shallow triangular wrap. I hope I can figure out how they made slip stitches look like that.


Full moons embolden fairies, and we just had that super-full moon the other day. If I've noticed that moonlight makes my yarn stash glow, surely fairies have too. Seems to make linen yarn magnetic for them too. Luckily they left my beaded silk and glittery mohair alone! (Wouldn't be easy to rip out fairy crochet swatches with those yarns.)

Crochet, Socks, and Karen Whooley

If you're visiting my blog for the first time because you're touring blogs with my friend Karen Whooley, welcome and thanks for stopping by! I chatted with Karen about her new book,  I Can't Believe I'm Crocheting Socks! and you can see some of our conversation below. I love what she says about socks and her school uniform, lace crochet, and what she imagines her Nonna would say about her book.

The #1 reason I wanted to be a part of Karen's blog tour is: Knitters have been having so much fun with gorgeous new sock yarns, comparing the virtues of toe-up vs cuff-down patterns, how to "turn a heel", etc. Making socks that fit is a whole art form. There's not nearly as much information out there for crocheters as for knitters....until lately.

In Progress: Nice fit!

Even though I learned to crochet over thirty years ago, I only recently crocheted my first pair of socks. You can see a view of them finished here. 

Whose crochet sock pattern did I carefully choose for that first crochet sock experience? KAREN WHOOLEY's. I was hooked! I bought so much sock yarn LOL. Now that Karen has written a whole book on crochet socks, we have everything we need to enjoy crocheting socks in the style and size we please.

Vashti: When I think of you, Karen, I think about how you learned to crochet from your grandmother when you were 7, and how much your love for crochet shows in your commitment to it over the years. I also identify with you a bit, because we both learned to crochet in the 1970's as young girls. I learned from my Mom when I was 9. 

Karen: A lot of my students tell me that I give way too much credit to Nonna for the crocheter I have become.  And I have to agree that yes, I have learned a lot on my own over the last 12 years as a designer and instructor.  

Karen's Nonna. Photo taken in the late 1980's

I lost Nonna in 1992 and sold my first design in 1998.  But, if it wasn’t for Nonna, I probably wouldn’t have learned to crochet to begin with.  I owe my love and passion for crochet to her. And I can honestly say that as I am working, she comes to mind, and a lot of her words spill from my heart when I get frustrated with a design. 

Vashti: Back then, I never imagined I would one day be a professional crochet designer. I knew only a little about patterns and different kinds of projects. I did try many kinds of crochet, but strangely was also completely unaware of many other kinds--such as real crocheted socks....the kind that you wear comfortably in shoes....to school!! 

Imagine wearing real crocheted socks to school in the 1970's! Did you imagine them or try them, Karen? Which of the socks in your book would you like to have crocheted for yourself and wear to school, at what age? In a color, or for a specific outfit? In high school I would have wanted PURPLE. Purple with deep red. I would have worn them with fringed moccasins.

Karen: I never, ever thought I would be a professional designer back then.  My Nonna spoke very broken English, so I learned all my stitches in Italian.  After learning all the basic stitches in Worsted Weight and an H hook, I was given a size 6 steel and bedspread weight cotton and for about 5 years, I did a lot of lace.  I don’t think I ever would have thought of socks until I was in my late teens/early 20s.  But I can tell you I did do a lot of slippers, so maybe if I knew then what I do now, socks would have been on my agenda! 

I think in High School I would have worn the ripple socks just as they were designed.  Blue has always been a favorite color, and I used ripples a lot. But then of course ripples were very popular back then.  When I first learned to crochet I think I may have made the Lace socks, but in PINK!  I was such a pink girl.  I might have made the Tube Socks in Navy, Hunter Green and/or White because I went to Catholic School and wore only knee socks in those colors with my uniform!

Vashti: I find that often, while I design something, I'm picturing the crocheter I was. Sometimes I have a sense of contrast with the crochet I started with and crochet as I know it now. (Other times I have trouble remembering what I knew or experienced about crochet back then; for example, I recall no specific opinion of hdc, whereas now I think it's a distinctly cool stitch!) Sometimes I'm still amazed that I get to design crochet professionally, and the "I" that is amazed is my young crochet self. I love crochet as much as ever and am honored to add to the designs.

Karen: Many times I do think back at what I used to do. For example, since Nonna couldn’t read an English pattern, she taught me to “read” a picture.   Until I was in my early teens, I couldn’t read a pattern very well, but boy I could copy an item from a picture. I am self-taught in reading patterns. Now I am almost fanatical about being sure my patterns read right for the crocheters who may purchase them.  A lot of times I think back to when I couldn’t read a pattern, and I think that is why.  I was determined to make my projects look exactly like the one pictured, and by gosh, I want my fans to be able to do the same. 

Like you, I am amazed I get to design professionally!  My Nonna told me that she had given me a skill, and that I needed to do something with it.  Mom tells me she meant crocheting items for the family or for charity. But I know she would be proud of what I am doing now. I am doing a lot of techniques I am sure she may have seen, but I don’t know that she had ever done. (I wish now that the younger crocheter in me would have asked!) But I think the part that amazes me the most is that as much as I got tired of lace back in the day, I have come full circle, and I am bringing more and more lace into my work, and into my classes that I teach. Of course, now it is with more lace yarns and larger hooks than with size 6 steels and cotton! And the even more amazing part?  I LOVE IT! The inner young crocheter still is not quite sure about that every time I decide to go for lace.

Vashti: Something I wonder, how does it feel to you to look at your new sock book through the eyes of your inner young crocheter? Which socks do you think your younger crochet self would like the most or want to make first, and for whom? What step in the sock crocheting do you think your young crochet self would be most hooked on? What do you think your grandmother would say?

Karen: Looking at my book as my inner young crocheter, I would have to say, “WOW, did I really do that?”  I always experimented with ideas, and my stuffed animals and my younger sister were the not always willing recipients of the end results.  From a young age I have always been a perfectionist in my work.  And I can’t tell you how many items were ripped out time and again because of that.  So my inner child looks at this book and really is amazed I could do what I did, and have it turn out even better than I had planned. 

My younger self would have made the two learning patterns first.  I know that because of the perfectionist in me would want to learn the ins and outs first. And after that, I would have made any of them, but I would have made them uniquely my own by changing something.  I don’t know what exactly, but as I would crochet them, something would change!  I know I would have been hooked on toe up socks.  To this day, sewing seams is not my favorite thing to do, so the toe-up method would be my favorite even then.

What would Nonna say?  I wish she was here to actually tell me, but, I think she would say, “Caterina, Hai fatto un lavoro meraviglioso. Il tuo lavoro è pulito e raffinato. Dovreste essere orgogliosi. Ora vediamo cosa si può fare il record.”  (Karen, You did a wonderful job.  Your work is neat and fine. You should be proud. Now lets see what you can do to top that.)

That's Karen with both of her grandparents. Karen writes, "It was taken in 1990, 2 years before I lost her. She is holding the basket she decorated for my wedding favors. It is the same basket used for my mom’s wedding in 1963 just different lace. Nonna was big on all sorts of crafts from Crochet and embroidery to having the skills to be professional seamstress."

Doris Chan's Crochet Lace Innovations

Crochet Lace Innovations by Doris Chan 2010.

Shiver Me Timbers!

Crochet Lace Innovations is simply gorgeous--the photostyling, the layout, the production values. Potter Craft (publisher) pulled out all the stops on this one! Each page showcases the sophistication and elegance of Doris' crochet designs with lovely lyrical typefaces, chic photography, and refined color palette. This means I pick it up just to leaf through it for a hit of pure beauty. I get a delicious shiver, and then it happens again:

I take the long-range point of view about crochet's past and future, and I've got a thing about crocheted fashion. After the 1970's crochet somehow went from uber-trendy to fashionless--even anti-fashionable--in American popular culture! This isn't true in many other countries. It also isn't true in haute couture or in Hollywood. Yet even today, there's a big market in the USA for crochet patterns of non-fashion projects. For example, crochet designs for baby items and for home decor are in constant high demand; whereas crocheting modern fashion statements is low on the list. For some weird reason it's the opposite for knitting patterns. I like all crochet, I just don't know why there aren't more fashion crocheters in this country.

Crochet Lace Innovations doesn't just suggest some general wearable crochet style. It confidently, triumphantly presents crochet in the larger modern fashion context with a specific sense of style--and this gives me delicious shivers as a crocheter.

Shivers aside, I consider Crochet Lace Innovations to be an important contribution to crochet. It's not just daydream material, or a succinct answer to crochet's critics. It's also a friendly reference. It's one of those rare books that is as strong on clear, basic instructions of new techniques as on fashion context. I've seen knit pattern books that are so focused on conveying a fashion viewpoint that the hands-on how-to teaching side of pattern publishing is shortchanged. For me, those books are great as inspirational gallery-like coffee table books, but might not clarify new techniques.

Some crocheters seem to assume that Doris' crochet patterns must be challenging because they're beautiful. I hope people don't assume this about the patterns in Crochet Lace Innovations. Each crochet technique--Broomstick, Hairpin, Tunisian--has step by step tutorials, expert diagrams, and tips for success, all in a warm conversational tone. There's also a separate chapter just on the basics of garment construction. 

You can sign up here if you'd like to receive alerts from Potter Craft about any forthcoming books by Doris Chan. See more information on her first book, Amazing Crochet Lace, here; and Doris' book #2, Everyday Crochet, here.

I have to say one more thing. I felt beautiful when I wore three of the garments in this book: the Bozena Dress (p. 96) at a CGOA/Crochet Guild of America conference, a hemp yarn version of Rohise Skirt (p. 41), and a platinum-colored satin Inara Scarf (p. 21) at a TNNA/National NeedleArts trade show.

Tunisian Crochet Chemo Hat: Pros & Cons

In the midst of hosting house guests and attending the TNNA conference, a new crocheted hat happened, known as "Vanilla Crown." Early in this blog's life I talked about "Hat Yoga": a hat designing journey for my dear friend Kalli.

The Vanilla Crown is the latest addition to the Hat Yoga collection and the first to feature two tunisian stitches for specific reasons.

We're having a heat wave here, and my house guest is not used to the extremes of air conditioning and humid subtropical heat. After all the chemo she's had, she doesn't need the extra stress on her immune system. So I wanted to create a summer hat that breathes but protects, and is of course exquisitely soft. I chose Decadent Fibers' organic color-grown cotton in "vanilla".

I've watched some of my hats stretch out over years of use. Sometimes it's due to the yarn, sometimes the stitch or gauge. For this hat I focused most on which stitch and gauge. The yarn is bumpy and fleecy and for it to be summery, I wanted a stitch that wouldn't amp up the bump, thickness, or weight; and one that wouldn't add stretch. My thoughts turned to tunisian crochet.

I wanted to frame my friend's face with a gently flaring brim that wouldn't droop over time. I thought of how tunisian simple stitch (TSS), worked firmly, naturally curls. It's also solid enough to block the sun.

As for what I was in the mood for: I was not up for doing tunisian in the round, nor entrelac. I needed something mindless enough so that I could socialize while crocheting. We also like to watch movies together. I was willing to commit to crocheting a rectangle, then seaming it to create a hat band with just the right fit before adding the brim and crown.

So here's what I think of the result based on the design goals:

• I'm very happy with the tunisian corded knit stitch used for the band. It has zero elasticity horizontally (around the head) and just enough vertically so that the wearer can pull it down over the ears or not.
  

• The stitch is also pleasingly protective yet airy, and shows off the yarn's texture without adding more bulk. It's a great stitch to design with.

• Using TSS for the brim is also a good choice, once I worked out the amount of increases to add so that the brim flared just enough. (I ripped out these rows so many times before getting them right!)
  

• The yarn is even more beautiful than I expected. It's soft, luminous, and great with different skin tones. I couldn't resist adding some pearls around the crown!
  

Those are the pros, want the cons? Well:

• I ended up using 4 different kinds of hooks. This is a problem designing with tunisian. Sometimes you don't know what you're in for until you're part way through a new design! I discover missing sizes and styles once I need one while designing :)
  

• My favorite tunisian hook was barely long enough for the rectangular band. Once I added stitches for the brim, I struggled to use my favorite hook but eventually switched to some new bamboo circulars, which I didn't like. For the crown I could use a regular crochet hook, but kept switching it because the yarn worked distinctly better with one brand over others.
  

• I underestimated how much the finished crown affects the way the band settles around the head. That's not this design's fault, just a design issue I learned the hard way. And in this case the hat still fits fine, just not the way I originally envisioned it; it was meant to be a "bucket" hat and became a "cloche."
  

• Lastly, seaming is not my first choice for a hat design. The seam did its job of making the hat enjoyable to make while socializing, so I would make a hat this way again in a similar situation. The seam, which is crocheted, looks okay except for a lumpy bit at the brim, but it doesn't really show.
  

How to Increase Crochet Stitches Like a Pro

2018 Update: I've incorporated this blog post into a newer one.

I wonder how many crocheters are aware of small refinements they can make at row edges to improve an angular shape, such as a triangle?
I wasn't aware of it myself until I designed the trapezoidal "Swingy Ruffles" bag for a Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss book in 2006. My first swatches resulted in rounded blobby shapes. No matter how dramatically I increased and decreased stitches in each row to create diagonal lines, the row edges restricted the shape.

As you can see in the photo above, the left and right edges of the yellow-green swatch are too tight, causing the top edge to bow outward. (These are Tunisian crochet swatches; see mini photo tutorial below.

Rosepuff Shawlette (regular crochet): a wide, shallow triangle.
Its edge stitches need extra room to spread wide.

The simple, obvious solution for regular (non-tunisian) crochet is to add a turning chain or two to loosen up the row edges, and it works. 

Diagonal lines that are created by steadily increasing or decreasing stitches in every row need room to flex and breathe. 

This is especially important for fashion crochet! Some elegant garments depend on the drape of truly angular edges for their dramatic flair.

Maybe you knew this already. If so, let me know if you've found advice like this in crochet books or sites because I like to alert crocheters to sources of great information.

Tunisian Crochet Edges

This became the Eilanner Shawl!

What about corner-start tunisian crochet? I'm currently designing a triangular wrap in which you begin at the bottom corner of the wrap and steadily increase at each edge to create a big triangle. In Tunisian (a.k.a. "afghan crochet") there is more than one way to add stitches at the beginning and end of a row. 

The common squeeze-in-a-stitch method works okay except in cases where you are increasing a lot. That's the case with the swatches in the first photo: I increased at each end of every row.

Adding stitches repeatedly has a momentum to it, a vector. A small momentum can be absorbed by the stretch of the fabric, but a greater momentum needs room to fully expand. Shell stitches have this momentum too.

A way to look at it geometrically is that when we crochet a square with the same number of stitches in each row, the rows stack up in columns. Stitches fill their little slots. When we (more rarely) start in a corner and increase in each row for a while to make a triangle, and perhaps then turn it into a diamond by decreasing every row until it comes to a point, each added stitch at the edge is actually launching off on a diagonal angle.

How to Do It

From the Symmetrical Diamonds free pattern.

Here's a way to steadily increase stitches in Tunisian simple stitch that helps the increase stitches do their shaping job (like the bluish swatch in the 1st photo). You'll see a wee photo tutorial when we get to the left edge. I've been experimenting with it this week, using different gauges and fibers. I like that:

• it has enough flexible drape for fashion designs
• it's substantial enough to support an added edging later
• the left edge and the right edge have equal tension and look equally nice to me (a tricky thing for Tunisian crochet!)

To increase 1 stitch at the beginning of a forward pass, chain 1, insert hook in first vertical bar and pull up a loop to create the added stitch; then continue across the row, pulling up a loop in each vertical bar across. So far, so what, right? No surprise maybe? Some crocheters already increase by working into the very first vertical bar instead of skipping it. 

I recommend that you chain 1 first. It gives a more flexible edge, especially if you will be adding more increases to this edge in each row. It seems to control the tension of the first stitch. To my eye, the chain melts into the diagonal edge and adds a little substance.

Photo 1 of 3.

To increase 1 stitch at the end of a forward pass, I borrowed a stitch from macrame called a Half-Hitch Knot; in knitting it's known as the Simple Cast-on (or Backwards Loop Cast-on). In my testing, two half-hitches added to the hook at the end of the row work great as one increase. 

If you add only 1 half-hitch, it's a flimsier loopy edge. I'm unable to find a video that would show you how to do a half-hitch while happily crocheting along, so until I create one I hope my 3 photos help. It's cool. I enjoy crocheting half-hitches. I like what they look like.

Photo 2 of 3.

How to make a Half-Hitch: Your goal is to add a loop onto your hook that has a twist in it so that it stays on your hook. All I do is instead of doing a usual yarn over with the strand of yarn from the finger controlling the tension of the yarn, I yarn over with the strand behind my tension finger. I "scoop" it from the palm of my hand. I know, sounds weird, and a little video would clear it up instantly! 

In photo 1 of 3, I added two loose half-hitches to the hook at the end of the forward pass. In photo 2 of 3 I simply tightened them. Aren't they cute?

Photo 3 of 3.

How to crochet the return pass with the half-hitches: yarn over and pull through both half-hitch loops on hook (counts as 1 increase stitch worked off of hook), yarn over, pull through two loops on hook at a time until one loop remains on hook. 

Tip: It might help you later to put a stitch marker in that pair of half hitch loops.

In photo 3 of 3 you can see what the two half-hitches look like now that I've pulled the yarn through them to begin the return pass.

What About the NEXT Row?
Crochet another forward pass of Tunisian simple stitch; start it with an increase like the row before. When you get to the end of this new forward pass, insert your hook in both end loops of the half-hitch pair. Then increase by making another pair of half-hitches.
When half-hitches are used to augment a widening left edge, you can see how they'll blend into the edge in a slightly bumpy, pretty way, and match the look of the chain 1 edge on the right edge. 
Below I've added a quick edging.

I've added a simple edge: a quick slip stitch + chain 1 in each row end.

I hope that you'll try this and let me know what you think. If you've learned about this elsewhere, please tell me about it.

Crochet Foundation Stitches: A Beadwork Tip

Note: In the course of writing this post I explain two projects: a child's "hippie" headband and a hemp teacher's bracelet. They help me illustrate a new crochet tip, so I've turned them into simple free crochet patterns. I've put them into classic pattern format on my ToyDesigningVashti blog.



pictured: swatch of 5 heights of foundation stitches (no base chain used)




If you crochet with beads, you know there's a list of things to keep in mind:

1. The beads tend to fall to the back of the crochet stitches
2. The bead hole needs to be big enough for the crochet yarn/thread & needle
3. The beads often need to be strung onto your yarn in a certain order before crocheting
4. Non-round beads may settle into a crochet stitch at an unintended angle

Today's post is about #4. Yes, for those of us who have ever tried to....

• Line up alphabet beads just so (see 2nd photo)
  
• Make smiley beads look you straight in the eye, not tilt toward 3-o'clock or worse
• Have oval or tube-shaped beads lie horizontally instead of on a vertical angle
  

....Foundation crochet stitches can help! The Foundation Single Crochet stitch has also been called Foundationless Single Crochet, Chain-Free, Chainless Foundation, Double Chain Stitch, and Base Chain Single Crochet. I've blogged about them and designed with them. They're becoming hot additions to a crocheter's toolbox for at least 3 reasons besides bead crochet. They:

1. Eliminate the need to crochet the first row of stitches into a foundation chain (something I've never enjoyed!)
2. Are fabulous for fashion crochet because the starting edge of your garment is much more elastic (a big thank you to Doris Chan for teaching me this years ago)
3. Result in a stronger, nicer cord (or purse strap, for ex.), of any desirable width, instead of plain chain stitches
4. Are structured of vertical and horizontal strands that are easily beadable, unlike standard crochet stitches

(3rd photo: "Lunar Window" designed for House of White Birches in 2005, using foundation stitches of varied heights exclusively)

If you've been following me in Twitter, you know that I recently made small items with my fourth grader that his classmates can purchase with school dollars at their "Mini-Mall" event.

We settled on a '70's hippie theme and so I brought out my stash of hemp cord, rainbow yarns, and hippie-looking beads (smileys, peace signs). My son's first thought was "headbands"! My first reaction was, "Sure! Quick and easy, if I use foundation crochet stitches."

I simply did 45 fsc with medium-weight yarn and an I (5.5mm) crochet hook, slip stitched the ends together, and added colored wood beads to the two yarn tails (no weaving in ends). See what I mean? Get out of here with that "work a row of single crochets into a foundation chain." So old school.

Now let's add tricky beads. I made beaded hemp bracelets for a few teachers (using shank buttons as beads). I had to string them on before crocheting so that they were all facing the same direction. As you can see in the photo, you wouldn't want a peace sign or smiley sideways or upside down; the sunglasses would have ended up sideways in a standard single crochet stitch.
Show Tricky Beads Who's Boss
Here's the step-by-step on how to crochet 'em in, using the actual bracelet pattern I created:

String 6 beads onto hemp string so that they face the same direction. String on a 7th larger bead to serve as a clasp button.

1. Chain 1, slide large bead up close to hook, chain 1 (1 beaded chain made), insert hook in 1st chain made, yarn over and pull up a loop, ch 1 leaving 1 loop still on hook (this becomes the "foundation chain" of the next sc you'll make; pinch it with your fingers or place a stitch marker there), yarn over, pull loop through both loops on hook (single crochet made).

2. Insert hook in the next marked (or pinched) stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, chain 1 leaving 1 loop still on hook, mark it, yarn over and pull through both loops on hook. You have now made 2 fsc.

Notice that when you make each fsc, first you make a chain and the 3 yarn strands of the chain will run horizontally along the row of fsc when you're done. When when you complete the single crochet part of the fsc, two roughly vertical strands, which are often called the two "legs" of a crochet stitch, can be seen on the front side of the stitch. Also created are two horizontal strands that are found at the top edge of every kind of crochet stitch. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to place beads on the top two horizontal strands, but you can easily place beads on a leg of any crochet stitch (they end up on the back). With a fsc, you can also easily add beads to the horizontal strand running under the stitch legs.

3. To bead a leg of the next fsc: Pull up a loop in the next marked stitch, chain 1 and mark it, slide up a bead close to the hook, yarn over and pull through both loops on hook. You have now made 3 fsc.

4. Work another plain fsc like in step 2.

5. To bead a lower horizontal strand (the chain part) of a fsc: Pull up a loop in the next marked stitch, slide up a bead close to the hook, chain 1 to make a beaded chain, mark it, yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. You now have 5 fsc.

In 5th photo, only the "u" alphabet bead on the far left is readable. That one is on the lower horizontal strand of the chain part of the stitch. The other 2 beads are on the back "legs" of the stitches.

6. Continue working a plain fsc, then a beaded fsc, until you've used all strung beads.

7. Work 2 plain fsc.

8. To make a buttonhole for clasp, chain 2 then work a fdc, ready? yarn over, insert hook in marked stitch of last fsc, pull up loop, chain 1 leaving 3 loops on hook, yarn over, pull through 2 loops on hook, yarn over, pull through last 2 loops on hook. Fasten off. Add small wooden beads to each yarn tail. (Last photo shows only 5 small beads; I think 6 is better)

I'll be uploading more photos to the ToyDesigningVashti blog and creating some Ravelry pages for these free crochet patterns.

Fun With Tunisian Crochet (a.k.a. "Afghan Stitch" or "Tricot")

Although I learned how to do tunisian crochet as a young child, I spent most of my years thinking of it as pretty much just one stitch. I wonder if others have too. That basic tunisian stitch, the Tunisian Simple Stitch (or TSS) is certainly special! (see 1st photo)-- but it's only a hint of what's possible.

I wonder what stitches haven't been discovered yet! I crave complete sets of tunisian hooks that haven't been invented yet! I fantasize about different stitches in weird or unexpected fibers! (for example, third photo below is batik fabric strips in tunisian. My friends prefer this side, usually called the "wrong side"). 

It wasn't until I started designing professionally

 that my creative imagination woke up to tunisian crochet.It's a rich alternate universe. Learning how to publish downloadable crochet patterns egged me on because now, tunisian crochet patterns can have space for step-by-step photo tutorials and other helpful information that might take up too much room in print media.

Yes, I have the tunisian fever and have been developing some new designs. For example, tunisian crochet roses (2nd photo). Another uses what might be a new tunisian crochet stitch, which I call "Wicker Stitch." (last photo below)

I'll be announcing new tunisian crochet patterns here as soon as they're professionally edited. I have my own storefront for downloadable crochet patterns set up in Ravelry now. I'll be making them easily available in other places too.

I'm inspired by these books, designers, and designs:

• Angela Grabowski's Encyclopedia of Tunisian Crochet (I'm anxiously awaiting vol. 2!)
  
• Kim Guzman's patterns, especially see all the pattern books she has done for Annie's Attic (righthand column); and Kim talks about Tunisian on the Getting Loopy podcast 
  
• Sharon Hernes Silverman's Tunisian Crochet: The Look of Knitting with the Ease of Crocheting, (c) 2009; or see the book's Ravelry page.
  
• Jennifer Hansen (a.k.a. Stitchdiva): see her tunisian tutorials, such as "3-Color(TM)"
  
• Josi Hannon Madera's "Tunisian Square Along"
  

Two great forums:

• Tunisiancrochet yahoo group
  
• Tunisian Crochet Ravelry forum
  

Fabulous for learning about Tunisian Crochet:

• Darla Fanton, one of CGOA's best teachers of tunisian, Double-Ended Hook crochet, and many other topics. See a tunisian "Magical Mitered Squares Vest" in progress.
• Basics of Tunisian Crochet for Beginners, published in Japanese! (c) 1997, ISBN 978-4-529-02928-5
  
• Carolyn Christmas, especially her "Easy Tunisian(tm)" crochet entrelac instructions.
  
• ARNie's (a.k.a. Angela Grabowski) ChezCrochet website