Crochet Mojo

Crochet Lace Shawl, a photo by Garyou on Flickr.

Last year was a year of crochet to me.
I've made a shawl above in the photo, two scarves, two pairs of socks, cardigan, and some more.
I started to learn how to crochet when I was nine, one year prior to learn how to knit. I love both knitting and crochet. I can't decide which I like better. Sometimes I prefer knitting, and sometimes crochet.

I have bought some yarn for crochet and I desperately want to crochet with them every time I see them,
But, fool me, I haven't decided what to crochet.
Now I'm thinking of making something out of this book.



Via Flickr:
Designer: TAKEDA Atsuko
Yarn: Olympus Cotton Cuore 12
Hook size 3/0

Crochet Cardigan

Crochet Cardigan, a photo by Garyou on Flickr.

What I did most last year was crochet. I've made several scarves and this cardigan. It's been a while to make something this large. I'd rather prefer to knit, tat, and crochet small stuffs, such as socks, scarves, doily, usw.
When I looked through michiyo's knitting and crochet pattern book, I was intrigued with this two way cardigan. At first, I had no confidence to finish it. But a pattern used in this cardigan is one of my favourite. It's a kind of shell pattern. So I thought I wouldn't get bored.
I was right.
There's no seam in this cardigan. After you finish with the back of it, you crochet both fronts and collar continuously. When you finish crocheting, it's time to wear it.
This cardigan is so warm and I put it on almost everyday. I really love it.
I'm thinking of knitting haori, a kind of short jacket wear over kimono for my next large thing project.



Via Flickr:
Designed by michiyo
Yarn: Princess Anny col. 523

No.25 Crochet Gloves

No.25 手袋
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I was supposed to knit mittens this autumn and winter.
What I made is this: a pair of crochet gloves.
This is a side-to-side glove so you have less yarn ends than ordinary circular knit or crochet one. If you go circular, you have at least 10 ends: 8 for a thumb and 3 fingers, and 2 for a cast-on edge and a finger.

The most difficult part for me was making slip stitches for edging. I made them too tight, and I had hard time to make single crochets (double crochets, for English) on them. I had to rip them all at the first time.



These slip stitches and single crochets become gussets, as you might see in the photo below. Before making the gloves, I'd thought it might be too tight. These gussets give you enough room.



I used Olympus' Fiore. This yarn shimmers a little, maybe because it contains silk. This yarn is made of wool (60%), mohair (17 %), polyester (15%), and silk (8%).

These gloves are so warm, I won't need another pair at all.
What should I do with my plan to knit mittens, now?

Iroiro Enhancement

I've watched a TV programme featuring a 100-year-old lady making small blankets for persons who are good to her.
First, she knits garter stitch motifs, 10 cm x 10 cm (4 inch x 4 inch, approx.) wide. Then, I assume she sews them together. At last, she adds crochet embellishment as an edging. Most of them are shell stitch edgings. It is a little smaller than an ordinary baby blanket, but large enough to cover adult laps and knees.
Her blanket is always checkerboard pattern and her sense of colour is quite unique. She insists on colours she uses very much.

It seemed to me that she's just begun knitting and crochet. Her hands are unstable while working and that doesn't seem due to her age. And a narrator said something like "she wanted to take advantage of her years and years of sewing experience," and "she has made 30 blankets in these two years."

Still, her stash is enormous for a small blanket knitter. She has several cardboard boxes full of skeins of yarn. In the programme, one of her daughters sent her another cardboard box full of balls of yarn.
Wow, how many blankets is she going to make?

If you have small stash, your choice of colour numbers would be limited. But if you have big stash.... well, maybe there'd be no "enough stash", but still, your choice would be less limited.
Her persistence on colours requires that much stash. So I think.

Now, is it ok for me to enhance my stash, then?

Tat, Crochet, Tat, Tat

Bookmarks
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

I've seen a lot of beautiful tatted bookmarks on the web the other day.
You can see them here. Wonderful. Gorgeous. Beautiful.

And... yeah, I found myself wanting to make some, too.
So I've tatted some. The blue one is made with Anchor Mercer Crochet 40 Col.131, the pink gradation one is made with Olympus Gold #40 Col.M15, and the light blue gradation one is made with Olympus Gold #40 Col.M12. I've made another one with Leigh's Overdyed Pearl #12 in Nordic Blue.
I usually don't make something I've already finished, but this pattern, Floral, is different. It's easy, and fan to tat. You can find the pattern at Kersti's website.

As already written, I'm not a bookmark person. I don't use it. But I can't resist making them.
The second from left is crochet fan bookmark and you can find the pattern here. This one is also not so difficult to make. Well, it's easy and funt to crochet. I could make it one after another if I had enough thread. This one, I used Anchor Pearl Cotton #8 Col.1344. The bookmark is kind of soft. I would use crochet cotton next time.

So, I tat a lot these days. Knitting and crochet projects, I put them on to Ravelry, but tatting projects. It's not prohibited, I suppose, but I just hesitate to do so with my tatting stuffs.

And I believe you've already known, I'm not a tassel person either. I put one to the blue one, but not to the other three. It would be nice to add tassels to them. Mmh, I'll think about it.

How Can I Tell

Brueghel Lace Scarf
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

So happy.
Finally, I've done with this scarf.
This was my second attempt to make this scarf. The first time, I quitted. I just failed to count rows and loops over and over again.
But this time, counting didn't bother me at all. What was the problem last time? I can't figure it out.

I also crocheted ponpons. I'm not a fringe-or-ponpon person. I usually don't add them to scarves, shawls, whaterver. This time, I just felt like it. It seemed like taking me forever to make them. And here they are.
The pattern tells me to sew them on, but I didn't. Instead, I tied them on. So, I can take them off easily.

It is really time-consuming for me to write in English. But, in a way, I can express my feeling a little bit better than writing in Japanese. My poor English vocabulary makes me so. My writing style is somewhat indirect. I tend to write briefly, maybe because I've learned that from classical Chinese literature a bit. Sentences are brief, but what's inside them is not so simple nor direct. That's what I like; thus that's my writing style. In Japanese, of course, but in English.

So, I just can say, "I'm so happy to make this scarf."
Simple, but true.

Crochet My Love

Brueghel Lace Scarf in Progress
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

It's been a while since last time I crochetted.
This happnes a lot.
Now I tat the most, but then, I knit the most, and so on.
That doesn't mean I do nothing other than knit while I'm hooked to knit. I also tat, crochet and spin once in a while. And sometimes, I just do what I'm hooked only.
Anyway, I've been away from crochet for quite a while.

This method is called brueghel lace. You make a long tape with loops and join some loops together. I believe this is one of the methods of bobbin lace, but not so sure.
I've tried this method for crochet and always failed to count rows and loops.
But this time, I'm doing ok so far.

Also, I crochet in a very relaxed manner. I've been a tight crocheter ever since I began crochet lace. This time, I try not to crochet too tight, rather, try to crochet without strain, but not too loose.
And so far, it turns out very nice fabric.

The photo below shows the book contains this pattern. It is my favourite book. It is rather old book, but doesn't matter. I've made several stuffs out of this book.

I'm using Jaeger's Matchmaker Merino 4 Ply. I really love this yarn. It is the "yarn." My idea. I'm so sad it is out of production. Or isn't it?

Crochet Hat in Progress

Crochet Hat in Progress
Originally uploaded by Garyou.

Around this time of year, I want to make a hat or two. That's because quite a number of crochet hats and caps are put on display in the crafty shops I go. My favorites are hats and caps using Puppy's yarns. This year, I've fallen love at first sight with the hat made with the yarn named Leafy. Leafy is made of Japanese paper.
It's not very easy to crochet or knit, but the fabric is one-of-a-kind. It has a pleasant dry feel and is suitable for a summer hat or cap. Also, you can handwash.

Though I still have sore throat a bit, I can't wait to finish this hat and put it on.

Just One of These Days

It is so cold today. It's been chilly these days, but it was much colder last year. I'm really worring about global warming. It is already too warm to wear a handknitted sweater for me even in the middle of winter. If I'd stay at home, the sweater made me nice and warm without a heater. It may help preventing global warming a lot. Still, it is not cold enough to put it on and go outside. And I don't usually stay at home.
Instead, I knit vests, waistcoats, or whatever you may call it. I love vests. But as a knitter, I want to knit a sweater or two once in a while.
Dilenmma, dilenmma.

Anyway, today, I knitted a Brioche Stitch cap, a Fiona Bag, and a Kureopatra's Snake bit at a time. The cap is for my father. I knit it with Dia Epoca and the colours are brown and orange. This orange is just fabulous. It looks like filling of a pumpkin pie. It really goes well with dark brown. The colourway seems too 'dolce' for my father. Well, it could be mine.
I love Brioche Stitch. The fabirc is very soft and stretchy. I heard that the fabric is not stretchy enough, but my tension might make it stretchy.
Dia Epoca is worsted-weight yarn with sufficient twist and colour variation. I'm really enjoy knitting with this yarn.

I haven't written here yet, but I've started spindle spinning last September. Still a novice, but is is really fun to spin. I'm not really for spinning wheels since I spend very little time at home. I usually bring my spindle (Bosworth Mini. A purpleheart whorl and a birch shaft), and spin with it whenever and wherever I find the time.

Crochet - Scarves

These days I bring crochet project with me when I go out.
Here are the results so far.




Blue Scarf
Yarn: Rowan 4Ply Soft 369 Blue Bird
Hook: 3/0

Brown Scarf
Yarn: Hamanaka Extra Fine Slim
Hook: 3/0

I knit them using same pattern. The pattern says you crochet 12 repeats of pattern but I did 15 for both of them.

I love Rowan 4Ply Soft because it's really soft as its name. But I just realised that it is not soft very much when it's crochetted. Still it is good for crochetting, too.

Hamanaka's yarn is much softer than 4Ply Soft and because of its softness, it's not as good as 4Ply Soft for crochetting I think. But if you prefer softer crochetted fabric, it's for you.

BTW, boy, crochet is portable. Before I started the blue scarf, I brought half-finished knitting project with me when I go to work. Oh, but crochet project is portable... much more portable than the knitting one.

Here's close-up of the pattern.



This is one of my favourite pattern. I made a baby blanket using this.