crochet – Page 3 – Fruit of These Hands

More Crochet and Jewelry Classes

Posted on June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 by fruitofthesehands

The classes at Michael’s are finally on the calendar and the projects are picked out. As if I didn’t have enough to do, I also signed up at Hobby Lobby on Eagle Ranch Rd to teach both crochet and jewelry making. The set up there is less formal and more to my liking. I get to choose my own projects and set my own fees, while they post the schedule on the web site and allow me to post flyers on a bulletin board just inside the entrance to the store.

Here are my flyers for two of the classes. They are laminated and have little pull tabs on the bottom with contact info. In this case, I do handle all my signups.

I’m really excited about the Hobby Lobby venture and hope it works out. Since I can set my own hours, I’ve decided to try a full kumihimo class of four hours. This is a rewarding project because it is easier than it looks and students feel such a sense of accomplishment when they are done. The flyer is really pretty too.

kumi class

You can access the calendar from the menu bar and see the what/where/when of the classes. I hope you sign up for something, because you know that I usually have a few tricks up my sleeves to teach you yet.

Craft tips

What’s On My Hook

Posted on June 20, 2018June 20, 2018 by fruitofthesehands

I am definitely not the WIP queen among my yarnie friends, but I start feeling anxious when I have more than about five works-in-progress. I also have some UFOs (unfinished projects), and I’ve polled people to get their opinion: when does a WIP become a UFO?

What do you think? For me, if it’s been put aside for more than six months, it’s moving into the UFO category. More than a year? For sure.

Among my UFOs are a cardigan, a couple of single yoga socks — you’ve heard of the single sock syndrome? — a scarf called “Thorns“, the “I Promise You Pineapples” shawl, and my Tunisian “Shimmer Shawl”. Continue reading “What’s On My Hook” →

Why Are My Rounds Shrinking?

Posted on June 19, 2018 by fruitofthesehands

Have you been losing stitches when crocheting in the round? Most likely, the cause is improper joining. It can be confusing for new crocheters to determine where to insert the hook to join double crochets made in the round. It is helpful to remember that when you are looking at the front of the double crochet stitches, the loop is to the right of the post. Don’t make the mistake of joining the last stitch to the loop of the second stitch instead of into the beginning chain-3, which as you know is the first stitch of the round (unless otherwise specified.) Hopefully these photos will clarify it for you.

dcjoin 3rd chain — Look for the third chain of your beginning chain-3. Notice the difference between it and the loop for the next stitch.

Continue reading “Why Are My Rounds Shrinking?” →

crochet history

Crochet Lacework, Then and Now, Part 2

Posted on June 6, 2018June 19, 2018 by fruitofthesehands

Like an alphabet or musical notation, crocheted fabric is made up of individual units, or loops. You join the units into words, chords, and stitches. They become phrases and riffs, then novels and arias. Or hats, shawls, and heirloom bedspreads.

These loops lend themselves well to airy, lacy fabric. You can achieve this with different techniques, like using a fine yarn with a larger hook, by increasing the number of chain stitches, by pulling up the loops longer on the hook, and so forth. The detail is ultimately seen after the final product has been blocked.

Some crochet stitches have the name “lace” in them, like broomstick lace or hairpin lace. These are stitches used to create a lacy fabric, and they each use a device as indicated in their name. The hairpin lace tool or loom was modeled after 19^th century hair ornaments but is not recognizable today as something to put in your hair. Long loops are made on the loom which are joined in the middle with the hook. These strips of loops are taken off the loom and incorporated into intricate designs with regular crochet stitches.

HairpinLaceStole56 — Vintage (open source) Hairpin Lace Stole

Broomstick lace uses…a broomstick. Or a 50mm knitting needle, if you prefer, to make multiple, long, even loops which are joined with a crochet stitch as you work the loops off the stick. Depending on your pattern, you might join five together, then the next five, and so forth. These clusters of loops are joined with regular crochet stitches to make shawls, tops, scarves, and the like. Broomstick lace can be sturdier than hairpin lace, but you can vary each of them with the weight of yarn and your pattern. Continue reading “Crochet Lacework, Then and Now, Part 2” →

Crochet Technique

What is that hanging from your shawl?

Posted on June 6, 2018May 31, 2021 by fruitofthesehands

I am a fanatic about using stitch markers when I crochet. So it comes as no surprise to me when someone comments on all the stitch markers I have hanging on the shawl I’m working on. Often I’ll hear someone remark that they don’t know why they should use markers or even how to use them. I tell them I don’t know how they can crochet without them! I like them so much that I started making beaded ones to sell.

The Yarn Store stitch markers — I’ve sold hundreds of beaded stitch markers over the past few years.

Continue reading “What is that hanging from your shawl?” →