dinsdag 9 november 2021

Pip, the reversible hat

These hats are made in carreaux crochet. Since crochet is not quit flexible it contains two tubes for elastic.
The basic is a border in the size of your head, getting larger as soon as it is the right height. Plus an open circle that you attach to the border.

The black and white version in this example is made with Azurite (Distrifil) - 50 gr ~ 140 m, I have used around 70 gram of each color. With 80 stitches I got a circumference of about 57 cm.


You start with chain stitches, in this case 80 + one to turn. Then 3x a row of single crochet. Put a marker or a clothpin in the loop.
Start with the other color in the first chainstitch (see end of the white yarn in the picture) and make 3 rows of single crochet stitches.
Fold together. Use stitch markers through both colors, in this case every 8 sts. In between I made 3 sc back on black / chs / 2 sc front on white / chs / 3 sc back on black.

In my blog you can find a basic explanation of this new crochet technique.

Finish the last cs with the loop of the other color - see images. And make the same row with this color.
A second row made 'color-on-color'.
After these dots follows the second tube. 3 rows sc with white, 3 rows sc with black.

Then again some dots with black, last stitch finished with the white loop. And this row repeated with white.


When the border has the height of the front you start increasing stitches. 6 per row when you make single crochet stitches, 12 when you make double crochet stitches.


The upper circle is started with two open circles. Start with a magic loop or 3 chain stitches and then 6, 12, 18 sc and if you wish one more of 24 sc. Attach them with stitch markers to mark where you will increase in the next round. Make a front/back row with one color (black in the picture) and finish the last stitch with the loop of the other color.

Continue your open circle with single or double crochet. In case of sc increase 6 per row, in case of dc increase 12 per row. You can work in rounds, but it's more challenging with the color changes.

Another possibility is to continue with the border piece when you feel it is wide enough and decrease towards the top. 



Be sure to end with the same number of stitches on the border and the circle.

You might want to use dots with the same distance to make it easier to attach both parts later.
Close both sides of the circle with a tapestry needle. Be sure not to go to both layers.
Close the border the same way, but be sure NOT to close the two tubes. You might want to put a pencil in to remember ...
Attach the border to the circle.

You can either use yarn and a tapestry needle or work them together with croceht stitches, like sc in the border, ch, sc in the circle, ch etc.

Again, avoid working through both layers.
Put elastic in both tubes and tight the ends with a knot. Hide the knot in the tube. If you give this to someone show them how to get out the knot if they want to make the elastic more tight.

zaterdag 10 juli 2021

This Way

 

To explain how you can read a CRX* chart in different ways I made these four examples.

Basic colors for a CRX patch are A and B, they alternate sides and if you work with only two colors you get the same effect as double knitting.

The third color C stays on the same place.

1. C = lines of the signpole
2. Just two colors
3. C = the air
4. C = interior of the signpole

The basic design as it was used for the first patch with only color A and B. You alternate sides - front and back - whenever there is a blanc square followed by an X and vice versa.
C = lines of the signpole = X's

C = the air = blanc squares

C = interior of the signpole = yellow squares
Curious to try this out after you have got the hang of Carreaux Crochet
Reading a CRX chart works This Way

                                                                                                                                           

*CRX = Carreaux Crochet

dinsdag 15 juni 2021

Carreaux Crochet - Explication de Base

Basic Design
Le principe de Carreaux Crochet est de crocheter chaque tour deux fois. La première fois crocheter une rangée avec couleur A, quelques mailles devant et arrière, selon la diagramme. Après tourner la pièce et répéter le même tour avec couleur B, mais dans le sense opposé. Cet example est une explication étape par étape pour comprendre cette nouvelle technique.

Si ça vous plaît ou si c'est trop difficile; trouverez des liens utiles à la fin de cette blog.

Cet example etait fait avec "Sunny" de Cheval Blanc (50 m ~ 125 m) et aiguilles de crochet 3.5 mm.
Pour cet example j'ai utilisé environ 4 mètres de couleurs A + B et 5 mètres de couleur C.

Monter une fondation avec couleur C = une chaînette de 10 mailles en l'air + 1 maille en l'air pour tourner (ml-f). Tourner, puis crocheter 10 ms avec C, mais finis le 10ème avec A + faire 1 ml-f.


1A
1A - 5 ms, puis une maille en l'air (ml-c) pour créer un peu de distance entre les 2 couches (voir 1ère image en-dessous). Tourner la fondation vers vous et insérer en arrière (2nde image). 5 ms, mais finis le 5ème avec B + 1 ml-f (3ème et 4ème image).

1B
1B - 5 ms en arrière de la fondation (1ère image en-dessous). Une ml-f (pour changer de côté - 2nde image). Détourner la fondation en arrière, puis 5 ms sur le dévant de la fondation (3ème image). Finir avec un ml-c (4ème image). Laisser les petits bouts à l'extérieur de la pièce pour pouvoir les cacher à la fin.

2B - 5 ms avec B sur les mailles en couleur B du R1 (voir diagramme), donc en arrière (1ère image). Une ml-c, 5 ms devant sur B, finir la dernière ms avec couleur A + ml-f. Laisser le fil B a l'intérieur de la pièce, entre les deux couches (3ème et 4ème image).

2A - 5 A (= 5 ms avec fil A) devant (sur A) / ml-c (1ère image en-dessous) / 5 A arrière (sur A) - la première maille peut être difficile à trouver, compter pour la trouver (2nde image) / ml-f.

3A - "4 A devant (sur A), finir avec C / 2 C devant (1 sur A, A sur B), finir avec A / ml-c / 4 A arrière (sauter 1ère A), finir avec B + ml-t"
3B - "4 B arrière (sur B), finir avec C / chs / 2 C devant (1 sur B, 1 sur A), finir avec B / 4 B devant (sur B) + tch
3A explication:

"4 A devant (sur A), finir avec C" = faire 3 ms avec A, mettre fil C en-dessous la 4ème ms avec A, finir cette maille avec C. Ne pas trop tirer fil C! Images 1, 2 et 3 en-dessous.
"2 C devant (1 sur A, 1 sur B), finir avec A" = Faire une ms avec C sur pointe A devant, fil A en dessous la prochaine ms avec C sur pointe B, finir cette maille avec A. Voir images 4, 5 et 6.
Une ml-c pour changer de côté.
"4 A arrière (sauter 1ère A), finir avec B + ml-f" - La 1ère A sauté sera travailler au retour en R 3B - Fil A à l'intérieur (dernier image). .
3B explanation:

Faire 3 ms en arrière, mettre fil C en-dessous la 4ème ms, commencer avec B, finir avec C. Faire une ml-c (2nde image). 2 C devant = 1ère sur A sauté en R 3A (voir flêche - 2ème image), 2ème ms avec C sur 1ère B (image 3), puis finir avec fil B. Toujours mettre les fils entre les deux couches quand ils ne sont pas utiliser.
Faire 4 B ms sur le devant, puis ml-f - image 5.

4B - 4 B arrière (sur B), finir avec C (fil B à l'intérieur!) /
2 C arrière (sur C), finir avec B (fil C à l'intérieur!) / ml-c /
4 B devant (sur B), finir avec A + ml-f

4A - 4 A devant (sur A), finir avec C / ml-c / (fil A à l'intérieur!) 2 C arrière (sur C), finir avec A (fil C à l'intérieur!) / 4 A arrière (sur A) + ml-f
5A - 2 A devant (sur A), finir avec C / 6 C devant (2 sur A, 2 sur C, 2 sur B), finir avec A (pas trop tirer) / ml-c / 2 A arrière (sur A - sauter 2 pointes A), finir avec B + ml-f (fil A à l'intérieur)

5B - 2 B arrière (sur B), finir avec C / ml-c / (fil B à l'intérieur [5B-1]) / 6 C devant (2 sur A, 2 sur C, 2 sur B), finir avec B (pas trop tirer) / 2 B devant (sur B) + ml-c [5B-2]

6B - 2 B devant (sur A = changement des couleurs [6B-1], finir avec C / 6 C devant, finir avec B (pas trop tirer) / ml-c / 2 B arrière (sur A), finir avec A + ml-f [6B-2]

6A - 2 A arrière (sur B), finir avec C (fil A à l'intérieur) / chs / 6 C devant (sur C), finir avec A [6A] / ml-f

7A - 4 A arrière (2 sur A, 2 sur C), finir avec C (fil A à l'intérieur) / 2 C arrière, finir avec A (fil C à l'intérieur) / ml-c / 4 A devant ([7A-1] 2 sur C, 2 sur A), finir avec B + ml-f [7A-2]

7B - 4 B devant ([7B-1] 2 sur B, 2 sur C), finir avec C [7B-2] / ml-c / 2 C arrière ([7B-3] sur C), finir avec B [7B-4] / 4 B arrière (2 sur C, 2 sur B) + ml-f [7B-5]




8B - 4 B devant (sur B), finir avec C / 2 C devant (sur C), finir avec B / ml-c / 2 B arrière (sur B), finir avec A + ml-f

8A - 4 A arrière (sur A), finir avec C / ml-c / 2 C devant (sur C), finir avec A / 4 A devant (sur A) + ml-f

9A - 5 A arrière (4 sur A, 1 sur C) / ml-c / 5 A devant (1 sur 2ème C, 4 sur A), finir avec B + ml-f [9A]

9B - 5 B devant (4 sur B, 1 sur C) / ml-c [9B-1] / 5 B arrière (1 sur C, 4 sur B) + ml-f [9B-2]

10B - 5 B devant (sur B) / ml-c / 5 B arrière (sur B), finir avec A (B à l'extérieur = fini) + ml-f

10A - 5 A arrière (sur A) / ml-c / 5 A devant (sur A), finir avec C (A à l'extérieur) [10A]

Cacher les extrémité et couper-les. Crocheter un bord en ms autour avec couleur C. Faire attention sur les cotés ouverts! Il faut bien insérer à travers les deux couches!

Pour plus d'information et des motifs de carreaux crochet:
Carreaux Patch
Carreaux Collection
Carreaux Dotted Potholder
Carreaux Patch

Quatre petites pièces pour apprendre cette nouvelle technique pas-à-pas

Carreaux Collection

Des modèles variés de Carreaux Crochet.

Carreaux Dotted Potholder

Pour faire des maniques pointillés - Description en Anglais, mais si vous comprenez cette nouvelle technique ça pouvait être faisable.


vrijdag 26 maart 2021

Carreaux Crochet Blanket

 


If you have a whole bunch of carreaux crochet test patches and you want to turn them into a blanket or a rug, there are - offcourse - several options. 

You can sew them together with a needle and a thread or you can use your favourite way to crochet them together.

In this blog I show you how I put them together to solve the problem of different sizes and also to keep the end project flexible enough to be folded.
When I started trying out different designs for the patches - my own designs on paper, or cross stitch and knitting charts found on Internet / Ravelry - I ended up with a whole bunch of patches of different sizes. 

To put them together I used: sc in patch 1, ch, skip a stitch, sc in patch 2, ch, skip a stitch (repeat). Then turn the work and do the same to create a double layer of 'mortar'. On the way back insert in the skipped stitches. Sometimes you might need to insert in the same stitch to keep every aligned (see image below).

Sometimes I made an extra border around a patch to make it a bit bigger. If you look at the picture above you can see that one of the blue/red/white patches is much smaller, so here I did the same to make it (sort of...) fit to the rest.


For this one I started in the middle of the four patches and went all the way down. Then turned the patch and went up again. You can see the beginning on the left picture.

In the other two pictures you can see the differents (on both sides) of the part where it's already done twice and where I had to go back to the middle of the patch again. In the middle I improvised to go to the sides.
Go all the way up with *sc in patch 1, ch, skip a stitch, sc in patch 2, ch, skip a stitch* (repeat) 

To align the pattern you might need to skip two stitches or don't skip a stitch (image 2)

Turn the patch and insert in the skipped stitches.
If you haven't skipped a stitch insert in a stitch where you have already made a sc 
If you have skipped two stitches make a loop in the first one and a loop in the second one, then pull through three loops

donderdag 18 februari 2021

Carreaux Crochet Basic Explanation

Basic Design
The basic principle of Carreaux Crochet is that you always make the same row twice. One time you read the diagram from left to right and the second time from right to left. This example is a step-by-step explanation of how it works.

If you like it and you want to try more or if this is too difficult and you need an extended explanation, and also if you want to support me: click on one of the links on the end of this blog.

I have used "Sunny" from Cheval Blanc, a 4 ply cotton (50 m ~ 125 m) and crochet hook 3.5 mm (E).
These are the colors I have used for this example. Around 4 meter of both main colors A and B. 5 meter of C, which is the third color and is also used as the basic foundation and for the border.

Start by making a foundation with C of 10 chain stitches + 1 chain stitch to turn ('tch'). Then turn and make 10 single crochet stitches, but finish the last one with color A. Make a 'tch' (turning chain stitch) with A.


1A
1A - 5 sc, make these as usual, then a 'chs' = chain stitch to turn sides (see first image below). Turn the foundation towards you and insert on the back of the foundation (second image). 5 sc, finish the last one with yarn B and make a 'tch' (3rd and 4th image).

1B
1B - 5 sc back = 5 single crochet stitches on the back of the foundation (see first image below). Then a 'chs' = chain stitch to change side (see second image) this is for the same reasons that you make a turning chain stitch on the end of your rows.
Turn your work away for you and make 5 sc on the front of the foundation (see third image).
Finish with a tch and your work should look like the fourth image.
Leave the end of yarn B on the outside, otherwise you can not weave it in at the end (see first image). Or hide it directly under the stitches.

2B - You start this row with yarn B. As you can see in the diagram you have to make 5 sc on the same color. Since you have turned your work you make them on the back (see first image). In the descriptions I write this down as "5 B back (on B)". 
Then make a chs and make "5 B front (on B), finish with A".
Be sure to leave the B working yarn in the inside / between the two layers. See arrow on image 3 and 4.

2A - 5 A front (on A) / chs / (see first image below).
Then 5 A back (on A) - it can be a bit difficult to find the first stitch where you have to insert, so think of counting backwards (see second image) to find the right stitch. Finish with a tch.

3A - "4 A front (on A), finish with C / 2 C front (1 on A, A on B), finish with A / chs / 4 A back (skip first A stitch), finish with B + tch"
3B - "4 B back (on B), finish with C / chs / 2 C front (1 on B, 1 on A), finish with B / 4 B front (on B) + tch
3A explanation:

"4 A front (on A), finish with C" = make the first 3 sc, then put the C yarn under the 4th, start with A, then finish the stitch with C. Don't pull too tight on C! Image 1, 2 and 3 below.
"2 C front (1 on A, 1 on B), finish with A". Make the first sc on the last A stitch in front, then put the A yarn under the next stitch, sc on the first B stitch in front, finish with A. Image 4, 5 and 6.
Then a "chs" to switch sides.
"4 A back (skip first A stitch), finish with B + tch" - The first A stitch that you skip in this row will be used in the next one (3B) - make sure to have the A yarn in the inside / between the layers (last image).
3B explanation:

Make 3 sc on the back, start the 4th sc with B, move yarn B to the front (= inside) - see first image. Then finish with C and make a chs (image 2). 2 C front = one on skipped A stitch (see arrow in second image), start the second on the first B stitch (image 3), then finish the stitch with B. As you can see in image 3 yarn B is behind the first stitch. This is the inside / between the layers.
Make 4 B sc on the front of the patch a turning sc (tch) - image 5.

4B - 4 B back (on B), finish with C (leave B inside / to the front) /
2 C back (on C), finish with B (leave C to the front) / chs /
4 B front (on B), finish with A + tch

4A - 4 A front (on A), finish with C / chs / (make sure to have yarn A between the layers) 2 C back (on C), finish with A (yarn C to the front = inside) / 4 A back (on A) + tch
5A - 2 A front (on A), finish with C / 6 C front (2 on A, 2 on C, 2 on B), finish with A (don't pull too tight) / chs / 2 A back (on A - skip first two A stitches), finish with B + tch (make sure to have yarn A on the inside)

5B - 2 B back (on B), finish with C / chs / (be sure to have yarn B inside / between the layers [5B-1]) / 6 C front (2 on A, 2 on C, 2 on B), finish with B (don't pull too tight) / 2 B front (on B) + tch [5B-2]

6B - 2 B front (on A - this is a color change [6B-1], finish with C / 6 C front, finish with B (don't pull too tight) / chs / 2 B back (on A), finish with A + tch [6B-2]

6A - 2 A back (on B), finish with C (be sure to have yarn A inside / between the layers) / chs / 6 C front (on C), finish with A [6A]

7A - 4 A back (2 on A, 2 on C), finish with C (yarn A inside) / 2 C back, finish with A (yarn C inside) / chs / 4 A front ([7A-1] on last two C-stitches, 2 on A), finish with B + tch [7A-2]

7B - 4 B front ([7B-1] 2 on B, 2 on C), finish with C [7B-2] / chs / 2 C back ([7B-3]on C), finish with B [7B-4] / 4 B back (2 on C, 2 on B) + tch [7B-5]




8B - 4 B front (on B), finish with C / 2 C front (on C), finish with B / chs / 2 B back (on B), finish with A + tch

8A - 4 A back (on A), finish with C / chs / 2 C front (on C), finish with A / 4 A front (on A) + tch (if you don't make the border with C leave it outside - it is finished for the figure)

9A - 5 A back (4 on A, 1 on C) / chs / 5 A front (1 on second C-stitch, 4 on A), finish with B + tch [9A]

9B - 5 B front (4 on B, 1 on C) / chs [9B-1] / 5 B back (1 on C, 4 on B) + tch [9B-2]

10B - 5 B front (on B) / chs / 5 B back (on B), finish with A (leave B outside, you can cut it, it is finished) + tch

10A - 5 A back (on A) / chs / 5 A front (on A), finish with C (leave A outside, you can cut it) [10A]

Weave in all ends and make a border with C in sc. Be sure to work through both layers!

This design will give the same image on the front and the back. Only the border will look slightly different.

If you want more help, information, examples or ideas and/or you like to support me:
There are 3 PDF files available on Ravelry for a small price. Click on the link below the images.
Carreaux Patch
Carreaux Collection
Carreaux Dotted Potholder
Carreaux Patch

A more extensive step-by-step explanation using four test patches.

Carreaux Collection

Some varations of Carreaux Crochet.

Carreaux Dotted Potholder

Design of the dotted potholder and a small test patch to learn how to read the design.