Crochet Linen Doily Part 2

 As I promised last month, I'm attempting to draw inspiration from a pair of very elaborate tea-towels to create a linen doily. This time we are looking at the 'blue' tea-towel which presents new challenges.

I lied to you in the last blog post, I have been corrected, the linens were bought in Bahia, Brazil. From there they travelled to North America before finally crossing the Atlantic ocean to arrive here in cold and damp Lancashire, the traditional home of cotton manufacture. I just love the symbolism that this handmade item was made by, bought by, and gifted to craftswomen from three different nations.

 

It has a rolled edge, which I've found to be impossible with the stiff coarse Linen that I've chosen, so I'm going to just make a folded hem. It appears to have either spike Dc (Sc-US) or blanket stitch over the hem all around the edge. After careful study I find these stitches are set two threads apart. They form the base of the crochet edging. There is one edging that goes along the sides and another at the end. Although it's a relatively simple and repetitive design it proved confusing when I attempted to draw a stitch diagram. It is quite hard to tell whether I am dealing with Trebles or Double-trebles (Dc and Treble-US). I think the only way to find out will be in practice.

Now I can decide how big my doily will be.  I know that the pattern repeats over 30 stitches, plus one extra stitch at the end, which means it repeats over 60 threads. I am not going to be counting out all those threads! Handily I have inherited a little magnifying gadget for counting the threads so I can see that there are 26 threads to 1 inch or 2.5cm! Now I can work out how big I want my doily to be.

For my doily, I've decided to use No8 DMC Perle Cotton thread in blue and Anchor Pearl Cotton thread in Cream, as I  have plenty in my stash. The thread is a little finer than the original thread used, but as I discovered last month, the cream coloured yarn will be more visible against the white cloth.

Before I began the edging row I tried a sample using blanket stitch. I felt that the top of the stitches were too small, so I reverted to the spike Dc (Sc-US) that I used last month. As before, I used a 1.25mm hook for these initial stitches, but after that I went with a 1.5mm hook just because I find it easier and my stitch size easier to control. Making sure that I got my stitches two threads apart was tedious, time consuming and honestly quite painful! If I did this again I would want to come up with a better technique.

The corners on the tea towel are not all made the same way. At this point I was not really sure how to approach them. I had added around 5 stitches into exactly the same place on each corner. I realise that as I work the next row of crochet I may have to make a few adjustments, in case I do not have exactly the right number of these spike stitches. 

The first round of stitches (chain2, Treble x 3) could be worked all around the square. Unbelievably, I had almost exactly the right number of stitches on each side. There was one too few on one side and one too many on another. I was able to make the adjustment near the corner under a chain2. 

After that I worked the two ends, one after the other with the shell design. After experimenting I decided that these were treble not double-treble stitches (Dc not Tr-US). I had also spotted that in order to make the stitch-repeat fit Round1, and for the centre of the shell to always fall into the centre of a chain2 space, I had to skip one chain somewhere in each repeat. I had drawn that into my chart before I began.

The final round is in blue thread. This could be worked continuously all the way round the doily. I wasn't sure at this point how the corner would work. On the linen towel the corners were different, so once again I was left with making it up as I went along!

On the simple edges, I think the stitch pattern is (Dc, Trx3) into the chain2 space below. (Sc, Dcx3-US). On the shell edges, the pattern is a repeat of previous rounds but with picots. The corners turned out to be quite straightforward.

So far I am feeling more than a little bit smug that is has worked out this well, so far!

I wanted to include some of the ribbon work on this doily. This is something I have never done before and I have no instructions for how to do it. Unfortunately I had already hemmed this square before I discovered that I should have drawn the threads before hemming! I had, however tried to make the hem as narrow as possible and I think my technique had improved since the first doily I made last month. Practise makes perfect!

Where to put the ribbon border? Because I am the mistress of procrastination I suddenly decided to make the cross-stitched element first as I could not envisage how large it would be. These days I have neither the patience or the eyes for such fine work, but I decided that I should at least add a small detail in the centre of the doily. I used some odds and ends of DMC Perle thread. I then spent a ridiculous amount of time deciding whether my flower should be pink or blue like the original towel. In the end I thought perhaps yellow would echo the cream coloured border. What do you think? Should it have been blue?

 

Now I have to make the ribbon border! 

The ribbon is 3mm wide and the drawn threads cover a 6mm gap, so I removed 6 threads. I cut one weft thread in the centre of the fabric and pulled it out back to either hem where it is then hidden. Pulling one thread at a time makes it easy to create the right gap.

If you imagine the ribbon is a thread on a needle, it is sewn into the weft threads rather like back-stitch. The needle goes *up and over 13 threads, back under three, (up over 6 threads, back under three) repeated one more time. Then the pattern repeats again, but this time it goes over 16 not 13 threads. This leaves three neat little blue stitches at the back of the fabric. How can I centre the ribbon pattern on my doily? The only way forward was to count the number of warp threads I had to weave over. I ended up with 178. For the sake of my poor eyes I had to assume both ends of my doily would be about the same number!

 

At this point I was really really confused. Eventually after a few false attempts I worked out that the pattern repeated itself over 19 threads. Many scribbled diagrams and poor maths later I could work out how to centre the pattern.

 

The problem at the end is how to fasten off the ribbon. If I had done this work before hemming I could have folded the raw end of the ribbon inside the hem. Instead I have to carefully fold the end and stitch it to the underside of the hem. Lesson learnt!

At the end of the day I think I have reminded myself why I crochet rather than practising any other handicraft. While I have enjoyed the challenge, I feel I have to apologise to the women of my family who came before me, to the tailors, lace-makers and embroiderers. I just do not have the patience!

 

fastening off...

 

 

  

Everything you ever wanted to know about Picots but were afraid to ask!

It was pointed out to me recently that I have never written about Picots. 'But surely picots are just a few chain stitches joined into a loop', thinks I. Oh dear no! It seems there is much more to this than I had ever imagined.

Personally I try to avoid them where ever possible they're far too frou-frou and frilly for my taste. They are non-the-less extremely useful. Try crocheting a snowflake without a picot! They are a useful tool when joining motifs and form an excellent base for attaching groups of stitches.

So what is a picot? The dictionary tells us that it comes from a French word, is pronounced 'peek-oh' and is a 'small loop or group of small loops'. In the case of crochet the devil is most definitely in the detail! The plainest sort of picot is something like three chain stitches joined with a slip stitch. This, it turns out, is just the tip of the iceberg. So let's dive in and see what else is available.
(To avoid confusion I am using English Terminology.)

Plain Upright Picots:
The most basic picot is any number of chain stitches, joined with a slip stitch to the first stitch. There are however a bewildering number of ways to make that join. Here are a few examples for you to consider.

From the front, placing the hook behind the front two loops of the chain stitch.

From the front, placing the hook behind the foremost front loop only of the chain stitch. 

From the back, placing the hook into that back bump or third loop of the chain stitch. 

When we compare these picots the differences are subtle, moving from tight and pointy to round and open, but it shows that a consistent technique pays off.

Although the picot can be joined into the starting chain stitch, sometimes they are joined into the base stitch by taking the hook through the centre and out the side of that stitch.

 

You might also join by placing the hook into the front loop only of base stitch.

Or into the left most leg of the base stitch stem.

Once again we achieve a subtle difference in picot shape.

You don't have to join with a slip stitch, you can use any sized stitch (and in any of the afore mentioned stitch positions!)

A Double Crochet, [US-Single Crochet]

A Treble Crochet, [US-Double Crochet]

Of course before moving on I should mention that the most simple picot of all is an unjoined picot, which I used when making this Aster flower. 

The yellow petals here are quite simply (Dc, Chain4, Dc) all in the same stitch. [or in US (Sc, Chain4, Sc)]

Closed Picots:
Small Rounded Picot:

To create a border, start with a Slip stitch into the previous row. 
Chain3, Skip chain stitch closest to hook, Double Crochet [US-Sc] into front loop of each of the first two chain stitches, skip one stitch on the base row, slip stitch in next stitch.

Large Rounded Picots:

Start with a Slip stitch into previous row.
Chain 5, Skip the three chain stitches closest to the hook, Treble Crochet [US-Dc] into front loop of each of the first two chain stitches, skip two stitches on the base row, Slip stitch in the next stitch.

Drooping or Twisted Picot:

Chain7, remove the hook from the front of the last loop and replace in the back of same loop, allow the whole piece of work to spin clockwise, place the hook in the 5th chain from hook and join with a slip stitch.

Pointed Picots:

To create a border, start with a Slip stitch into the previous row.

Chain6, skip stitch closest to the hook, Slip stitch, Double crochet, Half Treble, Treble, Double Treble, in the remaining 5 stitches. [US-Slip st, Sc, HDc, Dc, Tr] Skip three stitches on the base row, Slip stitch in the next stitch.

Picot leaves:

This could be worked as an edging or as I am showing it, as a decorative lace stitch. I am already imagining endless variations of this leaf depending on the size of stitches you choose to use and their exact placement. I shall leave it to you to experiment!

Beginning with a short length of chain stitches;

Chain4, (3 Trebles, Double crochet)[US-3 Dc, Sc] into chain furthest from the hook, placing the hook under the front two loops of the chain stitch.

Changing which loops of the chain stitch we use gives either a more upright or more horizontal leaf position. In the image below I worked into the back bump or third loop.

Double Picot:

Here are two variations which give differing results.

a. Made into a length of chain. Chain5, turn and Double crochet [US-Sc] into back bump of chain furthest from the hook; Chain4, turn, Double crochet [US-Sc] into loop. Turn again before continuing the length of chain.

b. Made into a length of chain. Chain4, Double crochet [US-Sc]around the length of chain (not into any stitch). Chain4, Double crochet [US-Sc] into the loop just made (not into any stitch). Tug on base chain and slide both Double crochet stitches together to tighten picot.

Multiple Picots:

Where a group of picots are used together to form a design element. A typical example is in the snowflake above. But it might also be just a pair of picots. Most of the examples I found used three together because odd numbered groups always look better than even. I have no idea why. (Answers on a postcard please!) I rather liked this lace design where the central picot is used as an anchor for the following row.

Clones Knot:

This comes from Irish Crochet. It is basically a bullion stitch which is joined head to tail. I avoid bullion stitches where ever possible but I spotted this Interweave video in which our hostess recommends a tapered hook and then proceeds to make it look incredibly easy. Which actually it is with a little patience.There are three kinds that I am aware of;

Clones Knot;

Make a length of chain stitches then work about ten Half-treble stitches (US-HalfDouble Crochet) over the length of chain and hook at the same time.

Push the loops down the chain length to tighten. Place the hook in the nearest visible chain stitch.

Catch the working thread and pull it through the chain stitch and all the loops on the hook.

Finish with a Double crochet (SC) in the chain stitch.

Modified Clones Knot 1;

Starting with a length of chain as above. Wrap the yarn around the hook only, two or three times, then catch the working yarn around the hook and chain length.

Catch the yarn again and pull through all loops on hook.

Push the 'knot' up to the end of the chain length and secure with a Double crochet (SC).

Modified Clones Knot 2;

Starting with a length of chain as above. Pull up a double height loop. Yarn over the hook and then wrap the working yarn around the length of chain clockwise two or three times. Slid up to the hook.Yarn Over hook and pull through the two loops on the hook. Finish with a Double crochet if required.

Boucle Loops or fur stitch:

You may find variations on this stitch which may be easier. It certainly requires some dexterity, practise and patience! In order to get even length loops some kind of a gauge is used. I've gone for an over sized knitting needle. Made as a wrong side row it can be used as an edging or as a textured fabric.

Place hook into next stitch, wrap the working yarn from front to back around your gauge; bring the hook behind the two strands of the extended loop, catch both threads and pull through the base stitch only, yarn over and pull through all three loops on hook.

Looped Edging:

(This edging can be worked as a lace stitch in which case chain stitch in place of the double crochet stitches in the following instructions.)

Double crochet into base fabric, Chain2, pull up a long loop and remove hook from loop, replace hook in 2nd chain from loop, yarn over and pull through chain stitch. Double crochet in next base stitch. (US-Sc)

I could probably continue with this blog post ad infinitum! I haven't included beaded picots or picots in combination with other stitches. I hope I have given you enough confidence to play about with them when you find them and look out for some playful combinations. They don't have to be stuck on the edge but can be an intrinsic part of any design. I thought I'd leave you with this design from Edie Eckman's Around the Corner Crochet Borders.

P.S. Thanks again to friend D. for all your investigative inspiration.

Fastening Off...

Interlude - All about yarn and hooks.

I was going to start telling you about my crochet heroes but I distracted myself by thinking about my journey so far and the initial learning curve. 

If I could pass on one thing it would be this.  

There is no wrong in crochet!

If you find a new or different way of doing something, then you've probably just invented a new stitch or technique!

So there's no wrong way to hold the hook or yarn. This worried me for ages. As long as it feels comfortable then it's OK and it may well be that you change things depending on what you're working on.

How the 'non hook' hand holds the yarn effects the tension.

For something really thick like Bonnie Macrame Cord then a loose tension and a long strong handled bamboo hook is perfect.

For fine work with Cotton Crochet Thread you'll need a lot more tension and a steel hook. I'm currently using the Prym Soft Handled, but I'd like to play with the Clover Armour steel hooks.

For everyday work I like the ergonomic Clover Armour. It helps the hook to stay at the right angle and is very comfortable to hold. Nan Jan disagrees with me on this. So my advice is to play with as many hooks as you can get your hands on before you spend a lot of money. 

Often a project begins because you like a particular yarn. I've messed up on this one quite alot! As I'm allergic to wool it reduces my choices quite alot. I was about to say simplifies it but that's not true. What yarn to use as a substitute is a whole other blog that I'm not yet qualified to talk about!

What I can say is this:

• Cotton and Bamboo are great to work with. They have good stitch definition and wash well. On the down side they're heavy and take forever to dry.

• Acrylic yarns are cheap, wash easily and dry fast, but they can bobble and stretch.

• Wool is great to work with and looks good. (As long as you're not allergic to it or a vegan!) but it tends to be expensive and is easily shrunk or felted, or both! 

Of course there are other choices like linen, silk, nylon, polyester. and bamboo. 

The best solutions for me are Softfun and Stonewashed which are combinations of cotton and acrylic, producing a soft light weight fabric which retains stitch definition and washability.

If you're in the UK looking for Crochet Cotton Thread, I go to Purple Linda she has a great selection.