How to work Folded Crochet

This month you find me playing with folded crochet techniques. It's a great way to add texture or cables to a project, but the instructions can often look a little scary. Let's see if I can't tempt you to give it a try!

I couldn't find many variations on this theme so I've thrown in a few examples that use some of the same ideas. (Pseudo folded crochet perhaps?)

But let's start with the standard stitch. Folded crochet is basically a row of long stitches made into the front loop only. The next row folds those long stitches in half by being made into two rows at the same time. It's much easier than it sounds. Just to remind you, I'm using UK terminology (US in brackets!). I'm also turning at the end of each row, unless I say otherwise.

 

Row1. (Green) We start with our base row of stitches, any number, they could be any stitch but I've used Treble Crochet (Dc-USA).

Row2. (Pink) The next row is the stitches that we are going to fold. I'm using Double-Treble Crochet (Tr-USA), they are made into the front loop only of Row1 stitches.

 

Row3. (Green) Now we fold the long stitches, so I am making Double Crochet (Sc-USA) into the remaining back loop of Row1 stitches and at the same time the corresponding loop of Row2 stitches. (Leaving the front loop Row2 empty.)

You can alter the size of the fold merely by working into both loops from Row2.

 Here you can compare the results.

 

Of course we can fold practically any size of stitch.

(Pale Green) Here I've chosen to work Treble stitches (Dc-USA)  and I've chosen to work into both loops of the Treble.

(Pink) This time I'm using Half-Treble (HDc-USA) and only working into the back loop of the Half-Treble.

We haven't really folded the stitch, rather it appears to have been pushed into relief.

 

Taking this idea to the extreme I've worked a row of Slip stitches into the front loop only. (grey) This is a Pseudo folded stitch!

Then I've ignored the Slip Stitch and have worked into the remaining back loop. (green)

The stitches pop forward to create a ridge.

A variant on the standard folded crochet technique is to fold several rows of short stitches instead of one row of tall stitches. So in this version I am folding 6 rows of Double Crochet (Sc-USA).

 

Row1. Into a base row of stitches (Green), I've added a row of Double Crochet (Sc-USA) into Front Loop only (Grey). 

Row2-6. I've added 5 more rows of Double Crochet (Sc-USA) through both loops of the previous rows. The number of rows could be any number depending on what you want to achieve. I also used two colours just because I felt like it!

Row8. Now we fold the previous 6 rows, so Double Crochet (Sc-USA) into both loops of the last row and the remaining back loop of the base row stitches at the same time.

So far we've been folding a whole row of stitches. But of course it's possible to fold individual stitches. I spent hours messing about with this idea trying out all the possible variations. At the end of the day I picked just this one example to give you a starting point! I'm calling it On/Off Folded Crochet.

Row1. (Pink) I've had to begin and end this design with two folding stitches, so my base row had to be a multiple of 4 stitches plus 2. So as you can see I have made Front Loop Double Treble x2 followed by 2 chain, finishing with 2 FLDtr. (FLTreble-USA).

 

Now I am adding the missing stitches behind the chain stitches. I am not turning but working in the same direction as Row1.

Row2. (Green) So I am working into the base green row, starting with a Back loop Double crochet (BLSc-USA) behind each DTr and a normal Double crochet (Sc-USA) behind each chain stitch.

Row3. (Green) This is the folding row so I have turned and am working on the reverse. I am working Treble stitches (Dc-USA). I have gone through both loops the pink Row1 Dtr and Row2 Dc at the same time. When I get to the chain stitches I make the Trebles behind them into the green stitches as you can see. This makes the chain stitches move to the back of the work and disappear.

Beaded Folded Crochet. I found this version written as an edging, but I thought it would be fun to include it as a fabric. It's worked exactly the same way as normally except for the beads. I've also discovered that making the beaded row from the reverse makes the beads fall in the right place. So to start with I preloaded my thread with beads. A 'big eye' needle is a really easy way to do this.

You can add the beads at any point during the making of your stitch. I am working Double Treble stitches here (Tr-USA), so I decided to add the beads in the middle of my stitch. When you're ready to make a yarn over and pull through, pull the bead up next to the stitch and simply make the stitch as usual.

Playing about with the size of bead you use will also give a different result.

 

Candy Cane Cable. This is another edging stitch you may be familiar with. It's not really folded crochet, but I just had to find a way to make it look like folded crochet.

 

The technique is quite simple but annoyingly fiddly. I'm using two colours. We begin with a Front Loop Double crochet in the first stitch (Sc-USA), then Chain3. Then start the second colour in the next stitch, (FLDc, Chain3). From there onwards the first colour is taken to the back and the second colour brought forward. (Dc, Chain3) in the next stitch.

This process is repeated for each stitch, with the back colour coming forward and the front colour going backwards.

An alternative way of working is to make all the stitches in the first colour (Pink) and then work the second colour (Grey), feeding the loop and working yarn through as you go. When you get to the end and fasten off, the remaining yarn is simply pulled back out. Both methods are time consuming but the results are satisfying.

As we have done before the next row of stitches is simply made into the remaining  back loop, making the candy cane cable stand proud.

 

Crab Stitch Cable. Here's another cheat that you will recognise as an edging stitch.

 

Crab stitch is worked backwards, from the left to right. Left handers work from right to left. The hook is moved to the next stitch to the right, once again we're using the front loop only, yarn Under and pull through the stitch.

Now we can finish the stitch like a normal Double crochet (Sc-USA), yarn over and pull through.

Making the next row of stitches into the remaining back loop turns this edging stitch into a cable.

 

My intention was to finish with a little motif that you could use as a sampler. Sadly time has escaped me so I promise to bring you that next month. When I start 'experimenting' I never know when to stop!

Fastening Off...

 

Foundation Chain, the ultimate solution.

 I've written a lot about foundation chains because I hate them. I am really hoping that this will be my final post on the subject. I may just have found the perfect solution!

 Previously I've suggested;

• That you try using a larger hook, but this hasn't always worked for me 
• That you try holding your hook in a different position
• That you work Foundation Double crochet [Sc-USA] (here)
• That you work Foundation Treble crochet [Dc-USA] (here)
• That you try an alternative edging (here)
  

Foundation Double Crochet is now like second nature for me but if you are working a lacy stitch it's just not going to work. Remember my post about Tatted Picots and Half Hitches? (here) Well in there lies the solution to all our frustrations. We're going to make Half Hitches!

You won't believe how simple it is. 

Start with a slip knot on your hook,

 

1. Take the back loop of the working yarn as it falls over your finger and allow the loop to fall onto the hook.

2. Pull the loop taught, this is a half hitch or forward loop.

3. Now yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook. You may find it helps to hold the base of your loops, just under the hook, as you pull through.

That's your first forward loop chain stitch made.

Repeat steps 1-3 for each chain stitch required. It takes a little longer than making chain stitches but is so much quicker than making foundation stitches.

Now we have a choice of where to place our first row of stitches.

The top, blue row of stitches above shows the chain as it comes off the hook. If you rotate it so that the chain stitches are on the bottom edge (brown, middle row) you will see a row of 'bumps'. Or you can rotate so that the chain stitches are on the top edge (turquoise, bottom row).

Placing the hook under the 'bumps' leaves a row of chain stitches at the bottom.

Alternatively you can turn the chain stitches to the top edge so that the bumps are now on the bottom and place the hook in the same space.

This gives a different look.

A third option is to place the hook into the middle of the chain stitches as you would do normally.

This is my least favourite choice.

 

Each of these swatches is made with the same size hook. But in practice a smaller hook size may work better for the forward loop foundation chain. 

For this lace panel I used a smaller hook for the foundation and one size larger for the lace. I placed my first row of stitches into the back bumps. I hope you find this technique as useful as I do!

Fastening off...

What is Waterfall Crochet and how do you make it?

What do you love most about crochet? For me it is discovering a new technique. Last year I wrote a post about 50 different types of crochet and here I am not twelve months later with one I missed off the list. That actually makes me surprisingly happy!

So what is Waterfall crochet? Like water falling over a cliff edge, the stitches fall down over the work. It's different from both spike stitches and overlay crochet. So let me show you how it works.

You start with a skeleton of treble stitches (Dc-USA) and chain spaces. Then starting from the outer/top row, the stitches drop down through the chain spaces and attach to a treble stitch below. Even the longest of the drops is made as a single stitch. This enables you to insert another colour into a row without any of the usual colour-work techniques.

The important things to know are, that your working thread always stays at the back of your work and encapsulates the chain stitches, and that you will need a hook with a long, straight shaft. Try using a bamboo hook, a double ended hook or a Tunisian hook. For the following tutorial I managed to use a normal Clover hook because I was using 4ply yarn.

 

The stitches are abbreviated as 'W' plus a number. The number refers to the length of the stitch. So, W2 is a treble stitch plus one chain space. A W3 is a treble stitch plus two chain spaces and so on.

In this design we begin with Treble stitches (Dc-US). The first waterfall stitch is a W2.

First we need to load the hook with all the 'yarn overs' we will need. Yarn over the hook for the Treble;

Place the hook into the first chain space and yarn over the hook twice. You will do this for each of your chain spaces, but this time we only have one space.

Bring the hook back through the chain space, to the front of the work, and place the hook into the Treble stitch below.

Yarn over the hook and bring the loop through to the front. The loops are now worked off the hook from the back.

So turn or flip the work to see the back. Yarn over the hook and pull through the first 2 loops on your hook.

Yarn over the hook again, this time pull through the next 2 loops on the hook and past the chain stitch.

Now you have reached the Treble stitch at the top. So (yarn over and pull through 2 loops) twice, just as you would normally.

Your first W2 stitch is completed. 

For a W3 you would load your hook in the same way for each chain space.

Because the stitches are made over the chain stitches you will have to straighten them up from time to time.

 

I experienced quite a big learning curve with this technique. I had to find a comfortable way to hold the work and the hook, as well as learning to control my tension. As with anything, practise makes perfect!

On the plus side, I like the low relief it creates and the look of a woven fabric, it reminds me of basketry. There is a bonus in that it creates a solid fabric with none of the free standing or loose stitches you find in overlay crochet. A definite bonus is the lack of yarn ends you're left with and no juggling with balls of yarn!

All the designs in this post were taken from an Annie's Crochet publication, Waterfall Crochet Granny Squares by Joanne C. Gonzalez.

 

Fastening off...