Throwback Thursday: long Turks-head knot

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

This throwback only goes back two years, in 2024 I made my Dad a long Turks-head knot pencil grip with hemp string.

Photo description: hemp string wrapped around a yellow pencil in a woven pattern made in June 2024

I asked for hints for his birthday and he mentioned that the pencil grip doesn’t fit on mechanical pencils.

Photo description: same pencil grip on a new yellow pencil two years later next to a plastic mechanical pencil

So I made him some more.

Photo description: mechanical pencils with different colored hemp knots in different patterns

I’m still not confident with knot naming. The pencils in the photo above are laid out in the order I made them, from left to right. Rather than name the knots, I’ll tell you what went wrong. The first one I forgot to split the third time around so ended up with a different pattern. The second was too tight and I was not able to double the knot. The third was a little looser, so I doubled most of the knot, but couldn’t squeeze in the final doubling. The fourth I changed color and was still only able to double most, but not all, of the knot. The fifth I deliberately didn’t split the third pass. The sixth I was able to double some, but not all. The seventh, ah the seventh, came out as I wished, with all passes doubled.

Here is the video I referenced to make my knots: A Long 4 Bight Paracord Turk’s Head Knot (21 lead 4 bight)

Stunned

On By CarynIn Wildlife

This little dark eyed junco bashed into our window, leaving it a little stunned. Normally I would leave them alone, but it was on the metal trash can in sub freezing temperatures.

Photo description: dark eyed Junco bird on a metal trash can lid

I grabbed a shoe box, gently put the bird in, and brought it inside to rest.

After about 20 minutes, the birds started to rustle around in the box and I took the box back outside and opened it up. A very irritated bird flew out and into the trees.

Crocheted leaf cluster

On By CarynIn Craft, Uncategorized

To crochet a simple leaf, my favorite method is to make a foundation row, then crochet in the back loop back down from tip to stem. The foundation row is regular crochet stitches with a single chain added in the middle of working the stitch. This gives a chain-like structure on both sides.

Photo description: crocheted leaf made in two “rows”

Here is a video, and below are written instructions.

Instructions for the leaf (American notation):

Stem: chain (ch) 5

First Foundation Half Double Crochet (ffhdc): yarn over (yo), insert hook in second chain from the hook, yo, pull up loop, ch 1, yo, pull through three loops.

Foundation Double Crochet (fdc): yo, insert hook through two side loops, yo, pull up loop, ch 1, yo, pull through two loops, yo, pull through two loops.

Fdc again.

Foundation Triple Crochet (ftc): yo, insert hook through two side loops, yo, pull up loop, ch 1, yo, pull through two loops, yo, pull through two loops, yo, pull through two loops.

Ftc again.

Two fdc.

Foundation Half Double Crochet (fhdc): yo, insert hook through two side loops, yo, pull up loop, ch 1, yo, pull through three loops.

Foundation Single Crochet (fsc): insert hook through two side loops, ch 1, yo, pull through two loops.

Ch 3.

Single crochet in back loop (scbl).

Double crochet in back loop (dcbl).

Dcbl.

Triple crochet in back loop (tcbl).

Tcbl.

Dcbl twice.

Half Double Crochet in back loop (hdcbl).

Slip stitch down the initial chain.

To make a sharper leaf tip, slip stitch the ch 3 together. To make different shapes, combine different numbers of stitches. You don’t necessarily need to match fdc with a dcbl.

To make a cluster, finish a leaf, then chain again without tying off. Vary stem lengths. clusters of three work well.

Photo description: cluster of crocheted leaves

Spring

On By CarynIn Garden
Photo description: grape hyacinth bloom with hyacinth leaves and fallen post oak leaves

It is officially spring in our part of Texas: the grape hyacinth has put forth a bloom. I rebuilt the bed last season, so am watching carefully to see how the plants do. The leaves survived the big freeze, which is encouraging.

Chains and slip stitches

On By CarynIn Craft

It is amazing what can be made with just chains and slip stitches in different combinations. The foliage below is made by chaining, then folding the chain back on its self and securing with a slip stitch to make a loop. Combine several loops into clusters and make stems by slip stitching along a chain, and it makes an interesting botanical shape.

Photo description: crocheted botanical element with eleven branches with clusters of looped chain