I followed a chart for a Monstera leaf that uses crocheted chains, slip stitches, and double crochet. The leaf looks complicated, but it is a simple concept: make a chain, slip stitch into the center, make another chain, slip stitch into the previous rib, then turn and double crochet back to the start.
I don’t really like that there isn’t much to the center of the leaf. I’ll have to come up with my own pattern.
I’m not sure what to call this crocheted foliage element, but at least it looks botanical. It uses only chain stitches and slip stitches to work the stems and branches: chain out, slip stitches back. There is quite a lot of potential in this simple stitch combination.
I switched tracks on what I am doing with the yarn remnants. I decided a need a new front door wreath, and am now making crocheted botanical elements.
This first leaf started with a chain, then I worked each side of the chain with single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, and triple crochet to make curved sides. The stem is slip stitched.
It is a humble beginning, but I hope it will bloom into something remarkable.
It seems like single crochet in the back loop, reversing direction each row, would create the same fabric as single crochet in the front loop one row, and single crochet in the back loop the next row in the round. It does not.
In the photo above, the left brim has some ridges, but feels thin. The brim on the right is soft and squishy.
The single crochet in the back loop switching directions is vastly superior as a hat brim and honestly for any other application where warmth and comfort is needed.
Interesting.
When I have a plethora of yarn remnants on hand, I default to making hats. I like to experiment with different stitches and construction methods, and it uses up the yarn in a useful and quick way. This round, I’m exploring the folded brim. Making a hat longer than necessary, then folding it up to double over the ears does a better job keeping ears toasty and warm than a single layer.
I constructed the hat with double crochets in concentric circles, then for the brim did single crochet in the back loop and changed direction each round. This makes for a lovely squishy accordion-like fabric.
I do wonder if I could achieve the same effect crocheting in the back loop one round and the front loop the second round, to avoid the awkward turnaround where I tend to accidentally add stitches. Hm.
Critters and Craft 