Crochet cables are an entirely different beast than knit cables. Rather than just switching the order of a few stitches, it involves at minimum three different stitches, and different placement. I ripped out my swatch twice trying to get my brain wrapped around the technique. I finally made myself a rough chart, which helped, and religiously counted stitches on each row.
Photo description: hand drawn crochet chart with non standard symbols, a size G (4.0mm) crochet hook, and the cabled swatch made with hand spun two ply rose fiber yarn
I used a combination of single crochet, double crochet in the front post, and treble crochet in the front post. I have not puzzled out how to reverse the cable twist, although I suspect it involves some pretzel like moves.
In August 2012 I helped finish a crocheted rope project. Unfortunately I didn’t write down details. I remember that the woman who commissioned me to do the work received the started pieces from a loved family member that passed before finishing the necklaces. She wanted something that she could wear, not just sit in a box. The original intent of the work was to make a long rope with looped beaded tassels on the end. That didn’t suit my client, so we decided they should sit near the collarbone with a magnetic clasp. The original maker had threaded the beads, made the first tassel, and started the crochet with a size 13 steel needle. There was one pink seed bead project and one with white seed beads.
Photo description: box of white seed beads threaded onto cotton thread, tassel and crocheted rope laid on the outside of the boxPhoto description: pink seed bead crocheted rope with wildly different translucent seed beads on the tassel.Photo description: my method of beaded string organization, a huggy spool
I removed the tassels and finished the crochet to the desired length, then ran a piece of 49 strand beading wire through the tube. I attached the magnetic clasp to the wire so that no pressure was applied to the bead work.
Photo description: finished crocheted ropes in white and pink on a reflective black surface
I love the feel of crocheted seed beads ropes, but it is small detailed work that is not fast. The client was pleased and I enjoyed helping a project reach completion.
This was before I learned about the Loose Ends project that matches unfinished projects with volunteer finishers.
In 2012 my youngest was hospitalized for a total of 33 days with pneumonia and complications. I was a wreck. To maintain sanity I asked my family for yarn and sat in the PICU crocheting. I learned how to make star blankets and made two (I don’t have pictures of the first).
Photo description: green eight pointed crocheted star blankets and laying on a hospital bed
This is one of my favorite crochet textures. I’ve heard it called many names, but orange or lemon peel is what sticks in my head. It is an alternating pattern of single and double crochet stitches across, the on row two the single crochets go in the previous double crochet, and the double crochets go in the previous row’s single crochet. It takes a little time to recognize which stitch is which, but the finished project is very forgiving.
Photo description: swatch of orange peel crochet with double crochet top and bottom edge made with hand-spun mint infused cellulose fiber and a 1.75mm crochet hook
I crocheted my hand spun camel yarn into a beanie style cap with ribbed band. I used a 2.25mm crochet hook and a double crochet for the fingering weight yarn, but found switching to a 3.25mm hook for the single crochet ribbing of the band made it feel more flexible and soft.
I thought I had plenty of yarn for a hat, but the yarn chicken squawked a challenge as I made the band. After I sewed the band together, I had only a few inches of yarn left. So there, yarn chicken.
Photo description: about 5” of yarn left after finishing off the camel yarn hat
Camel is a soft fiber, but my preparation still had some guard hairs and vegetable matter, so to make sure the inside was scratch free, I brushed it with a boars bristle brush. The brushing brought the soft fibers to the surface and gave it a lovely surface feel.
Photo description: bristle brush with the brushed inside of the crocheted hatPhoto description: finished hat crocheted from hand spun two ply camel yarn
I made this for my father in law, and I did make it a larger size. My Dad has reported that my wool hats shrink with wear (a natural fulling effect, I believe), so I didn’t want it to get too small. I may have gone too large though.
