Saturday 4 January 2014

Third Time Lucky?

Christmas holiday has flown by, hasn't it?  I hope you all had a wonderful time with family and friends.  Just a few more days and children are back at school.  I managed to finish one project which I will show you in the next post but am still struggling with this one…  I first crocheted half of it and then didn't like the stitch and the way I kept having to fight with the hook getting caught in between the strands making it all frustrating and slow work.  Then I decided to start again and knit it instead.  I found this unusual stitch which I liked but with quite fine 2.5mm needles, it's still slow and after a while, I wasn't sure I liked it enough and perhaps I fancied a reversible stitch and perhaps I should try crochet again?

So here I am, at the third attempt!  I'm now using a much larger hook because I want it to be loose and soft to make the most of this lovely handspun yarn.  I am not making the main piece too wide because I want to have enough wool to get the length I'm after and then I will crochet a scalloped edging (which you can see some of in the picture).  After finding it so difficult with the first crocheted version, I have realised it was not the wool that was the problem but the hook!  Although larger, the hook I'm using now goes through fine every time and doesn't split the yarn like the last one did.  So all hooks are not alike!




The knitted version (below):
a type of crossed-over trellis stitch
which is kinda cool as a pattern...




The latest crocheted attempt
with a large hook,
and a simple "blanket stitch"


This does have a very nice, soft texture…
Mmmmmm….

Is this it???

I have already spent MANY hours on this (doing AND undoing!) and it can be frustrating when things don't work out as you plan…

Ah but then I guess it would be too easy if everything worked out perfectly at the first attempt, right?

Best wishes,
Frivole

p.s. as you can imagine, all this means that the first tatting of 2014 has not yet happened!  But I'm sure it won't be long...

13 comments:

  1. This is coming along very nice you have many skills and you pick a good pattern, It is nice to take it out till you get it right and knitting is easer to do that with than tatting :) happy new year and best wishes!

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  2. That stitch will eat the fibre very quickly!!!

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    1. It's not too bad actually and that stitch does have a nice fluffy feel to it which I was after.

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  3. When it's done you'll know it's perfect. Being more of a knitter than I crocheter, I really like the knitted trellis stitch. How do you do that?

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    1. Hi Jane, it's a matter of K2tog, yarn over twice, slide one, K1, pass the slipped stitch over. Then you cross by knitting the 2nd stitch first and then two together. Then you do the opposite. It's an 8-row repeat.

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  4. Sometimes it takes a few attempts to get the look you want, personally I like the knitted one but as I can't crochet it would be knitted if it was me. I am sure you will win in the end and it will look beautiful.
    No tatting yet well you can't do both you only have one pair of hands, I wish I could tat or do something it will be weeks before I can get my hand working again, in the meantime I am enjoying seeing what everyone else is doing.
    Happy new year look forward to seeing your new creations of 2014.

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  5. The weather here is perfect for knitting and crocheting, but somehow I just can't tear myself away from snowflakes!

    Hook and needle certainly can make a tremendous difference. I love the fiber you're using!

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  6. Have you seen the crochet lace book by Mary Konior? I think you'd find something in there that really makes your heart sing with that yarn... I can't get the book but my library has it and every once in a while I get it out, get a box of tissues, and start drooling! Of the patterns you've done I like the knitting best but recommend you try a much bigger hook (much bigger) on a small sample of that crochet stitch you're doing and see what you think.

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  7. Hey frivole, is the knotted version a type of ' entrelac' ?

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  8. I mean the knitted version,...

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  9. I am so jealous of your knitting skills. Your Fair Isle cardigan already made me green...
    I am looking forward to seeing the whole article. :)

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  10. Truly fabulous colors for that project!!! :)

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