In the summer I usually use the time to experiment or try new things. My experiment this summer is working a top down V-neck and you know how that has been going if you have been reading this blog: Snip, Snip and Evaluating a WIP that’s not working. It’s an experiment and this is exactly how it goes. I’m not discouraged at all.
I also like to work patterns by other designers. For the last year I have been learning about Tunisian Crochet. It’s enough like knitting to make the transition fairly easy and new enough to make it fun. Have you ever considered trying this?
My first project was from 7 Free Tunisian Crochet Patterns by Interweave. I made the cowl by Sheryl Thies. It has several stitches you’ll recognize: work 3 together and yarn overs. They are easy enough to figure out with the odd check for YouTube tutorials.
Next, I made a big jump to the Pax by Aoibhe Ni. It had really interesting charts.
I love charts and these are sooo different. I found them fascinating to work.
In the spring I finished the Escalera Wrap by Aklori. I worked it with many balls of left over sock yarn. It’s a little history of my sock knitting in a wrap.
Can you tell I’m hooked?!
This summer I worked the Refraction Shawl by Aklori designs which I will wear with my butterscotch coloured winter coat. I learned a lot with this one: different increases and decreases and a clever way to change colours for the stripes.
I can’t believe there’s even more!
I also started the Schmetterwurm, a free pattern, with short rows.
Yes, they work the same way as knitting. I’m on my fourth short row section and I’m starting to see the pattern emerging (gold sections). I seem to be doing it correctly. Yay.
It’s a free pattern so it’s a little short on the details. I did have to check some instructions with YouTube tutorials but there are lots out there, so no problem.
This is craziness. I may be obsessed. What else would cause me to test crochet a lace shawl? I can’t show you but I’m finding Tunisian lace really fun. Lace work in knitting or crocheting is similar, in that you have to pay attention and count all the time. It keeps me right there in the project. If my mind wonders off, well, you know what happens. I’m getting fairly good at ripping back and figuring out where I am.
Still knitting too. Phew, I hope you’re enjoying your needle projects, whatever they might be. Deb
Deb Gemmell: Top Down, Gauge Free and more 