Symmetrical Diamond

This Symmetrical Diamond pattern introduces diagonal Tunisian crochet for clothing and fashion accessories. It’s a basic pattern, so it works just as well for afghan motifs, pillows, hot pads, and other home decor. Pick a yarn with built-in color changes for exciting stripes! The pattern starts out as an all-purpose swatch for any yarn and hook size, then offers three ways to turn your swatch into a practical project:

  • Make dish cloths with medium cotton yarn.
  • Make a padded wrist rest, sleeve for your cell phone or sunglasses, or a set of reusable makeup remover pads with thinner yarns.

I developed this strategic four-edge stitch shaping combination from scratch because common shaping methods don’t work well for diagonal Tunisian crochet. My goal was to find a uniformly finished solid edge for Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss) that’s also symmetrically stretchy. I researched 100 or so sources and I know of no one else using it; nor do I know of a published option that offers a close substitute. 

There is a Crochet Inspirations Newsletter issue about this pattern: #48 Diagonal Tunisian Crochet Discovery – http://eepurl.com/wNeCn

After you try this pattern, have a look at the new Burly Bias. I designed it for the Tunisian on the Diagonal class as the next step in having fun crocheting diagonally.  Four PeaksWarm Aeroette, and Aery Faery (rectangular wrap scarves with eyelets). Adding eyelets to each edge requires specialized tweaks for Tunisian lace; in fact, I’m discovering a new world of Tunisian edges with special effects. You might also like my other Tunisian projects that begin in one corner (Islander) or crocheted in biasing rows (Petals, Shakti Scarves).

Skill Level: Easy Intermediate

You should know how to crochet the Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss) and have some experience using a Beginner-Level Tunisian crochet pattern. (Burly is an example of one.)

Pattern abbreviations are kept to a minimum. International English equivalents to American measurements, yarn weights, and stitch terms are in brackets { }. In response to feedback in Tunisian crochet classes, I list the stitch names and descriptions in a pink sidebar on the pattern pages. (This way there’s no need to flip back to the “Stitch Guide” page while crocheting.)

After using this pattern, you will know (if you didn’t already):

  • How to create a symmetrical triangle and a square of any size with Tunisian simple stitch by starting in the corner (and how much fun it is!).
  • How to start in one corner to add stretch, drape, and diagonal striping to Tunisian crochet.
  • How to increase and decrease along the right edge of Tunisian crochet rows to take advantage of this dynamic biasing fabric.
  • How to increase along the left edge of Tunisian crochet rows to match the drape and stretch of the right side.

Finished Dimensions

It’s easy to make your diamond larger or smaller. (That’s the “point” of corner-to-corner, really.)

  1. Dishcloth: 6.5″ {16.5 cm} square.
  2. Diamond Eyeglass Sleeve: 6″ {15.25 cm} square.
  3. Diamond Makeup Reusables: 2.75″ {7 cm} square.

Materials Used

Diamond Dishcloth

  • Crochet Hook: Size US10/J/6.0 mm Tunisian crochet hook that is at least 10″ {25.5 cm} long for the longest rows.  Tip: Since you begin in one corner, you can use a regular crochet hook as your Tunisian hook until it’s difficult for you to keep all loops of the Forward Pass (FP) on your hook; then switch to a longer Tunisian hook.
  • Two stitch markers (optional)
  • Yarn Shown: Lion Brand Cotton Ease (50% Cotton, 50% Acrylic; 207yds/189m per 3.5oz/100g ball), color #123 Seaspray. Each ball yields 4 to 6 dish cloths.

Substituting a yarn: For most dish cloths and face cloths I like a cotton-acrylic blend. It seems to stay soft longer and dry faster. Choose a #3 Light or #4 Medium Weight yarn with a recommended crochet hook size range of US7/G/4.5mm to 9/I/5.5mm. These yarns may also be called DK (Double Knitting), Light Worsted, or Worsted weight.

Diamond Eyeglass Sleeve

  • Crochet Hook: Size US8/H/5.0 mm Tunisian crochet hook that is at least 10″ {25.5 cm} long for the longest rows.  Tip: Since you begin in one corner, you can use a regular crochet hook as your Tunisian hook until it’s difficult for you to keep all loops of the Forward Pass (FP) on your hook; then switch to a longer Tunisian hook.
  • Two stitch markers (optional)
  • Yarn Shown: (75% Superwash virgin wool, 50% Nylon; 410yds/375m per 5.25oz/150g ball), color #63, approx. 41 yds {57.5 m} per Sleeve.

Substituting a yarn:  I chose a thicker than usual sock yarn for two reasons: I want this yarn to hold up when I keep this sunglass sleeve in my handbag, and it’s easy to find a dramatically self-striping sock yarn. (See Diamond Makeup Reusables below for standard thinner weight sock yarn examples.) Choose a #2 Fine Weight yarn with a recommended crochet hook size range of US4/E/3.5mm to US6/G/4.0mm. These yarns may also be called Sport, Heavy Sock {Light DK, 5-Ply}.

Diamond Makeup Reusables

  • Crochet Hook: Size US5/F/3.75 mm Tunisian crochet hook of any length.
  • Two stitch markers (optional)
  • Yarn Shown: Plymouth Sockotta (45% Cotton, 40% Superwash wool, 15% Nylon; 414yds/379m per 3.5oz/100g ball), color #6655.

Substituting a yarn:  This cotton blend sock yarn is an unconventional choice for crocheted makeup remover pads and I’m really happy with it. Many crocheters use a thicker 100% cotton “dishcloth” yarn instead (see “Diamond Dishcloth” above). Most sock yarns are designed to hold up to hard wear and machine washing and drying. I like the sock yarn I used because it’s thinner, it has enough cotton to feel soft and absorbent, and the heathered color changes don’t show any traces of makeup residue after washing. I prefer them over the one-use quilted cotton balls I’ve used for years!

Choose a #1 Super Fine Weight yarn with a recommended hook size range of US2/C/2.25mm to US4/E/3.5mm. These yarns may also be called Fingering, Sock, Light Sport, Baby {3-Ply}.

I loved this yarn for a soft and durable padded wrist rest: Schachenmayr nomotta Regia Silk Color (55% Wool, 25% Nylon, 20% Silk; 218yds/199m per 1.75oz/50g ball), color #0181. For more information about this project variation, see this Ravelry project page: http://ravel.me/vashtirama/ptdwr .

Want to see another project? I love making these double-thick Diamond Coasters with a crazy Noro yarn!

Posted on Leave a comment

New Free Crochet Jewelry Pattern & Guide

My three newest crochet jewelry pattern releases share a theme: all are methods for crocheting beaded strands, without actually using beads. I’ve developed special beady crochet stitches and found jewelry-crocheting ways to make stitches stack up symmetrically and neatly, like beads do.

Not only do I love crocheting beads instead of adding beads to crochet; sometimes it’s better – allows a crochet project to be more portable or faster to begin, for example. For more images, here’s my “Pearly Crochet Stitch Types for Jewelry Crochet” photo set.

My free Puffpearls Jewelry Cord Crochet Guide is really three small patterns in one, because each pattern is a jewelry component that can be used independently with other designs. The three components are the Chain Loop Clasp, the Puffpearl Stitch Cord, and the Mushroom Button. Along the way I explain what makes each of these my “go-to” jewelry components, and suggest some creative ways to vary them and enhance their basic features.

After wearing crochet jewelry for years, and teaching Crochet Jewelry in local yarn shops and at national conferences, I wanted to provide a free guide to some of the simplest basics I find that I’ve relied upon for years. That’s why I came out with the free Puffpearls Jewelry Cord Guide. Together with the Irish Pearl Knot Stitch and the stitch menu in the Sweet Almonds Jewelry Set, I use it myself as a reference guide, so I’ve rounded out the free crochet jewelry pdf with:

  • A chart of standard necklace lengths
  • How to make the best beginning slip knot when starting a crochet jewelry project
  • How to make necessary adjustments for a good match between pendant and crochet cord.

Something else I’m noticing about crocheting ‘beads’ is that they’re amazing in silk and rayon threads. You might like issue #47 of the Crochet Inspirations Newsletter on using rayon threads for crochet jewelry. You also might like issue #46, “Open and Closed Clones Knots.” It was inspired by the Irish Pearl Knots design.

The Puffpearl was one of the first (if not THE first) of the pearly stitches I swatched, back in 2008. Allow me to end by counting the ways that I like it now more than ever! The Puffpearl Cord is…

  1. Strong with a bit of built-in stretch. It has clean good looks from any angle and has many uses, so it’s fun to see how it responds to different fibers and hook sizes.
  2. Fun to experiment with simple changes to the stitch’s basic steps for creating alternate versions of the cord.
  3. Fast! A 20-minute crochet friendship bracelet is pretty instant gratification.
  4. Easy to make this stitch uniform in size and shape for a polished-looking pendant cord.
  5. The most straightforward and structurally familiar of all my favorite bead-like crochet stitches for fancy cords. (I especially appreciate this when using slippery threads like silk and rayon.)

Notch

Like its cousin the Thaxton Hooded Cowl, Notch is luxuriously stretchy, squishy, and toasty-warm. This is modern slip stitch crochet with taller crochet stitches added for contrast. Experiencing how the notched short-row wedges take shape is heavenly fun. They’re the textural highlights of Thaxton, repeated for decorative impact.

Notch started out as a way for me to test the Thaxton cowl and take the pattern out of “beta.” I fell in love with the long-striping yarn effects. To get notches on both sides of the scarf, I found a simple way to alternate the wedges so that the textures always face the front.

Skill Level

Intermediate. Short rows are considered an Intermediate skill. Also, although the slip stitch is elementary crochet, crocheting them with a hook-led gauge takes practice for many crocheters in my slip stitch classes.

Build up to this pattern with Luckyslip Mitts: I wrote it for my introductory slip stitch classes. Practice simple short rows with Slip Slope. View all of my slip stitch crochet patterns here.

Pattern has a color-coded stitch diagram. Included: international English equivalents for American terms.

After following this pattern you will know (if you didn’t already):

  • How to crochet simple slip stitch ribbing
  • How to add dramatic surface texture with short rows
  • How to add designer touches to short-rowed ribbing
  • How to use a hook-led stitch gauge

Finished Dimensions

Two full skeins of the yarn shown (640yd/585m) yield a scarf 8.5″ wide X 64″ long {21.5 cm X 162.5 cm}. This is a stretchy scarf. Your yarn choice may add even more. Mine stretches to 72″ {182.75 cm}. A one-skein scarf would be half as long: 32″ {81 cm}.

Materials

  • Crochet Hook: Size US J/10/6 mm hook or size needed for gauge.
  • Yarn Shown: Marks & Kattens Big Trend (70% Acrylic, 30% Wool, 321yd/294m per 3.5oz/100g skein), color 409; 2 skeins for full-length scarf. Substituting a yarn: The best yarns for this project are wool or acrylic blends because they add bouncy loft. Cotton yarn is just not the same for this. Long, gradual color changes in a yarn, such as Crystal Palace Mochi Plus or Noro Kureyon, or subtle tonal shades of a hand dyed yarn, work great for this! Choose a plump #4 medium-weight yarn with a crochet hook size range from US H/8/5mm-J/10/6mm listed on its label. These yarns may be referred to as Heavy Worsted, Aran, Afghan, and occasionally “Light Chunky” Weight.
  • Stitch markers: Two or more until you can recognize the last slip stitch of each row.

Four Peaks

Four Peaks Scarf is a newly remastered, rectangular variation of the L-shaped Five Peaks Shawl that first appeared in the Spring 2010 issue of Interweave Crochet magazine.

Special Features

Use any yarn weight, fiber, amount, and Tunisian hook size with this pattern. Pictured are dense wintery wool scarves and breezy summery options.

“Four Peaks” refers to what it’s like to start in one corner (a “peak”) and then crochet Tunisian rows diagonally to create the remaining three “peaks” of a symmetrical Tunisian rectangle (i.e., a scarf; or…stole, shrug, headband, afghan, and more!). This geometric construction method frees you to do several other promising things with Tunisian crochet.

The eyelet edging is built in to each biasing row for uninterrupted striping. This exciting special effect wouldn’t be the same if the edging had to be added later instead.

Four Peaks also introduces the ”Tunisian foundation slip stitch.” I’ve discovered that special increase methods along the left edge are needed for the Tunisian eyelets to drape symmetrically.

Pattern includes a stitch diagram and easy customizing instructions for any length, width, and amount of yarn you have on hand. My favorite way to crochet the Four Peaks Scarf (and the Five Peaks Shawl) is with a chart, because all rows face the front. It also reveals the simple logic that underlies fancy-looking biasing rows and eyelet stitches.

Skill Level

Intermediate. Almost all of the scarf is Tunisian Simple Stitch (a beginner-level stitch), and the return pass for each row is the standard one that beginners learn. (The Burly scarf would be a good basic review.) How each forward pass begins and ends is what makes this Intermediate level. You should have experience using easier Tunisian crochet patterns before attempting it. Tunisian Shakti Scarfythings is a good way to experience simple lacy biasing. My free Symmetrical Tunisian Diamond 101 pattern is great preparation for the Four Peaks experience.

After using this pattern, you will know (if you didn’t already):

  • How to start a Tunisian crochet project in one corner and build a scarf on the diagonal by increasing along both edges.
  • How to shape the left edge with a Tunisian Foundation Slip Stitch so that it matches the stretch and drape of the right edge.
  • How to edge Tunisian crochet with lacy eyelets as you go.
  • How to choose a good combination of hook size and yarn for this kind of design.

Finished Measurements

One skein of the summery rainbow bamboo-rayon yarn yielded a 50” x 9.5” {127 x 24 cm} scarf.
One skein of the wintery wool yarn yielded a 34” x 10” {86 x 25.5 cm} scarf.
Pattern includes information for customizing the scarf’s width and length.

Materials

Tunisian Crochet Hook, straight or circular: As a general guideline, use a crochet hook size that is 1.5 mm to 2 mm larger than the one recommended on the yarn’s label. Gauge is not very important for this pattern. For the rainbow light weight yarn, I almost decided on a K/6.5 mm hook. By the 16th row, the solid part of the scarf was feeling stiffer than I wanted it to so I started over with the next larger hook size I had (L/8 mm). Nowadays I would use the less common 7 mm hook size instead.

Yarns Used

  • For Summery rainbow scarf, Mondial Bamboo (100% Bamboo rayon; 252yds/230m per 3.5oz/100g skein): 1 skein in color #680 Parrot. (This yarn seems like a #3 Light Weight one to me, a.k.a. DK, light worsted wt.)
  • For Wintery wool scarf, Patons Classic Wool Worsted (100% Wool; 210yds/192m per 3.5oz/100g skein): 1 skein in color Palais for a wide neckwarmer, 2 for a full length scarf.

Substituting Yarns: I’ve swatched several types of yarn and hook sizes for this pattern. Each new yarn I try gives unpredictable results because biasing Tunisian eyelet fabric is more dynamic than any other Tunisian crochet I’ve made.

You might like to try this pattern with a thinner yarn from the #2 Fine Weight category (a.k.a. sock yarn, fingering, light sport, baby) and a size J/US10/6mm or K/US10.5/6.5 mm Tunisian crochet hook. For a light breezy scarf, I liked a K hook with my Louet Euroflax swatch.

A lace weight mohair yarn would be beautiful!

Posted on Leave a comment

From Crochet Design Idea to Professional Proposal

Resources Page for Presentation given by Vashti Braha: From Crochet Design Idea to Professional Proposal  CGOA Professional Development Day, Reno NV September 12, 2012

Clickable links are listed below under four subheadings, but first!  A Gallery of Ten Crochet Photography Challenges I’ve Encountered (out of Thousands)  Click or double-click on a photo for details.

1. Creating, Choosing, Sharing Images of Swatches, Sketches, and Designs

 

2. Why Photography Skills for all Crochet Professionals are Important

Photography has been a challenging journey for me. I’m a crochet designer and teacher first. Perhaps this is why I was slow to realize that every photo I take is also my intellectual property (therefore a business asset) with the same potential infinite value as a crochet design. The more rights one retains to each type of original crochet-related content (whether photo, diagram, text, video, etc.), the more capital one has. Forever. Content to be used as the rights holder sees fit, especially in the unforeseen opportunities the future holds. In other words, do yourself a big favor: err on the side of sitting on the full rights to too much content, because chances are your future self will be glad you did. I speak from experience already! Regarding photography for example, I only waited 2 years to learn how saving my seemingly superfluous photos pays off.

I may never see myself as a professional photographer, but everything I’ve learned about it has been worth the effort, both personally and professionally. Understanding how cameras and light and angles work is nice; even better are the unexpectedly deeper and almost spiritual things photography is teaching me, like: the kinds of beauty I used to overlook; what I want to see and what’s most ‘real’ to me; choices of visual subtexts (those ‘1000 words’ that pictures speak), and just plain what’s important to me about crochet. A surprise fringe benefit is that as I page through the latest crochet magazine or book, I now also detect other points of view non-crocheting pro photographers take, either by default or by direction.

As a crochet designer who finds project photography challenging, the best thing I’ve done is to allow myself the time to take baby steps:

  • If all I do is keep the camera very still, I’m already ahead. It can singlehandedly produce a great raw photo for isolating key details later at the editing stage. Sounds obvious, but it’s a special skill to do this for certain kinds of shots. Surprisingly, it has also taken me a long time to recognize when a photo is subtly out of focus.
  • I block everything, even jewelry. Otherwise the camera will blab loudly to everyone that I didn’t, and I’ll have to retake the photo {shudder}.
  • Having at least one mannequin is fabulous, mainly because using live models for any kind of crochet photography is overwhelmingly complicated for me. Photographing crochet on/with live models require a whole different skill set. I’m going easy on myself and still learning so much with still photography. Another surprise for me has been the strong opinions I hear FOR or AGAINST crochet or knit designs photographed on live models!
  • I refuse to obsess about perfect light. There’s no way I’m getting up at dawn to photograph anything! No way am I delaying a new pattern release just because a tropical storm is brewing! However, the more I’ve thought about this, the more I wonder if this is a luxury I have in Florida, where I usually deal with too much light. The more photos I take of crochet, the less light I need, especially when my priority is to emphasize a stitch texture, or the intricate interaction between fiber type, yarn construction, stitch pattern and drape. I can add light during photo editing, but taking away too much light is trickier.
    • As a result, I avoid buying specialized paraphernalia that clutters up my house or makes it feel too much like a photographer’s studio. I often just put up a low three-fold cardboard screen to mute the Florida sun. Having a range of simple light modifying tools and backgrounds at hand, such as folding foam-core boards, frees me from waiting for only one ideal hour of indirect sunlight or a weather-perfect day.
  • Photoshop will just have to wait its turn. Until more non-photographers’ faces relax when they talk about using Photoshop, I’m making the most of iPhoto and supplementing with iWatermark and whatever the current incarnation of the online Picnik is – and enjoying myself while mastering the basics.
  • I learn a new setting on my camera when I’m good ‘n’ ready. My favorite option so far is the macro setting (on my Canon it looks like a flower symbol). It’s especially great for any beaded crochet, fancy stitches, and step outs (tutorials). I practiced for months with different close up ranges to recognize the macro ‘sweet spot.’ I wish I’d taken a few macro pics of the beaded seam of Tunisian Petals (see my blog link below about this)
  • I turn a crochet photo session into a relaxing event. I do a batch at a time. I often jot down a specific shot I need for a pattern or blog post, because I don’t always remember by the time it’s ‘photo shoot day.’ Depending on the time of day, I may turn up the music, pour a glass of wine, and relax into the job. Or in the morning I may get all sporty and aerobic about it, especially if I’m cleaning up the room reaching to get artsy angled shots, changing backgrounds, moving mannequins around etc. I might chat on the phone, or listen to my husband’s TV show. I avoid a lot of caffeine, though, for a steadier hand.

Helpful Links for Crochet Photography Newbies:

 

3. Submissions Guidelines for Crochet Pattern Magazines:

Submissions Guidelines for Pattern Book Publishers:

 

4. Recommended Miscellaneous Resources for New/Aspiring Professional Crochet Designers:

Note: even though some of these links offer advice about expired calls for proposals, the information is still relevant for future calls.