Search Results for: filet

Aquarienne Beach Cover Up

Aquarienne is a convertible layer of two identical triangles of filet Tunisian crochet. Each is crocheted point to point (a.k.a. side to side in this case). They’re edged as you go with sparkly “water droplets” (a beaded twisted fringe) because that’s how I roll.

No pre-stringing of beads required. Remarkably, only one 100g. (256-yard) ball of the main color yarn was needed, plus scrap amounts of two contrast colors. Filet-style Tunisian crochet is not a yarn gobbler.

Lace together the colorful linen stitch band several ways: partially unlaced for a poncho, one-sleeved vest, or full-sized V-shawl. Wear the lacing in the front and back for a V-neck, or at the shoulders for a bateau neckline.

My goal was to design a breezy, versatile beach cover up that would be fun to wear here in Florida at the peak of summer (i.e. June to October).

Skill Level

Advanced Intermediate. Two simple Tunisian stitches make a one-row filet-style pattern. Its loose gauge and laciness add challenge; so does starting it in one corner and steadily increasing at one end of each row with a built-in beaded twisted-loop fringe edge. Don’t worry though! Pattern has professional stitch diagrams, a schematic, and video tutorial.

Stepping-stone patterns to build up to an Aquarienne experience would be Diamond Ennis. Also, Aero or Minuet.

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

  • How to crochet a strikingly open net of Tunisian crochet stitches.
  • How to crochet a triangle by starting at one point and ending at the opposite one.
  • How to add a finished edge with beaded twisted loops as you complete each row.
  • How to combine two lacy triangles to create a convertible garment.
  • How to apply principles of filet crochet to Tunisian stitches.
  • How to add beads without pre-stringing them.

Materials

Crochet Hook: Straight or Flexible Tunisian crochet hook at least 9” {22.9 cm} long: Size H/8 {5 mm} or size needed for gauge.
Regular crochet hooks Sizes 7 {4.5mm} and G/6 {4 mm} for border.
Yarn used, Main Color: DesigningVashti.com Lotus (52% Cotton, 48% Rayon; 256 yds/235 m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein): 1 full skein, color shown is Crystal Blue.
Very Small Amounts of two Contrast Colors: DesigningVashti.com Lotus Snack balls (52% Cotton, 48% Rayon; 85 yds/77.7 m per 1.16 oz/33 g skein): 1 ball each of Teal Glimmer and Bamboo Green.
Beads: 64 size 6/0 seed beads.
Notions: Steel crochet hook for hoisting a bead onto a loop of yarn. Scissors. Yarn needle. A paperclip, and a way to twist a long cord for lacing such as a kitchen hand mixer (optional; you could crochet, braid, or purchase a lacing cord instead).

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My Ideal Crochet Conference Clothes

Sleeveless fine black knit top outlined with big pink crystals!
Updated August 7, 2020.

Pictured above: two views of my favorite top, dating from 2006-2008. I wore it to the evening banquets until I wore it out! On the left I’m modeling the Giant Roses Wrap and Smart Set With Swing skirt for Crochet! magazine, January 2007 issue. On the right is the Spun Sugar Cocoon in the 2006 book New Ideas for Today’s Crochet by Jean Leinhauser & Rita Weiss [link goes to my project page for it in Ravelry].

Conference Clothes to Pack

I’ve re-committed to the Z-CoiL® shoes so now I can focus on the conference clothes. At home in Florida I wear jeans and light-colored t-shirts (with or without Z-Coils). For the past 25 crochet conferences I’ve packed almost no jeans or t-shirts.

Lots of crochet conference attendees wear their most comfortable jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers and that’s great! That’s the easiest packing of all. (People do tend to dress up for the Saturday night banquet.)

Please don’t let what I’m about to say worry you if you’re a first-timer and you want to wear t-shirts and jeans! My choices are based on how I want to wear my crochet designs, and on all the professional, organizational, and event roles I play. (Designer, teacher, presenter, model, director, officer, etc.) So, ideally my conference clothes meet several needs at once.

Tops That Work

A comfortable and flattering black top with colorful embroidery served me well
Wore this top to many events too; it’s a Chico’s
“Travelers” fabric so it always looked and felt great.

For these reasons the tops I pack are mostly plain stretchy black (or other neutral color), with different sleeve lengths and neckline styles. You can see many of them in the photos further down.

The best conference tops work great under a striking crochet vest, wrap, or cardigan and:

  • are made of a breathable material that travels well
  • look stylish enough
  • work for both daytime and evening
  • don’t hold on to shedding yarn fibers!
A close up of the top on my mannequin. On display: Lotus Color Chips.

These tops are perfect for modeling and I pack extras for attendees who didn’t plan to model on banquet night. Other neutral colors can work too, like charcoal, navy, tan. I had a favorite conference top in charcoal. Still trying to find its replacement.

It’s surprising how hard it is for me to find simple classic conference clothes like these in neutral colors other than black. I think people don’t want to look at a lot of black all the time in crochet classes.

Nowadays for teaching I look for softly colored breezy tunics to wear.

Tops for Crochet Activism

Conference clothes to make this vest pop from a distance as crochet activism!
Minuet: designed to make crochet
very visible at a knit-centric event.

When I want the maximum spotlight on a crocheted garment, I wear it over black. There’s just no better background and frame for crochet textures and colors. It really makes the crochet pop from a distance, such as a fashion runway.

Crochet activists know that we need in-your-face crochet magnificence that pops even across a city-block-long convention center walkway. Why?

Non-CGOA yarn industry events have long been knit-centric. You betcha I’ve brought all the inkiest-black clothing to wear under high-contrast crochet. I’ve watched people lock eyes on it a block away. I blogged more about the Crochet-In and other crochet activism we’ve done out of exasperation with the sidelining.

The Bottom Half

Good decisions about conference clothes depend on the level of air conditioning in the hotel, and in conference center rooms. It can fluctuate dramatically from room to room and by time of day. Crocheted shawls won’t keep my ankles from freezing.

Pants: I look for the same qualities as in tops. Additionally, I love a wide waistband that sits a bit below my waist. A long boot cut in a structured fabric looks best with the Z-Coils. I have a clear picture of what works the best for me, but sometimes I have to shop too much to find it.

Skirts and dresses can work for evenings. (Few look good with Z-Coils for daytime). A pair of semi-sheer black pantyhose/tights has often come in handy when I’m asked to model a skirt or dress for the banquet fashion show. For example, I wore them under the crocheted pants I’m modeling, below. In yesterday’s post I’m wearing them with high heels to model Urmie’s kick-pleat skirt.

Five Kinds of Belts?

Not all at one conference! The photos below span many years. I’m normally not a belt wearer, but…I wear a lot of things at conferences that I rarely wear at home.

5 views of belts I wear with my conference clothes
That wrapped tie belt (4th from left) is my crocheted Barbed Wire Belt in silver glitter Jelly Yarn! (Here it is in black.)
That’s the Weightless Tunisian Wrap on the far left. Then our own Lotus yarn in Grenadine that Doris crocheted into a Lotus Bolero and fitted pants. On the far right I’m toting Quencher and the free V-Stitch Cocoon Shrug.

Not everything goes with the shoes. Too bad! I won’t compromise there, despite my stylish friend Annie’s consternation. If ever there were a time when Z-CoiL® shoes are indispensable, this epic conference is it—the teaching (15 hours over 3.5 days), the show booth, and of course helping the Hall of Fame committee celebrate the wonderfulness that is Doris J. Chan!

Some years I get lucky with these brands: White House/Black Market, Ann Taylor, Chico’s. I found almost nothing I can use the other day, though—only capri pants, lovely skirts, and prints. I’m all ears if you have other brand suggestions for me.

By the way, I’ve also resumed editing and refining the class handouts now that my houseguest has left. We had a fantastic week rollerskating, tracking night blooming cereus, and visiting the mermaids of Weeki Wachee.

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Tunisian Eyelet Meshes: Class Resources Page

A clickable list of resources for my 2016 Tunisian Eyelet Meshes class at CGOA’s Chain Link conference: patterns for designs shown, books mentioned, & articles recommended in class. Also, inspiration for new Tunisian eyelet variations.

 

Story of the Tunisian Eyelet Mesh

Patterns

Recommended Issues of My Newsletter

Blogged (older blogs)

Inspiring Tunisian Crochet Books

You might see a lacy stitch variation to try.

  • 1997: Basics of Tunisian Crochet for Beginners, N. Seto, Japan. ISBN 978-4-529-029285
  • 2000 (1991), Rebecca Jones: Tricot Crochet The Complete Book, Lacis Pubs., Berkeley CA. ISBN 978-1-891656-28-6
  • 2004, Angela “ARNie” Grabowski: Encyclopedia of Tunisian Crochet, LoneStar Abilene Pubg LLC, TX. ISBN 978-0-974972-55-8
  • 2004, Carolyn Christmas and Dorris Brooks: 101 Easy Tunisian Stitches™, Annies Attic, IN. ISBN 978-1-931171-74-8
  • 2008: Tunisian Crochet Patterns 100, Nihon Amimono Bunka Kyo-kai, Japan ISBN 978-4-529-04484-4
  • 2009, Kim Guzman: Learn to Do Tunisian Lace Stitches, Annie’s Attic, IN. ISBN 978-1-59635-264-3
  • 2009, Sharon Hernes Silverman: Tunisian Crochet: The Look of Knitting with the Ease of Crocheting, Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg PA. ISBN 978-0-811704-84-7
  • 2014, Kim Guzman: Tunisian Crochet Stitch Guide.
  • Duplet magazine issue #61.
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Tunisian Extended Stitch Ripple

Three Tunisian filet crochet swatches of my ripple pattern attempts.

Fresh Off the Hook: a Tunisian Extended Stitch Ripple

I swatched these for the Steeking Tunisian Lace class out of curiosity and as interesting visual aids. The Tunisian extended stitch can do some very inspiring things, and it’s fun to steek (cut holes into it).

Imagine steeking this one…I’m seeing a lovely sleeve cap…

Ok, this only sort of counts as class prep on this 6th day of 50 conference prep days. It’s not strictly essential to finishing the class handout, but now I might get design ideas from it in other spare moments. Class prep always generates lots of new design ideas. I revel in this.

My son had a band concert last night so I swatched the white one on the left while waiting for the concert to begin. I’ve been meaning to try a Tunisian extended stitch ripple ever since I wrote newsletter #49 in 2013.

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National Crochet Month Specials

Sister filet scarves: Antoinette Sparklescarf, Emdash, and Cantina Party Flounces

Welcome, Natcromo Blog Tour Visitors!

In honor of (Inter-)National Crochet Month, I’ve added a lacy spring scarf pattern to my Ravelry shop: the double-flounced Emdash Scarf. It’s free for one week.

I thought I’d show you Emdash’s crochet story in pictures. National Crochet Month is for crochet stories, right? Especially about lacy spring scarves. First, the design sketches:

Emdash has two design sisters.

There they are all together at the top of this post. It’s easier to show some alternate views of them this way.  Antoinette is the eldest (I published her popular pattern in Nov. 2011). She loves lace weight metallic mohair with sequins and other holiday party yarns. Cantina is the youngest, even though her pattern was published before Emdash’s (in Dec. 2015). Cantina is a freewheeling hippie girl who likes color parties, scrap yarns, and beads.

How did Emdash get her name?

While I was exploring special characters on my keyboard, I kept seeing the scarf draped on my mannequin. The columns of tall stitches are grouped with vertical spacers. (I like the slightly different crocheting rhythm of it.) They started reminding me of emdashes, yes—a type of punctuation. It shortens so nicely to “Emmy.”

The last part of her design story is that I learned how to format and print out kit patterns with the Emdash Scarf, for the show booth I had last summer. This means Emdash is also available as a printed pattern while they last.

Happy National Crochet Month!