Crochet Like Knitting... or Knitting-Like Crochet?

I've always liked the idea of crocheting garments... but the resulting fabric is often a bit stiff and lacking in drape (or else you need to use a fine yarn to large hook ratio, so yes, there are workarounds but still...) compared to knitting.

Then I started seeing all these new garments crocheted through the back loop only and works sideways so of course I had to give it a try!

This is the Doña Sweater by Lolacrochets. I liked the simple shape and bulky but soft stitch. Crocheted with a 6.5mm hook, I figured it would grow reasonably quickly. I'm using Drops Nepal which is a lovely soft mix of wool and alpaca. I'd bought the yarn for a different project (not for me) so this is not really in my usual sort of colours but I decided to use it anyway (in case I don't like it in the end, I've not invested too much).

The other great thing about it is that is worked in one single piece! I'm still only on the first panel but I like it so far!

Best wishes,

Frivole

Vintage Edging

Here is an edging by Thérèse de Dillmont (she's the editor, not the designer) which you can find here in the Antique Patterns Library - what a wonderful resource! This is a pattern I've made before in years past but decided to re-visit and take the opportunity to make a video.

The left photo is from the original book and the green edging is my own tatting.

I shall be edging a new handkerchief for my mother-in-law. Sorry the lighting is a bit terrible in the photo below but that's the start of the edging which matches the green in the hanky. My mother-in-law loves green, it's her favourite colour!

It's not difficult and pretty... but you have to not mind making lots and lots of Josephine Knots!  I'll keep that one in my bag and get it done gradually.

Best wishes,

Frivole

Matching Earrings

One of the joys of making your own earrings is that you can always make them to match whichever outfit. Here is one pair I recently made to go with a particular dress. Apart from the striped black and white background, the yellow roses have a bit of blue in them and that's what I wanted to pick up. 

I feel it's really time I try to come up with a new earring design. I've been making this one for some time now (and still enjoy it, and have modified it a bit over the years) but I need to apply my brain cells to something new! Sometimes inspiration strikes unexpectedly... other times, you have to work at it!

I hope everyone is enjoying a pleasant summer!

Best wishes,

Frivole

More Earrings!

Since the last fair was a success, I made more earrings for the next Festival my daughter will be attending. Again I stuck to flowers, leaves, and nature, to be in keeping with the nature theme of her own art. I also used her preferred colour palette in choosing which threads to work with. I finally got around to making earrings with my leaf pattern and I also made my little pea pod into earrings!

I also played around with my layered flower pattern, modified it a bit and added beads on some of them. I do like the leaves, particularly in the darker variegated colour way (bottom right of photo above). I'll have to make myself a pair!

The beads are a bit subtle in this pair above

but I forgot to take close up photos of all the ones I sent to my daughter!

I've since made more beaded pairs which I'll have to show you in another blogpost.

Let's hope this selection will appeal to the Festival goers!

Best wishes,

Frivole

Busy with Earrings

Oh dear, I'm not making time to post on my blog again! There are always so many things to get on with aren't there? But I really needed to update a bit since my last post was about Easter eggs!

Over the long May Bank Holiday weekend, I was busy tatting some earrings for my daughter to take with her to a craft fair she will be attending.

She wanted something fairly simple and "leafy" if possible as my daughter's theme is nature so when she saw Lilliantatlace's Verdalet she thought it was just the thing! I like the shape of it and it's pretty quick to make. I tatted a few pairs of those and then some flowers which are my own design as well as the pair of little apples which are also my own. My daughter chose the colours to keep with her nature theme.

I was planning on make some earrings with my little leaf pattern too but I ran out of time. My daughter has another fair coming up in a couple of weeks so I'll be working on some of my own leaves for earrings next time.

It's been so unseasonably hot in the UK these last few days! Like full summer but in May! I hope you're all doing well from wherever you are reading this. It's always great to hear from you!

Best wishes,

Frivole

Pysanky Eggs - Happy Easter!

I recently discovered the joys of making Pysanky eggs (wax-resist dyed eggs) and have been having fun making several (once you start, you can't stop!).

I made my very first YouTube short showing the process if you're interested.

Egg Video

Egg with two colours (there's a layer of yellow you cannot see) and wax still on
(sorry, ugly paper towels covered in sooty wax!)

The result of the egg from above photo.

Another egg completed but wax not removed yet.

Same for that one.
... See if you can identify which these two above are in the box below! 

Who wants half a dozen eggs?

Two of my favourites... but I've already made more since!

Had you seen this type of egg decoration before? Do you like to decorate eggs for Easter? They looked great covered in tatting too of course and I've been meaning to design some tatted eggs for ages! But I failed again this year... I was too absorbed by making Pysanky eggs.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Best wishes,

Frivole

Utilitarian Crochet

This is probably not very exciting but I'm sharing it anyway. I recently completed this crochet bath mat! Exciting isn't it? When making dishcloths (I have lots of them and like using them in the kitchen) I created, by accident, a stitch I didn't know. I thought I was following a pattern but made a mistake and it created a totally different looking stitch which I really like the look of. It probably already exists somewhere no doubt but it was new to me.

The bath mat is crocheted in natural, undyed craft cotton.

I really like the texture of the stitch.

If anyone's interested, here's the stitch:

I called it my "Pop Stitch" as it makes me think of popcorn!
(number of stitches divisible by two):

Start in 2nd stitch from hook,
1 sc, 1 pop in same stitch 
Skip 1 stitch and repeat
End with 1 sc in last st. ch1, turn
Repeat. 

Pop stitch is:  yo, through hole, yo, back through hole, yo, pull through two loops, yo, through same hole, yo, back through hole, yo, pull through all four loops.

That's it for this time, I hope the spring sun is shining on you as it is here today. Lots of pretty spring flowers popping out in my garden, it makes me feel cheerful!

Best wishes,

Frivole