Time for Tricot (Going Potty)

When I need calming, I reach for crochet. It truly is a sanity saver.

Today I'm working on some tricot. You might know it as Tunisian crochet but Australians have been calling it tricot for decades so that's what I call it. It feels very much like a knitting process as I work it so, to my mind, 'tricot' describes the craft very well - knitting with a hook!

This is an example of honeycomb stitch. It's easy to reproduce.*

The way to do it: alternate 'Simple' stitches with 'Purl' stitches making sure to start and finish with a simple stitch on each selvedge. On the next row, work Purl stitches into the Simple stitches and Simple stitches into the Purl stitches to create this beautiful woven pattern called honeycomb stitch.

This fabric is going to become a pot holder. The original intention was to use an 8 ply / Double Knit (DK) weight cotton. The only DK weight cotton of any description in my stash, was actually a blend of cotton and acrylic. That won't do because pot holders are used for hot items and acrylic is a plastic that will melt when exposed to high temperatures. No one wants acrylic melting into their hands while lifting a hot pot out of the oven.

So. What's my next choice? I can't get to the shops right now and I don't really want to because I still have a huge stash of other yarn around the house to work through. Let's see … I have leftover 4-ply cotton from the DY placemats.

This yarn choice was a two-way design decision between stitch and colour:

• The honeycomb stitch was perfect for a square pot holder because it doesn't have any bias–it gives you straight edges. 
• Secondly, variegated yarn is perfect for showing up the texture of this stitch and it just so happens that variegated yarn was all I had at hand in pure cotton.

Originally I wanted to use a heavier yarn for a thick pot holder; and to use tricot technique because it can produce a thicker fabric to protect hands from heat. The honeycomb stitch looks interesting and the texture feels great but it is not as dense as solid Simple stitch or Knit stitch. In the 4-ply weight with a 3.5 mm hook, it has a lovely drape but not thick enough for heat protection. (Mental note: might make a nice item of clothing.)

My solution to that disappointing fact is to either:

• make two identical square layers and stitch them 'wrong' sides together for double thickness. Two 'right' sides facing outwards will be aesthetically pleasing (but will that give the equivalent of a single layer of 8-ply? Will it be enough heat protection?);

or:

• find some cotton wadding from the sewing cupboard for a tricot sandwich with a cotton filling and bind the sides. That's a plan. We'll see how it turns out. The issue with wadding is that it needs to be secure it so that it doesn't move within its 'sandwich' during use or laundering. I am not keen to stitch over it with the sewing machine in a quilting style because I think that will spoil the textured patterns of the honeycomb tricot stitch. A pot holder is much smaller than a quilt. Do you think I could get away with not doing any quilting?  Advice please!

A thinner yarn means more rows required for the same amount of fabric compared to a DK / 8-ply yarn and that means a longer time to make!  If I use a DK yarn, the fewer rows may give the pattern a chunkier attitude and have a totally different feel and aesthetic to what I have now.  Perhaps I should make a sample in a heavier yarn for the comparison exercise.

The limitation of a 4-ply yarn has led to a more interesting pattern and texture than what I may otherwise have had because there are more row repeats.

How I make it: I started with 48 chain stitches as a foundation and I will keep working rows until I can fold the bottom edge to meet a side edge (to make a triangle) and both edges match in length. It should work out to about 48 rows. I will let you know when I find out!

Milford Soft 3 ply cotton
(4 ply equivalent)
I am using Aqua/white variegated:
colour 0740  Soft Ombre Pastel

There has been much ripping back ('frogging') of this project because the honeycomb pattern is so regular that any little mistakes show up clearly. I made a mistake early on (mixing up the Purls and Simples) but by the time I noticed, it was too late and I was not going to frog more than half the completed work for the sake of a tiny irregularity when all I'm after is a functional pot holder!

The hope is that, by the time the entire piece is finished, the error will get lost in the overall scheme. I am also frightened that if I did frog all that way, I will be so close to the beginning, I may be tempted to abandon the project altogether.

Loss of concentration and lots of little errors have frustrated me. This project is taking way too long!

This soft cotton doesn't help. Unlike a crisp mercerized cotton, this one has a soft and fuzzy quality to it which can catch onto itself and snag. One needs a slow and gentle frogging technique.

I suspect that this deceivingly simple project is going to take much longer than anticipated thanks to the frustrating fatigue fog.

Have you ever had projects that seemed simple but took forever to do?
How did you get through? 

Please share your anecdotes and advice
in a comment (box below)
or email jodiebodiecrochets@gmail.com.au

"If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs,
it could be that you haven't grasped the gravity of the situation!"
**

* I have not provided instructions for Simple and Purl tricot stitches because everybody learns differently. It is up to you to choose the best resources for you. I am happy to answer questions though!
** A play on the opening line of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If".  The original line was to encourage one to be unflappable when others are panicking.  I remembered this parody in relation to underestimating a craft project, being oblivious to the complexities until its too late.

Related Posts on Lupey Loops

"A Touch of Tricot", 13 February 2017: https://lupeyloops.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-touch-of-tricot.html

"Tricot with a Double-ended Hook (Tunisian Crochet)", 22 October 2016: https://lupeyloops.blogspot.com/2016/10/tricot-with-double-ended-hook-tunisian.html

"Tricot Tableware Complete: Happy Anniversary!", 30 March 2016:
https://lupeyloops.blogspot.com/2016/03/tricot-tableware-complete-happy.html

References

Kipling, Rudyard, "If", first published in Rewards and Fairies, 1910; published online Poetry Foundation (accessed 29 May 2020): https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46473/if---