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.*

Yarn Review: Amigurumi + Exciting News

Can you guess what these are?

This next photo has a clue:

Delayed Decisions and Finished at Last!

"Wine Grapes Tea Towel Top"
designed and made by Jodiebodie.
Nov 2015–Aug 2017

This tea towel top is one of those 'secret projects' mentioned last month in "Too Soon to Tell"
(Lupey Loops blog entry, 20 August 2017).

It is my own design and it took ages to finish, mainly because of slow decision-making– agonising over the choice of pattern for the border.

Ear, Ear!

Ears!

Nine pairs of teddy bear ears.

The Teddy Blanket has ears!

Blocking for The Edge

"Kitty Blanket" pinned to shape
on a blocking board.
Crocheted by Jodiebodie 2010.
Pattern: "Purr-fection" by Candi Jensen
 
 
 

Blocking is a useful technique for giving a neat, professional finish to crocheted items.

Don't just leave it until the end of your crocheted project!  It is also handy during the making of a project.

This is especially true of anything that is made in sections; for example, individual motifs or garment pieces such as sleeves, backs and fronts.

As I block my crocheted squares, here are my tips for giving a blanket that
'finished edge'!

Yarn Chicken

Always trust your instincts. That's what mothers tell us.

Simple Crocheted Finger Puppets & Lupey Long-distance Gifts

Once upon a time, there were two little children, a girl and a boy. The girl was 2 years of age and her brother was almost 6 months old.

These darling children are very much loved by a large family with lots and lots of cousins–an ample supply of playmates.

The children have regular contact with most of their cousins but there are some that live more than 1000 kilometres away! (That's me and my family.)




Christmas and birthdays present a challenge when choosing 'long-distance' gifts. I'm here to share my pattern for crocheted finger puppets and to explain how they were the perfect choice for two young children and their cousins at Christmas (2016).

Get on your Broomsticks!

Warning: this is not about Hallowe'en

but

Hallowe'en is a great time to 'get a handle on'

Broomstick Crochet!

My first scarf of broomstick crochet is on the blocking board!
[August 2016]

Tricot with a Double-ended Hook (Tunisian Crochet)

A long, long time ago … in a galaxy far, far away … NO!  

That's not it!

Well, maybe it feels like it because I've had the striped tricot scarf completed for more than a year but, despite promises and a few teasing pictures, never got around to blogging about it properly … until now.

A pair of tricot hooks

Bunny Was Here

Look at this!
(with a disgruntled expression)

There's a big hole in my lounge room throw rug.

Tricot Tableware Complete: Happy Anniversary!

Wedding View
of the Pacific Ocean

Today I wish special loved ones

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

for it was on this day three years ago that we celebrated their marriage at Dee Why beach.

Part of my gift was a set of 'breakfast placemats'
as a memento of their special day.

This blog entry features the finished items and technical details about my tricot design (Tunisian crochet) such as taming curled edges, a common issue with tricot fabric.

An introduction to this project can be found in the blog entry, "Tricot Tableware - a Special 'Tunisian' Crochet Project" (11 March 2016). Information about my choices of project, fibre and reasons for tricot are explained, along with some photos of my inspiration, Dee Why beach (New South Wales).

Handy Shower Gel Hanger: New Pattern!

Shower Gel Hanger
+
60 ml bottle
=
fun gift
 

Hooray! My first shower gel hanger has been revised. I sat myself down with the graph paper and properly worked out a neat join for chain mesh in the round.  The much-improved pattern (and chart) is now here for you to use!

Shower Gel Hanger

In my flurry of Christmas gift making, I decided that the shower gel container needed a holder or caddy of some sort to make it easy to reach while in the shower or bath.

Spring Stories & Spider Stitches

A deadly redback spider.

Spring is not my favourite season.
Itches, asthma, too much sneezin'
Blowflies, spiders, creepy crawlies,
Coughs and colds and feeling poorly,

Lack of sleep from daylight savings,
Gives cause to senseless daytime ravings!
New growth, flowers, seeds and sprouts,
(until the bunny digs them out!)

Weeds and wildlife, changing weather,
Pure vexation altogether;
For a multitude of reasons
Spring is not my favourite season.

Here is a glimpse of my South Australian springtime with a few crochet inspirations too.

How to Add a Lining to a Bag

Adding a fabric lining is my last step to complete Janet Brani's WIP Project Bag–a crocheted drawstring bag which converts to a backpack.

Why bother with a lining?  This post provides good reasons for lining crocheted bags and shows my method step-by-step.

How to Turn a Drawstring Bag into a Backpack

This useful drawstring bag is just the right size for a take-along crochet project.  

It becomes more useful when carried on your back, keeping hands free for riding a bike, wheeling a chair or holding on for dear life on crowded public transport!

Hold little ones' hands as you stroll to the park where they can play and so can you (with your crochet)!

This is how Janet Brani's "WIP Project Bag" pattern changes a simple drawstring bag into a convenient backpack.

WIP Project Bag: Progress Photos At Last!

Way back in January, I started work on a little bag.

I chose a variegated sock yarn from my stash
to highlight the stitch pattern.

Slip Stitch (Bosnian Crochet) Scarves

My two finished scarves!
Pattern: Slip Slope Scarf
by Vashti Braha

At last! Two complete scarves, both done with the 'slip stitch crochet' technique, also known as 'Bosnian crochet'. 

I promised to blog about this last May so now it is time to gather photos, pattern details and resources for further learning about slip stitch crochet.

Poppies Shaping Up

This is what a big bunch of poppies look like!
How many do you think there are?

Access All Areas: Adaptive Crochet

International Access Symbol
crocheted by Jodie

As a regular visitor to Rachel Choi's extremely useful and informative Crochet Spot web site, I was very pleased to read an article about 'Adaptive Crochet for the Legally Blind'.