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| My own cotton mobile cover in basketweave stitch |
I've been concentrating on containers lately - starting with mobile device holders ie phones, tablets, that sort of thing. They have become vehicles for my practice runs in preparation for Improver Level courses coming up this year.
Indeed, I've just
come back - tired but happy - from teaching a 2-nighter in Textures which, due
to the enthusiasm and competence of my six lovely learners, far outran its
scope!
Yes we covered a
load of textures such as bobbles, puffs and popcorns, ribs round the post and
working into the back loop. We also looked at what happens when you use a big
hook on a fine yarn.
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Yet my voracious
students clearly were keen to get the best out of their Denman experience and
ploughed into my extension activities (more round the post stitches - waffles,
basketweave, cabling) and 3D flowers such as the trumpeted narcissus and the
wrap-around rose.
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| Two students' handiwork |
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| Student handiwork |
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| Six WI members at Denman College on the Textures Course Feb 14 |
They even had their first foray into Tunisian simple stitch,
and tried out a touch of surface crochet.
But finally, and
most satisfyingly, there was time for each of them to pick a pattern and embed
their newly found pattern and schematic reading skills.
So by Sunday morning
we had stars and roses and leaves appearing, a lace block, and two lacy
edgings, as well as some colourful fans.
Also showing that
weekend, was a workshop on doll-making which I really fancied doing myself (I
used to make them years ago but have allowed my skills to fall into disuse). It
inspired me to think again about crocheting one, and I duly got started as soon
as I was home again in front of recorded episodes of Salamander (nothing
Swedish on at the mo so Belgian will have to do!) Thus, little Schmink (that's
her name, I've decided) is fairly rapidly taking shaped under my hook as I
write.
Currently she has a
face on the front of her head and the back (I didn't like my first attempt!)
The tarty, mean-looking one will disappear under a mane of pink, to leave a
sweeter, wider-eyed character dominant.
And once I've
cleared my compulsion to create Schmink, I'll return to containers and finish
off the rather fabulous (though I do say so myself!) big brown hat box I'm
halfway through - covered, as it is, in flowers and birds. I'll need to write a
pattern for that bird soon and then make another one to test the pattern. It's
hard to make myself do it though because all I want to do is CROCHET!
QUICK POST SCRIPT HERE
I've sold a sweater design to INSIDE CROCHET since I last blogged!!! It's BILLED to appear in the March edition (out at the end of February 14) Made from Tunisian Cable and Rib. Goodness it was a challenge to write the pattern.
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| Selfy in the sweater |
