NEW online crochet class May 18 & 19, 2022:
Crochet Herringbone Chains for All the Things
This is a two-hour class taught over two days: 1:00 pm –2:00pm Central Time on Wednesday May 18 & Thursday May 19. Register with CGOA. Registration closes May 15 or when the class is filled.
Class description & supplies needed:
Here’s a stitch that is almost as useful as our basic chain stitch because it can be used in place of chain stitches. That’s a lot of uses! This means in chain-lace stitch patterns, as turning chains, as simple utility cords such as drawstrings, and for effect, such as in jewelry.
I’ve even used herringbone chains as Tunisian return passes instead of the usual chains.
Believe it or not, you can even use them to form the post of a tall stitch, while you’re crocheting the initial yarn overs off of the hook. All of these uses will be covered in class.
As far as I know, I developed this method of crocheting the “bugle cord/braid/chain/sinnet”, which is well-known in knot-tying world. In fact, the finger-chaining the knotters do is also sometimes called “single bugle”. To me, being able use a crochet hook to make this “bugle” chain is much faster, easier, and more versatile.
The herringbone chains pictured are like doubled chains; I’ll also show you how to do tripled ones. Why would you want to? Sometimes chain stitches are just not pretty, substantial, or polished-looking enough. For drawstrings, spaghetti straps, etc., I often want a denser, smoother, or reinforced cord than just chains. The herringbone texture also has classic good looks, so it’s great to be able to add it to a project. Other times you want a chain stitch to be nearly invisible; at those times I wouldn’t use herringbone chains.
Materials
See all details at the registration page.
Scroll down to see some of the crochet topics I’ve taught in the past.
New online crochet class meets April 27 & 28, 2022:
Zegue-Along: Tunisian Scrap Zapper Project
This is a two-hour class taught over two days: 11:00am – 12:00pm Central Time on Wednesday, April 27 & Thursday April 28, 2022. Register with CGOA. Registration closes on 4/24/2022 or when the class is filled.
Class description:
See the complete class listing at https://www.crochet.org/page/OnlineEducationProgram. See its new Resources Page: https://www.designingvashti.com/zegue-along-tunisian-crochet-class-resources/.
The Zegue wrap I made for myself has brought me much happiness through a difficult year. I also fondly remember the process of making it: the stitch pattern has just a little challenge (typical of ripples) to make it interesting, and it’s easy to memorize because it has a one-row repeat. The yarns I used were high-end Italian imports. Each row felt like I was treating myself.
Use any yarn and any hook size to make a range of items; we’ll stick with simple shapes. We can do a lot with clever folds, seams, or…cuts. The stitches are self-healing: cut open armholes or a head opening where and when you wish. The edges are already sealed and polished-looking!
This design is great for a class project because it’s stress-free in many ways. It’s an easy way to combine odd balls of special novelty yarn stash. I’ve found that Tunisian crochet tends to make a wider range of novelty yarns look and feel good to crochet with.
The extended stitch used here marries different yarn weights effortlessly.
Choosing a good crochet hook size to use with yarn scraps of different weights is just not an issue. Neither is the hook length! The one I used for the wrap only needed to be 11″ long! This lacy stitch pattern cuts in half the number of stitches needed for a 57″-wide wrap.
Materials
See all details at the registration page.
Vashti’s Crochet Classes in 2020
In 2020 I taught two classes for the Crochet Guild of America. It was the first ONLINE edition of their popular Chain Link conference.
It was my first time teaching online. I’m still excited about it! They were also the first 3-hour online classes for CGOA, and we’re discussing all the valuable feedback we received about them from the participants.
Thank you! I enjoyed the class and learned a lot!
Thanks for the wonderful and inspiring class(es). It is great having a teacher with passion for their topic!
Thank you so much. I took both of your classes and learned so much! You have truly inspired me and I thank you so much!
Thank you for an excellent class. I learned a LOT and also discovered how much I still have to learn.
some Feedback from participants
CGOA’s plan is to have one or two class topics taught by one or two teachers per week, going forward.
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Quick Facts
These first two crochet classes were a total of three hours long each; an hour per day, three days in a row. As usual, I provided comprehensive full-color handouts.
It seems to be the consensus that each meeting time could have been a bit longer than an hour. For example, a three-hour class could meet twice for 1.5 hours each time. Perhaps even on the same day, however I did also like a 24 hour gap before the next meet up. Participants had a chance to practice and swatch what they learned. When we met again, everyone was ready with great questions, and swatches to show.
Even More Show & Tell!
I always bring lots of crocheted examples of topics I teach. In yarn industry lingo I guess it’s called having an in-class trunk show per topic. Normally this means deciding which crochet items to ship to the conference.
This time I had all the crochet at my fingertips here at home base.
Why so many items? I test fibers, dyeing styles, crochet hook sizes, stitch variations, shaping methods, and all the what-ifs. These items often inspire students to try variations with their own projects. A class project may end up being the starting point of a new design.
I discovered that for the first time, I could bring my mannequin to class! I could also show some of the crochet books from my home library, not just talk about them.
I hope to teach many more virtual crochet classes! It’s a great way to learn crochet. Whenever I did a stitch demonstration, for example, each person had the same full screen close up view. Like a good YouTube video, I guess, but anyone could ask me more about any step, such as to explain it a different way. Or to explain when to do something this way and when that way.
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Read what students say about Vashti’s crochet classes.
