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ChiaoGoo Straight Tunisian Crochet Hooks

The free shipping makes this a good price on these 100% bamboo Tunisian crochet hooks (a.k.a. afghan hook). ChiaoGoo hooks are carved from the strongest bamboo of all, Moso: it has the tensile strength of steel! They’re imported from China by a family-owned company in Michigan. ChiaoGoo has cheerfully sponsored my crochet classes for years.

This hook is perfect for most of my students because it’s light weight, light colored, and carved in an all-purpose shape. Bamboo hooks are 60% lighter than aluminum hooks of the same size.

The surface offers students some control over the thin, slippery luxury yarns I tend to use for my airy Tunisian designs. My ChiaoGoo hooks get even better with age as they acquire a soft patina.

The 9-inch (23 cm) length of this crochet hook is a convenient size for two reasons. First, because it holds enough stitch loops on it to crochet several of my Tunisian shawl designs. (An advantage when using the thinner yarns for lacy drape.) Scroll to the bottom to see which crochet patterns call for this Tunisian crochet hook length.

Second, because it’s only a bit longer than “regular” (non-Tunisian) crochet hooks. I often reach for one of these for regular crochet if my shorter hooks are not at hand.

As with other Tunisian (afghan) hooks, this hook does not have a thumb rest, and includes a knob on the end to keep stitch loops from sliding off. I don’t find the knob to be heavy or intrusive.

If your order contains more than one shippable (not downloadable) item, the shipping method automatically upgrades FREE from USPS First Class to Priority Mail. Priority mail shipments take just 2 or 3 days to arrive under normal conditions.

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2014 Summer Crochet Classes, Vashti-Style!

I’m teaching six of my favorite crochet topics at the end of this July, in Manchester, New Hampshire. The occasion is the Crochet Guild of America’s annual national conference AND its 20th anniversary! 

Each of the classes listed below is three hours long, with a break halfway through. That break is a good thing because these classes are more in depth and thorough – even for advanced crocheters – than the usual classes available locally. For class descriptions and images, click the CGOA link above, or go to the Knit and Crochet Show site here.

The first two classes I’ll be teaching focus on two types of Tunisian crochet lace, diagonal meshes and classic filet nets. Both of them are scheduled on Thursday, July 24th:

  • T100C ~ Tunisian Eyelet Meshes: How to Turn Tss Into Lace (9 am – noon)
  • T200C ~ Tunisian Filet Lace: Skill Building Basics (2 pm – 5 pm)

The third and fourth two classes I’ll be teaching each focus on a special stitch type and all that you can do with it: Star Stitches, and Lover’s Knots. Both of them are scheduled on Friday, July 25th:

  • F100C ~ A Star Stitch for Every Purpose  (9 am – noon)
  • F200C ~ 21st Century Love Knot Adventures (2 pm – 5 pm)

My fifth and sixth classes are both about Slip Stitch Crochet: and intro class and then a shaping/special effects class. Both of them are scheduled on Saturday, July 26th:

   S101C ~ Introduction to Slip Stitch Crochet Technique (9 am – noon)

   S200C ~ Slip Stitch Shapes & Shaping Effects (2 pm – 5 pm)

I’ve also done newsletter issues on all of these topics. You can see the most recent ones listed in the Vashti’s Crochet Inspirations Newsletter archive.

 

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Crochet Jewelry Class Resources

Most recently taught by Vashti Braha on September 13, 2012 at CGOA’s Chain Link Conference in Reno, Nevada

This clickable list of crochet jewelry resources is mainly to aid students of my classes in exploring more about jewelry crocheting at their leisure. (If you have not yet taken any of my crochet jewelry classes, I hope someday I’ll meet you in one of them!) You’re welcome to enjoy the links below whether you’ve taken the classes or not. They represent the extra information that doesn’t fit into a standard three-hour class. Some are the names of designers, books, jewelery styles, etc., that I may have mentioned in a class.

— Vashti Braha

  1. Page of my published Jewelry Crochet downloadable patterns
  2. Some of my not-yet published Jewelry Crochet projects

Crochet Inspirations Newsletter Topics:

Blogged:

Books, Four Recent Observations About:

  1. Here’s something I’ve noticed: Jewelry crocheters tend to have very strong opinions about which threads and other types of filaments are best. Some jewelry authors’ recommendations contradict others; some conflict with my actual experience of crocheting or wearing these materials. I also came to realize that I had my own fierce preferences (based upon what I know so far about how cotton crochet thread is made)! Crocheters know that we can crochet with just about anything. This is especially true for jewelry! Bead shops and craft stores offer beading threads, “memory wires,” leather lacing, braided waxed linen, etc., which offer us completely new crochet experiences. I haven’t tested every material favored by every author, and it’s looking like each crocheter needs to do her/his own open-minded experimenting and testing.
  2. How I make sense of Observation #1: When an author (and/or publisher) seems to come from the world of non-crochet beading and jewelry making, s/he tends to have a comfort zone and preference for synthetic beading threads for crochet. I also see an easy familiarity with traditional metal jewelry findings and related tools, and with using large amounts of tiny seed beads, or bead mixes, to the point of covering up the crochet stitches completely. If a natural fiber thread is recommended, I more often see a preference for perle cotton. On the other hand, authors who come to jewelry design from the world of crochet tend to: be conversant with the virtues of high-twist mercerized cotton threads; explore yarns of various fiber mixes; may use only a few beads as accents or no beads at all; feature crochet stitch textures and contrasting colors of thread work (which may stand in for beaded looks); and to crochet jewelry fastenings in place of traditional metal findings.
  3. Due to #1, I’m finding that having a library full of crochet jewelry books is paying off in a powerful way when I treat them as one individual jeweler’s “workbench notes.” Here’s an example of how I use them for reference: if I wish to try a new fine silk sewing thread, I look through the books to see if someone already has. If so, I look to see what crochet hook size the designer used as a starting point, and I go up or down hook sizes from there, depending on what I think about the stitch texture pictured. If it’s beaded, I check what size beads fit onto the thread. In this way, those jewelry books which are eclectic compilations of several designer’s patterns are goldmines of pointers toward how an unfamiliar (to me) material worked out for someone else.
  4. Observation #3 is why I now keep a better “jewelry workbench journal” as I travel this jewelry crochet journey, and I hope that you will, too. Each of us needs to discover what kind of hook size we prefer with a new unusual material, what beading needle made the stringing easiest with which bead & thread combo, etc. — and then record it so that future designs come together faster and easier. 🙂

See my crochet jewelry book list at the original DesigningVashti crochet blog for clickable titles and descriptions.

Crochet Jewelry Design Styles:

I’ve noticed that of the fullest range of crochet jewelry designs imaginable, some styles are far more explored than others. For example, bead crochet ropes (sometimes called “tubular crochet”), are so popular and recognizable that this style sometimes seems to represent the whole field of crochet jewelry. Several good books are available on this one type. I’ve discussed most of the crochet jewelry books in print in another blog post (see Books, above).

In the interest of promoting the broadest, most inclusive definition of what crochet jewelry is and can be, I’ve begun curating online images in galleries in Pinterest and in Flickr.

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You might also be interested in the resource pages I’m creating for my other class topics:

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Summer-Fall 2012 Crochet Class Schedule

I’ll Be Teaching Crochet Classes and Meeting Up with Fellow Crocheters at these National 2012 Events

Class: Tunisian Crochet Meshes: The Weightless Wrap & Variations
Class: Tunisian Crochet Meshes: The Weightless Wrap & Variations
  1. June 27 – July 1 in Manchester, New Hampshire: Summer Chain Link Conference produced by the Crochet Guild of America (CGOA); register at The Knit and Crochet Show site. Classes are already selling out and a second hotel has been added!
  2. September 12 – 16 in Reno, Nevada: Fall Chain Link CGOA Conference; registration will open in July here.

 

Classes Listed by Topic

See event links above for class descriptions

Slip Stitch Crochet Classes:
Combines two basic Slip Stitch types
Class: Introduction to Slip Stitch Technique (Slip Tectonics Cowl)

  1. Introduction to Slip Stitch Crochet Technique: June 28th in Manchester NH (SOLD OUT), and September 13 in Reno NV (see registration link above)
  2. Class: Advanced Slip Stitch Technique (Slip Swoop Loop, forthcoming design)
    Class: Advanced Slip Stitch Technique (Slip Swoop Loop, forthcoming design)

    Advanced Slip Stitch Technique: June 28th in Manchester NH (SOLD OUT)

 

Tunisian Crochet Classes:

  1. Tunisian Crochet Lace 101: June 29th in Manchester NH (SOLD OUT)

    Class: Tunisian Crochet Lace 101 (Quartz, class project version of Aero)
    Class: Tunisian Crochet Lace 101 (Quartz, class project version of Aero)
  2. The Five Peaks Shawl: September 12 in Reno NV (see registration link above)

    Class: The Five Peaks Wrap (Tunisian crochet on the bias with lacy eyelets for a shape that stays on your shoulders)
    Class: The Five Peaks Wrap (Tunisian crochet on the bias with lacy eyelets for a shape that stays on your shoulders)
  3. Tunisian Crochet Meshes: The Weightless Wrap: September 14 in Reno NV (see photo at top of screen and registration link above)

 

More Crochet Class Topics for 2012:

  1. Embracelet
    Class: Creating Crochet Jewelry (Embracelet)

    Love Knot Adventures: June 29th in Manchester NH (SOLD OUT)

  2. Creating Crochet Jewelry: September 13 in Reno NV (see registration link above)
  3. Class: Love Knot Adventures (Nakshatra, forthcoming)
    Class: Love Knot Adventures (Nakshatra, forthcoming)

    How to Prepare a Design Proposal, presentation for Professional Development Day: September 12 in Reno NV (see registration link above)

 

Regional Crochet Events

I’m honored to be leading the Annual Crochet Retreat of the Northern Illinois CGOA Chapter in Oregon, IL (Chicago area), October 26-29 2012. Retreat topics (more details to come):

  1. Special Topics in Slip Stitch Crochet
  2. Advanced Tunisian Crochet Lace

More Relevant Photos:

Retreat Topic: Advanced Tunisian Crochet Lace (Rivuline, preview of forthcoming design)
Retreat Topic: Advanced Tunisian Crochet Lace (Rivuline, preview of forthcoming design)
Class: Advanced Slip Stitch Technique (new stitch combos, forthcoming design)
Class: Advanced Slip Stitch Technique (new stitch combos, forthcoming design)
Class: Creating Crochet Jewelry (Cabochon Braid, forthcoming design)
Class: Creating Crochet Jewelry (Cabochon Braid, forthcoming design)

Tunisian Petals

I developed this lacy Tunisian crochet stitch pattern myself. If it seems familiar to you, it’s probably due to how Tunisian eyelets mimic the look of bunches of chain strands in a traditional “Bow ties” stitch pattern of regular crochet.

This Tunisian crochet lace pattern pleasantly edges itself as you work each offset group of rows. One skein of a fingering weight yarn (shown in pink) results in an easy to wear warmer for the head, neck, and shoulders. Three of our own Lotus Snacks mini balls (stripey blues & greens version) make a generous loop scarf.

It’s crocheted in offset rows with otherwise no shaping, then seamed into a ring scarf (a.k.a. snood, shoulder cowl wrap, eternity scarf, etc). Beads accent a row group of the pink version; for the blue one, a few beads dangle from the yarn ends at each color change.

Skill Level

Intermediate. It’s best if you have used at least one Tunisian crochet pattern for the Beginner or Easy skill level first, like Burly Bias or Shaktithings (both are offset like Petals). To see if you’re ready for an Intermediate-level pattern, test yourself with my quick checklist. 

I’ve kept pattern abbreviations to a minimum and include International English equivalents for American terms.

?After using this pattern, you will know (if you didn’t already):

  • The fun of crocheting a cowl on the bias with offset rows
  • A fresh adaptation of the popular “bowties” stitch pattern for Tunisian crochet
  • The unique value of Tunisian yarn overs (eyelets)
  • An introductory experience in beaded Tunisian crochet (no pre-stringing necessary)
  • How to create a designerly beaded seam as you crochet the final rows

Finished Dimensions

  1. One-Skein Pink version: 40″ circumference and 10″ wide (100 cm x 25 cm).
  2. Three Mini-Skein Blue Lotus version: 60″ circumference and 5″ wide (152 cm x 12.7 cm).

Materials

Crochet Hook: Size US I-9/5.5 mm straight Tunisian crochet hook at least 9″ {23 cm} long, or size needed for gauge.

Yarn Used for the Two Versions Pictured

Pink Version: Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere 2-ply (55% Silk, 45% Cashmere; 400yds/366m per 1.94oz/55g ball), color #93 Rosehip. 

Blue & Green Version: DesigningVashti Lotus Snacks (54% Cotton, 46% Rayon; 85 yds per 33 g ball), 1 per color: Crystal Blue, Teal Glimmer, Bamboo Green. 

Yarn substituting advice: The pink yarn is CYC #1 category fingering weight. Lotus is CYC #2 category sport weight. If you try a yarn that doesn’t look as good as in my photos, give it a chance by blocking it a bit–it only takes a few minutes with a misting bottle.

Beads: Size 6/0 round beads (a.k.a. “E beads” or “large” seed beads): 176 beads were used for the pink version & 40 were used for the yarn ends of the Lotus version (in lieu of weaving them in), to be strung onto yarn later.

Beading needle (click here to make your own simple beading needle with wire)