swatch Archives - Page 3 of 5

Posted on June 8, 2016September 10, 2020 by Vashti Braha — Leave a comment

Two-Color Tunisian Crochet Swatches

One Color or Two?

Want to see some stitch patterns change when the yarn color changes?

The two-color Tunisian crochet swatches are for my class handout (yes, still working on them!). I needed to clearly distinguish the forward row from the return row, so I color-coded them. I didn’t expect to like them so much! The one-yarn versions are below their two-color swatches.

Extended Tunisian stitch patterns in 2-color swatches compared with a one-yarn (softly variegated) version — Top row: two-color swatches. Bottom row: their one-yarn versions.

(Note that the one on the bottom left is a slightly different stitch pattern from the one above it. I was thinking they were the same until after I created this graphic and I don’t have a better substitute. The difference is, in the top left photo, there is an extra chain stitch in the red return row after every blue stitch. That spaces the blue stitches apart more than the stitches are in the one below it.)

Isn’t it fun to see how just alternating colors in a simple stitch pattern can give it a fresh look?

Sometimes a swatch needs to convey more than words when space is a premium (such as in a class handout). Color-coding really helps.

Progress Update

on my crochet conference readiness: only ONE class handout left to send to the tech editor! That’s FOUR down, one to go. My goal is the end of this week. Then you’ll start seeing blog posts of other topics like new Lotus yarn colors, or Charleston.

Posted on May 29, 2016September 10, 2020 by Vashti Braha — Leave a comment

Special Class Practice Swatches

Today I get to crochet outside in my gazebo. The weather is gorgeous and the birds sound happy. We have plenty of coffee, chocolate, and fresh peaches. It’s a perfect holiday weekend. On the hook: very special practice swatches. What?

Well, we’re nearing the end of May.

One of my big conference prep goals is to complete the handouts for all five of my class topics by June 1. That’s why I keep blogging about how I prepare class handouts. It’s all I can think about. It’s like when I’m in the midst of solving a puzzle, or reading a good mystery.

Practice swatches try to become new designs!

I’m an unofficial pattern tester today, following my own directions in a class handout so that I send off the draft to my editor and pattern tester. I hope this doesn’t sound like work to you. It’s very exciting! So many designs happen this way by accident! Translating a class topic into ideal practice swatches for students is creatively inspiring.

For the Steeked Tunisian Lace class I designed a few short practice swatches that build on each other. It’s inspiring to compare these three basic ways to crochet the lacy extended stitch net: with 1 yarn (Seshen is a great example), or alternating 2 yarns (Mesmer Scarf), or the double-ended hook variation (á là Maze Vest). In class we’ll then have practice swatches to steek!

Why this May 31 deadline?

It gives my editor enough time to go over the three new handouts. It also gives me time to incorporate her revisions without feeling rushed.
My close friend Annie arrives from Kentucky in two weeks. I can’t wait to see her! I don’t want to be mulling class handouts while she’s here.
The UPS truck is going to pull up one of these days and deliver five new colors of our Lotus yarn! I want to be able to turn my full attention to that when it happens! (You’ll know it because I’ll blog it.)
It’s for the best that I expect that the conference will sneak up on me. It always does. Plus, this is the first year I’ll have a booth while teaching.

Posted on May 25, 2016September 10, 2020 by Vashti Braha — 3 Comments

Tunisian Extended Stitch Ripple

Three Tunisian filet crochet swatches of my ripple pattern attempts.

Fresh Off the Hook: a Tunisian Extended Stitch Ripple

I swatched these for the Steeking Tunisian Lace class out of curiosity and as interesting visual aids. The Tunisian extended stitch can do some very inspiring things, and it’s fun to steek (cut holes into it).

Imagine steeking this one…I’m seeing a lovely sleeve cap…

Ok, this only sort of counts as class prep on this 6th day of 50 conference prep days. It’s not strictly essential to finishing the class handout, but now I might get design ideas from it in other spare moments. Class prep always generates lots of new design ideas. I revel in this.

My son had a band concert last night so I swatched the white one on the left while waiting for the concert to begin. I’ve been meaning to try a Tunisian extended stitch ripple ever since I wrote newsletter #49 in 2013.

Posted on May 20, 2016September 10, 2020 by Vashti Braha — 5 Comments

Day 1 of 50: Crochet Conference Prep

“Day 1 of 50”?

Yes. Fifty days of updates. Fifty is 7 weeks-and-a-day, a nice round number. I need all 50 because I’ll be teaching 5 different 3-hour classes at a crochet conference while managing a booth in its market. It’s epic.

A friend is preparing to teach at the same event for the first time, and another friend is considering it in the future. They’re on my mind as I do this prep again. (It’s my 2nd time having a booth and I think the 6th time teaching lots of classes.)

I’m going to track my progress and thoughts out loud as I go. Some days it’s teaching prep, other days it’s booth merchandise/yarn company stuff, and always lots of swatching and designing. Most days it’s a jumble and I’ll blog a highlight of it. Years from now I’ll enjoy looking back over this.

Today I Cross a Big Teaching Item Off the List

The yarn used in a crochet conference class can matter immensely. Having also taken many crochet classes, I know how hard it is for students to choose which yarns to bring to class.

I asked a yarn company if they would sponsor my Stitch Games class at the crochet conference. This means they would donate enough yarn for all the students to use. Today they said yes.

This makes my week. Their hand dyed yarn is my first choice for this class! (Below are swatches of this company’s yarns in soft colors. These are tests for other class topics.)

I’ve used it so much while developing the Stitch Games swatches and designs. I know its fiber, weight, bounce, and twist work for key stitch patterns, and I find the color sequences are dependably easy and fun for crochet. I want each student to have the best possible experience learning something unfamiliar. This yarn helps guarantee it!

Tunisian crochet extended stitch in a simple net pattern with hand dyed sock yarn in light purples, tans, and sea blues. — Tunisian crochet extended net in “Grape Jelly” custom colorway.

Lorna's Laces fingering weight silk yarn dyed in the same colorway. Swatch is a mix of Tunisian crochet stitches: simple, knit, and purl. — Silk yarn dyed in the same colorway. Swatch is a mix of Tunisian crochet stitches: simple, knit, and purl.

This colorway is custom hand dyed for my local yarn shop. It’s called “Grape Jelly” and is based on the colors of the Crown Jellyfish photographed by the yarn shop owner in Fiji’s Rainbow Reef.

A corner to corner filet crochet-based pattern that uses the yarn color to decide the next group of stitches. — Bare Bones Scarf, a “stitch pooling game”. Sock yarn dyed in the custom “Pyramid Butterfly Fish” colorway.

A freeform combination of double crochet, filet lace (the bones), and love knots of all sizes, based on the yarn color. — Bonefish is like Bare Bones Scarf with love knots thrown in for spice!

Bare Bones Scarf is crocheted corner to corner as a “game” in which you assign stitch groups to yarn colors! It’s one of three patterns in the Crochet to the Colors Playbook.