Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs: Creative Techniques for Joining Motifs of All Shapes

by Edie Eckman

Overview

Connecting beautiful motifs can be just as enjoyable as crocheting them. Edie Eckman’s creative joining techniques allow you to easily combine multiples to form a whole new pattern, from lacy links, swirls, radiants, and wheels to three-dimensional effects. Step-by-step instructions, detailed photography, and innovative stitching charts ensure success. With 100 brand-new motif designs at your fingertips, you’ll be free to explore limitless variations and capture your own personal style. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603428620
Publisher:	Storey Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	10/24/2012
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	823,714
File size:	33 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Edie Eckman is the author of Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs, Around the Corner Crochet Borders, Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs, The Crochet Answer Book, and Christmas Crochet for Hearth, Home & Tree, as well as co-editor of Crochet One-Skein Wonders® and Crochet One-Skein Wonders® for Babies. She is a nationally known teacher, designer, writer, and editor in both the crochet and knitting worlds. She lives in Waynesboro, Virginia.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

PART I

quick-start guide

Getting started. Unless otherwise stated, all motifs begin with a sliding loop (see page 12).

How to make the stitches. See Glossary (page 264) for descriptions of crochet stitches and the stitch key on the inside back cover.

Understanding rounds. Symbol charts are shown in two (or more) colors, indicating alternate rounds (or sometimes rows). Round (or row) numbers appear at the beginning of each one.

Multicolor motifs. Most motifs are written as if they are to be stitched using one color, using techniques familiar to American crocheters. Many of the samples, however, have been stitched using multiple colors. Refer to the accompanying notes to see what colors were used on which rounds.

Absence of build-up chains. In some instances, a new round begins without the typical build-up chain. Instead, the stitch is started with the yarn unconnected to the current working piece. See page 14 for an explanation of these standing stitches.

Special techniques. As you study the photographs of the motifs, you'll notice that many were stitched using one or more of the special tips and tricks covered in Get Started and Get It Together. For best results, incorporate these techniques into your crocheting repertoire.

American crochet terms are used throughout the book.

TECHNIQUES

Reading Charts Starting and Ending Rounds Choosing Yarn Working with Color Creating and Arranging Shapes Join When You're Done or As You Go Continuous Motifs Edges and Finishing

The motifs and patterns in this book are meant to be accessible to all skill levels. Inexperienced crocheters will want to take time to explore Get Started in depth. More experienced crocheters may just take a look at the Quick-Start Guide opposite and jump into the rest of the book. Get It Together examines the range of possibilities for connecting motifs, including exciting ways to join motifs to each other as you go.

Get Started

LET'S FACE IT: looking at line after line of crochet instructions can be pretty mind-blowing. If you don't understand the terminology, it is difficult, if not impossible, to see what is supposed to happen on each round. But reading a line of crochet text is like reading a recipe. If you take time to understand the abbreviations (c = cup, T = tablespoon, t = teaspoon; ch = chain, dc = double crochet) and common techniques (sauté, dice; join, fasten off), you will get a sense of the construction without actually cooking (or stitching).

Like computer code, crochet instructions are meant to be interpreted bit by bit, line by line. (Or so I'm told. I have no clue about computer code.) What this means in our world of crochet is that crochet instructions use more-or-less standardized abbreviations for common terms, with punctuation marks to tell us when to pause, repeat, and continue, where to put each stitch, and what to do at the end of each round.

In this book, all standard stitches are defined in the glossary (page 264), and for ease of use, any special stitches or techniques are included at the beginning of each pattern.

Reading Charts

For many crocheters, charts are the perfect alternative to line-by-line instructions. Crochet charts offer a visual representation of the crocheted fabric; the chart looks like what you are stitching. It shows the shape of the finished item, which stitches are used, and the relationship of stitches to each other.

Each stitch or group of stitches has its own symbol, and each symbol bears a resemblance to the stitch itself. Once you learn the symbol for the common stitches, it's like reading a book. If you know stands for "double crochet," and stands for "chain," when you see , you'll know it means "make 5 double crochet stitches in the chain-3 space." Using charts and text together can usually clear up any ambiguity about where or how to create a stitch.

It is worth learning to read charts as your primary means of understanding a pattern, or at the very least as an adjunct to understanding line-by-line instructions.

Note the sliding loop symbol in the center. Rounds alternate black and blue for ease of reading.

Poke, Wrap, Pull: You Can Do It!

Relax. You can do this! If you can hold the hook in one hand and yarn in the other, insert the hook somewhere, wrap the yarn over the hook, and pull it through whatever is on your hook, you can crochet anything.

Poke, wrap, and pull: It's the combination of these three moves, in infinite variations, that creates crochet. Turn to the glossary (page 264) for basic stitch instructions. Start with some of the simpler motifs (labeled Quick & Easy), and take your time. Remember to breathe. Relax your shoulders. Ask experienced crocheters for help when you get stuck. Soon you'll be crocheting anything you choose!

[LEFTIES ARE SPECIAL]

Ah, the trials and tribulations of being left-handed! Scissors don't cut, the ergonomic computer mouse at work doesn't fit your hand, and crochet patterns assume you crochet with your right hand. It's lucky you are smart enough to know that usually when a crochet pattern says "right," you think "left," and vice versa. If you need to flip the images in the book for a better perspective, look at them in a mirror or scan the page and flip it on the vertical axis. You'll do just fine!

In the Beginning

While there are several different ways to begin a flat piece in the round, only two methods are needed for these patterns.

CHAIN RING

The chain ring, which most crocheters are familiar with, creates a sturdy, small circle with a set diameter around which to stitch your motif. The circle can be made as large as necessary to create an open center and to accommodate many stitches. On the other hand, it may not be a good choice if you want to have a very tight, closed center; there's a limit to how small it can be.

1. Beginning with a slip knot on your hook, chain the number of times indicated. Slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.

2. Work the first round's stitches into the ring, rather than into the individual chain stitches that form the ring.

SLIDING LOOP

An alternative to the chain ring is the sliding loop. Some crocheters are familiar with the magic loop method of beginning a round; the sliding loop offers an extra measure of security for the tail. The sliding loop offers a variable diameter for the center ring, and it can accommodate quite a few stitches while still allowing the center to be closed tightly. It may take a few tries before the sliding loop becomes second nature, but it's well worth the effort.

1. Wrap yarn clockwise around the non-dominant index finger two times to form a ring. (That's the left index finger for right-handers and the right index finger for lefthanders.)

2. Holding the yarn tail between thumb and middle finger, insert the hook into the ring, grab the working end of the yarn, and pull it through the ring.

3. Chain the number of times required to begin the first round. Drop ring from finger.

4. Work additional stitches into the ring to complete the first round.

5. Before joining the first round, gently pull the beginning tail to partially cinch up the ring. You'll find that one of the ring's two strands tightens, while the other does not.

6. Now gently tug the tightened ring until you see the other strand getting smaller.

7. When that second strand is as tight as you want it, pull the tail again to close the ring. Some yarns stick more than others, but if you take care not to pull too hard on the tail at first, you can easily tighten both strands, one at a time. For some more slippery yarns, you may find that your initial tug on the tail tightens both loops.

Starting a Round

When beginning a new round, most patterns instruct you to chain the appropriate number and then work the next stitch. Because crochet stitches are formed below the hook, this build-up chain (sometimes referred to as a turning chain, even when no turning is involved) allows the hook to reach the right height to work the first stitch of the next round.

BUILD-UP CHAIN

The number of chains needed depends on the height of the stitch: 1 chain stitch for single crochet, 2 chain stitches for half double crochet, 3 chain stitches for double crochet, and so on. Many times, this chain replaces the actual stitch; the pattern will indicate if this is so.

STANDING STITCHES

If the new round begins with the yarn not already tethered to the current work, such as when you are starting a new color, there is no real reason to start the round with a chain. Because the hook can be held at any height you choose, you can just finish off the old color and begin stitching the round with the new yarn. While there's no universally accepted name for this type of stitch — because, after all, it's just a plain stitch — I think of it as a standing stitch. Standing stitches have the benefit of creating a perfectly invisible start to a new round.

With slip knot

Beginning with a slip knot on the hook and, treating that knot as an existing stitch, work the first stitch of the round in the regular way.

SINGLE CROCHET

Insert the hook into the first stitch and pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through 2 loops on hook.

DOUBLE CROCHET

Make a yarn over before inserting the hook, and then proceed as you would for an ordinary double crochet stitch.

With this method, you'll end up with a small knot just to the side of the first stitch; either hide it on the wrong side when weaving in your ends, or unknot it after you've joined the round.

Without slip knot

Wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front to simulate a slip knot and any initial yarnovers: two times for single crochet, three for double crochet, and four for treble. In all cases, the first wrap will be dropped.

SINGLE CROCHET

Insert the hook into the first stitch and pull up a loop, *yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook.

DOUBLE CROCHET

For double crochet, repeat from *. Note that the extra wrap you made in the first step serves as the yarn over you're accustomed to making for a double crochet stitch.

Let go of the remaining tail and unwrap it from around the hook, allowing it to hang loose at the back of the work. The top of the first crochet will be incomplete at this point.

Ending a Round

When one round is complete, the last stitch must be joined to the first stitch to connect the stitches before beginning the next round. There are three types of end-of-round joins used in this book.

SLIP-STITCH JOIN

This is the most common join used in crochet. Simply insert the hook into the first stitch, yarn over, and pull through all the loops on the hook.

SHIFTING-END-OF-ROUND JOIN

A single, half double, or double crochet is sometimes used as a joining stitch to move the end of the round to the right (or to the left, for left-handed crocheters). The joining stitch is used in place of a chain or chains to allow the new round to begin in the center of that space.

INVISIBLE (OR TAPESTRY NEEDLE) JOIN

Since this join creates a completely invisible end to the round, it's the best choice for the final join of the last round of the shape.

1. Complete the last stitch, but do not join it to the first stitch.

2. Cut the yarn, leaving at least a 4" (10 cm) tail, and pull up the loop on the hook until the yarn tail comes through the stitch.

3. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle, and insert under both loops of the V at the top of the first stitch of the round; pull the yarn tail through. If you begin the round with a slip knot, you'll be working over it.

4. Insert the needle from top to bottom back down into the V at the top of the last stitch of the round, and weave in the end.

Weaving in Ends

Logic dictates that for every piece of yarn used, two ends need to be secured. The best methods are invisible on the right side of the fabric, yet secure enough to ensure that the ends don't work themselves out with handling. The ends may be worked in as the piece is stitched or woven in after it is complete, using a variety of methods. It's fine to use a combination of methods, depending on what works best with the crocheted fabric. If you work over the tail while you are stitching, leave a bit of loose tail so you can go back later and weave it in the opposite direction for greater security.

[HIDING THOSE ENDS ]

• Don't skimp on tail length — leave at least 4 inches (10 cm) to work with. Thicker yarn needs even longer tails.

• Weave in more than one direction — clockwise, counterclockwise, diagonally, horizontally, vertically.

• Weave in on the wrong side of the same color as the tail whenever possible.

Attitude Adjustment

Admittedly, this is not exactly a technique, but it might be the most important tip for weaving in ends. Instead of letting the Fear and Dread of Multiple Ends keep you from using all the colors of yarn you desire, think of the task as just another important step in making the best possible project you can. Consider the satisfaction you get from a just-mown lawn. The mowing itself might not be exciting, but the joy of turning a shaggy patch of grass into a tidy yard is worth the work. Play a mental game to see how many different and inventive ways you can hide the tail. Take pride in the tidiness and colorfulness of your amazing work!

Choosing Yarn

Keep in mind the structure of the motifs and the fabric they will create when put together. Some motifs are lacy, while others are fairly solid, and yet others are three-dimensional. Many motifs have multiple characteristics. A fabric made of very thick, solid pieces might not be comfortable made into a garment because of its weight and lack of drape, though the same fabric might make a very comfy afghan. Just be sure that afghan is not too heavy to lift!

A motif with large open areas might work as a lovely lacy scarf, but it might be too holey and unstructured when combined with other similar motifs in a heavy yarn. In addition to the fiber used, the weight and diameter of the yarn and the hook used can create quite diverse looks for the same motif. Here is Motif 17 (see page 70) stitched in an assortment of yarns, beginning for comparison's sake with the Shelridge Farm double-knitting-weight wool used to stitch all the book's motifs.

You will be happiest with your finished work if you choose a yarn that is well suited to your project. Natural fibers like wool, cotton, and alpaca — and blends using those fibers — work well for motif-based crochet because they can be blocked to hold their shape. Soft, flowing yarns like silk and bamboo may not hold their shape as well as wool. Acrylic and other fibers will work also, although care must be taken when blocking to avoid ruining the fabric. Generally speaking, use the best-quality yarn you can afford. If you are spending hours stitching, it's worth the expense to be happy with the result!

Why Gauge Matters

Gauge is the number of stitches and rounds over a specified length. With motifs worked in the round, the gauge is most often given as the finished measurement of the motif over all rounds. Many crocheters simply ignore gauge and stick to projects where fit doesn't matter. Nevertheless, gauge is an important piece of information. Of course, matching gauge in a pattern is important in order to make sure the project comes out to be the desired size. Matching gauge with a particular yarn ensures that the fabric you are making is similar in drape and appearance to the sample project. It is also a way to know that you will have enough yarn to finish the project.

VARIEGATED YARNS

Multicolored yarns may present a challenge when working motifs. Since part of the beauty of the motif is the way the combinations of stitches form shapes, any color shading that interferes with our ability to see those patterns will be less than successful. This interference is more likely to occur with yarns that have sudden color changes and relatively short stretches of color.

Before committing to a variegated yarn, study the yarn and make several swatches to ensure that the results will be intended. When working with a new ball of multicolored yarn, hand-wind the yarn into a center-pull ball, even if it already comes in a center-pull hank. That way, you can see how the colors progress: in what order the color changes and the lengths.

You may even discover a color hidden in the middle of the ball that wasn't apparent before you went exploring!

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Connect the Shapes Crochet Motifs"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Edie Eckman.
Excerpted by permission of Storey Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

 

Part I: Techniques

Get Started

Reading Charts

In the Beginning

Starting a Round

Ending a Round

Weaving in Ends

Choosing Yarn

Working with Color

Creating Shapes

Arranging Shapes

Filler Motifs

Planning Pays

 

Get It Together

Join When You're Done

Join as You Go (JAYGo)

Continuous Motifs

Edges and Finishing

Connecting Crochet in Other Ways

 

Part II: Motifs and Joins

Classic Grannies

A Little Double Crochet

Gathered Chains

Lacy Links

Layered Mesh

SC/DC

All Clustered

Triple Petals

Start with a Flower

3-D Fun

Swirls

Radiants

Picots in Plural

Wheels and Shells

Inner Connectivity

 

Part III: Patterns

Linen Place Mat

Snowy Shaped Shawl

Reversible Camp Rug

Mary Frances Pincushions

Layered Motif Afghan

Summer Baby Blanket

Pie Wedge Pillow

Flower Garland

Poet Vest

Lacy Skirt

Cottage Lamp Shade

 

Motif Directory

Glossary

Yarn Sources

Acknowledgments

Index