Sunday, July 21, 2013

Crochet Continuous Granny Daughters

 technique could be used in the granny edge slouch hat





Not sure about a color change using this technique, but it could be possible.


Saturday, July 13, 2013

How To Add A Stem To A Crochet Flower

How To Add A Stem To A Crochet Flower

I did search for help on this topic and was not able to find much help at all, so I tried quite a few ways and this is what I came up with.

Using coat hanger wire cut to about 10 to 12 inches in length I made a coil on one end, this part attaches to the flower.
I started with an 8 figure coil then changed it to a simple circular coil as the flower is not heavy and this way was less work.

The tools I used were heavy duty wire cutters, round nose pliers (or anything to get the circular shape that you can wrap the wire around) and a mini bench vice to help me straighten any bent wires.
 

Once I had the wire ready and clean, I made a slip knot onto the wire and began a knitting cast on to the wire it's self as crocheting over the wire was a real pain!
I began at the straight end and pushed the st's up the wire as it grew.
I was able to cover the coil and the entire wire.
I attached the flower head with the beginning yarn tail and then secured the end.
I sewed up and down the end of the wire for a few inches to secure the end, then sprayed glue onto it, any clear glue or clear nail polish will work to make the end adhere to the wire.


I've made a video tutorial on how I did this process.
I hope this may help some one with the same problem I had, how to make and attach the stem to a flower.



 Another useful tip you may be able to use.
After I made each flower, I placed it into a sealed bag, in that bag I had a piece of paper toweling that was dipped in some rose oil.
I kept adding my new flowers to the same bag and they all came out smelling like real roses.
You can do the same with a scented soap bar, scented candle etc.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Crochet Rose Spike Petals and One Piece Triple Leaf



My Rose Spike Petal Pattern
I made many free and pay for, rose patterns and I was not happy with the way they worked up. Inspired by some and styling them the way I was eventually happy with, I came up with a pattern for a rose which I liked.
There is no tricky assembly and the flower rolls up into a rose, not like something that resembles a rose.
I know roses come in many shapes and colors, but this is the rose I was aiming for. Cupped and spiked petals, I also came up with a 3 petal calyx that is made in one piece. The two parts come together very nicely.
Materials:
Hook to suit yarn ply, small amount of yarn
Sewing needle
Wire for stem, if needed.
US terms used:
Sc-single crochet
Dc-double crochet
Trbl-triple crochet
Picot- see instructions
The picot is made on the top of the trbl in row 4.
Once the trbl is made, ch 2
 Then sl st into the front loop of the top of the trbl and also the side top loop of the trbl, picot made.
I used 8 ply yarn and a 4 mm hook (AU sizes)
Small flower 12 petals:  
(please note this flower can be made bigger, use any amount of odd numbered sc's to get a bigger flower)
Leave a long tail on row 1 (14 inches approx)
Row 1, make a 25 sc foundation row, ch 4, turn
(if you are not familiar with the scf row, make a row of 25 sc's)
 



Row 2, work 1 dc in the 3rd sc space, *ch 2, skip 1 sc, work 1 dc in the next sc,* repeat from *to* to end (12 spaces made), ch 3 and turn
Row 3, work 1 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in the first space, make 1 sc in the dc of the row below, * work 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in the next space, work 1 sc in the dc of the row below* repeat from *to* to end, omitting the last sc into a dc at the very end, ch 3 and turn

 (picture, row 2 and part of row 3)

Row 4, work 2 dc into the ch 3 space, work 1 trbl into the ch 3 space, make a picot on top of the trbl just made, work 3 more dc’s into the same ch 3 space, 
work 1 sc into the sc space of the row below,
* into the next ch 3 space of the row, (work 3 dc’s, 1 trbl, make a picot on top of the trbl just made, work 3 more dc’s), 
work 1 sc into the sc space of the row below,* repeat from *to* ending with a sl st to the top of the ch 3, break off yarn leaving a 6 inch tail (12 petals made)

(row 3 and beginning of row 4)
(finished row 4)
Assembly:
Beginning where you just left off, fold the last petal onto the petal bedside it, connect petals through the sc space and sew down toward the base (inner bud), finish off that yarn, attach sewing needle to long thread and sew as you roll the rose closed, 

sew down the side of that last petal, tie off loose ends, pull picots into shape, finished.
 
One Piece Triple Leaf
I wanted a thicker leaf vein and a faster way to make 3 leaves, so I came up with this idea



Materials:
Hook to suit yarn ply, small amount of yarn
Sewing needle
Wire for stem, if needed.
US terms used:
Sc-single crochet
Hdc- half double crochet
Dc-double crochet

Ch 6, sl st to form a circle
Row 1, ch 11, work 1 sc in second ch from hook, work 1 sc in next 9 ch’s, sl st into circle (10 sc’s)

Row 2 and row 3, repeat row 1

Row 4, sl st into the chain space (bottom of the leaf spine), ch 3, skip 2 chain spaces, work 3 dc’s into the next ch space, work 1 dc into each of the next 3 ch spaces, work 1 hdc into the next ch space, work 1 sc into the next ch space, sl st and ch 2 into the last ch space, now working on the other side of the leaf spine, sl st into the next sc, 1 sc into the next sc, 1 hdc into the next sc, 1 dc into the next 3 sc’s, 3 dc’s into the next sc, ch 3 and sl st into the last sc space of the leaf spine, sl st into the ring


Repeat row 4 instructions for the next 2 leaves, leaving a long tail for sewing onto the flower
You can also make 4 or more leaves this way.


Print Instructions: Crochet Rose Spike Petals
Materials:
Hook to suit yarn ply, small amount of yarn
Sewing needle
Wire for stem, if needed.
US terms used:
Sc-single crochet
Dc-double crochet
Picot
Small flower: 12 petals
Leave a long tail on row 1 (14 inches approx)

Row 1, make a 25 sc foundation row, ch 4, turn
Row 2, work 1 dc in the 3rd sc space, *ch 2, skip 1 sc, work 1 dc in the next sc,* repeat from *to* to end (12 spaces made), ch 3 and turn
Row 3, work 1 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in the first space, make 1 sc in the dc of the row below, * work 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in the next space, work 1 sc in the dc of the row below* repeat from *to* to end, omitting the last sc into a dc at the very end, ch 3 and turn
Row 4, work 2 dc into the ch 3 space, work trbl into the ch 3 space, make a picot on top of the trbl just made, work 3 more dc’s into the same ch 3 space, work 1 sc into the sc space of the row below,* into the next ch 3 space of the row, (work 3 dc’s, 1 trbl, make a picot on top of the trbl just made, work 3 more dc’s), work 1 sc into the sc space of the row below,* repeat from *to*  ending with a sl st to the top of the ch 3, break off yarn leaving a 6 inch tail (12 petals made)
Assembly:
Beginning where you just left off, fold the last petal onto the petal bedside it, connect petals through the sc space and sew down toward the base (inner bud), finish off that yarn, attach sewing needle to long thread and sew as you roll the rose closed, sew down that last petal, tie off loose ends, pull picots into shape, finished.



One Piece Triple Leaf
Materials:
Hook to suit yarn ply, small amount of yarn
Sewing needle
Wire for stem, if needed.
US terms used:
Sc-single crochet
Hdc- half double crochet
Dc-double crochet

Ch 6, sl st to form a circle
Row 1, ch 11, work 1 sc in second ch from hook, work 1 sc in next 9 ch’s, sl st into circle (10 sc’s)
Row 2 and row 3, repeat row 1
Row 4, sl st into the chain space (bottom of the leaf spine), ch 3, skip 2 chain spaces, work 3 dc’s into the next ch space, work 1 dc into each of the next 3 ch spaces, work 1 hdc into the next ch space, work 1 sc into the next ch space, sl st and ch 2 into the last ch space, now working on the other side of the leaf spine, sl st into the next sc, 1 sc into the next sc, 1 hdc into the next sc, 1 dc into the next 3 sc’s, 3 dc’s into the next sc, ch 3 and sl st into the last sc space of the leaf spine, sl st into the ring

Repeat row 4 instructions for the next 2 leaves, leaving a long tail for sewing onto the flower