Crochet

Chainless Fears

Categories Crochet, Crochet Design, How Tos1 Comment on Chainless Fears
Crocheted All Shawl worked in Rayon multi-colored yarn
My First All Shawl

My favorite foundation to use in my designs is the Foundation Single Crochet (FSC).  And it’s all Doris Chan’s fault–since I first discovered this technique in her books “Amazing Crochet Lace” and “Everyday Crochet.”

I had a deuce of a time getting the hang of the FSC,  as I had never worked a foundation the way Doris described. But I persisted because I REALLY wanted to make some of Doris’s gorgeous garments.

Doris’s All-Shawl pattern was to be my “ah ha!” moment.  I figured I could manage  the eight foundation single crochet stitches necessary to make my own All-Shawl.  Although I have to admit I first tried working SC into the back bump of the chains as a substitute– it didn’t work.

The real beauty of starting your projects with the foundation single crochet is that it produces a wonderfully elastic edge.  In contrast, a chained foundation gives you a rigid and constricted edge. While that might work for some projects, an elastic foundation is critical for garments like a skirt or gloves, which need to be able to stretch over various body parts.

I’ll be the first to admit that the FSC  is not the easiest technique to learn.  But  once you figure it out it is FanTasTic!

If you learn techniques better by viewing a video this is a good one to check out.  Or this one is helpful as well. 

If written instructions are best for you, Doris’s books have wonderful illustrations and instructions in them, or the glossary pages in the back of the “Interweave Crochet” magazine has both the FSC and FDC instructions and illustrations.

If you are on Ravelry.com visit the Everyday Crochet Group where this thread has awesome advice from Doris Chan herself as well as helpful suggestions from other folks on how they have gotten the hang of the FSC.

The Twists and Turns of a Moebius

Categories Creativity, Crochet, Crochet Design24 Comments on The Twists and Turns of a Moebius

I am a geek.  I freely admit this.  So it is fitting that the first design I ever sold would reflect my geekery.

Lace With A Twist Wrap – DRG Publishing Photo

I had thought a lot about making  a Crocheted Moebius as a sort of Poncho/wrap.  I had seen many patterns, but most were having you make a rectangle then add the twist and seam the ends together.

One of the lovely things about crocheting a moebius is that you can make a “true” moebius.  Taking a flat foundation, you twist it 180 degrees before joining in a ring.  That twist is the trick.

In case you aren’t certain what a moebius is, here is a photo of one made from a strip of paper.

Paper Moebius Strip

In Geometrical language a Moebius is an object with only one side and one edge.  Though, as you can see from the photo,  it appears to have 2 sides and 2 edges.

If you make a moebius yourself with a strip of paper you can test this.  Cut a strip about 1 inch wide and 10 or 12 inches long.  Twist the strip once and staple the ends together.  You can use a pencil to draw a continuous line that will meet up with the beginning point.

That line is drawn on the one side of the moebius.  When I made my moebius for these photos I used pinking shears on one edge so you can see how the edge becomes continuous.

That continuous edge works to your advantage when crocheting a moebius .  Each crocheted round creates what appears as a row on either side of your foundation round.  So it gives the look of 2 sides.  It’s a bit mind-boggling at times (one of the reasons I like geometry) and looking at the finished garment you would be certain there are 2 separately worked sides.

One trick with working rounds this way is to turn each round, otherwise you end up with one side of the foundation that is the “Right side” and the other the “Wrong side”.   By turning at the end of each round and working back the way you came you avoid that problem and the finished garment will appear more balanced.

Being the geek that I am, crocheting a moebius is a great deal of fun.  I find it lovely to work 1 round and end up with double the fabric length.  I know that technically I am not really doing less stitches for the accomplishment…but it is still a fun illusion.  For “Lace With A Twist Wrap” after 13 rounds from foundation to finishing it’s a wrap.

Addendum January 3, 2013: I’ve had requests for this pattern from a number of folks. I don’t own the pattern, it belongs to Crochet! Magazine/Annie’s Publishing. You may be able to acquire a back issue of the March 2010 magazine or if you get a digital subscription. Or contact Crochet! Magazine thru their website www.crochetmagazine.com. Hope that helps those of you on the search for this pattern.