Open Hexagons Stitch

So, in my last post,  I observed that there are hexagons in fabric made with stitch 00100.  I decided to diagram it and figure out how it would end up.  That diagram is pictured to the right.  Note that the written pattern had to be tweeked a bit when I actually worked the pattern.  That was merely the first draft, but I thought y'all might want to see it.  It occurred to me as I was working on this, that this is similar to filet crochet.  There is a grid where you can have holes or fill them in to create a pattern.  This is simply a different grid, made up out of triangles.  In this case, filled in means 3 dc, and holes are just a ch 2 and a dc.  Unlike traditional filet crochet, diagonal edges are inherent in the grid.  To make patterns this way, I'd recommend using a more precise grid than I did.

In any case, I tried out this pattern and this is the result:  It is a pretty solid fabric done this way.  It would be a simple matter to make the inverse of this pattern: filling in the holes, and opening up the solid portions.  That might make the hexagons more readily apparent. 

Here's the complete pattern:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 2
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (sk 2, 5 dc in next ch, sk 2, sc) across
Row 2: ch 3, turn, 2 dc in first sc, sk 2, (sc in dc, ch 2, sk 2, dc in sc, ch 2 sk 2, sc, sk 2, 5 dc) across, 3 dc in last sc
Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc in dc, (sk 2, 3 dc in sc, ch 2 , sk 2, sc, ch 2, sk 2, 3 dc, sk 2, sc) across, sc in last dc
Row 4: repeat Row 2
Row 5: ch 1, turn, sc in dc, (sk 2, 5 dc in sc, sk 2, sc in dc) across, sc in last dc
Row 6: ch 3, turn, 2 dc in first sc, (sk 2, sc in dc, sk 2, 5 dc in sc, sk 2, sc in dc, ch 2, sk 2, dc in sc, ch 2) across, 3 dc in last sc
Row 7: ch 1, turn, sc in dc, sk 2, 5 dc in sc, (sk 2, sc in dc, sk 2, 3 dc in sc, ch 2, sk 2, sc in dc, ch 2, sk 2, 3 dc in sc) across, sc in last dc
Row 8 : repeat Row 6
Row 9: repeat Row 5

Repeat Rows 2-9 for pattern, ending with either row 5 or row 9.

Here's a simplification of the pattern:
Row 1: shell across

Row 2: (filled, open) across
Row 3: repeat Row 2
Row 4: repeat Row 2
Row 5: shell across
Row 6: filled, (filled, open) across
Row 7:  repeat Row 6

Row 8 : repeat Row 6
Row 9: repeat Row 5

Quick definitions
Filled means either (sc, 5 dc, sc) for even rows or (3 dc, sc, 3 dc) for odd rows
Open means either (sc, ch 2, dc, ch 2, sc) for even rows or (ch 2, sc, ch 2) for odd rows
Shell and Filled are the same

Shell Stitch 00100

This stitch is probably the most commonly used of the variations, though it is probably not thought of as a shell stitch.  This is basically the backbone of the shell stitch: any stitch that wouldn't be crocheted into on the next row is replaced with a chain.   It's a lacy look, but also well defined.  You don't have to work a stitch in a space at any time.  The result is vertical stripes and diagonal lines.  It creates hexagons, which could be useful.  Imagine a swatch of simple shell stitch, with this variation used to put a hexagon in.  I'd have to diagram it to make sure I get it right, but it'd be neat looking.

So here's the pattern:
Stitch 00100:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (ch 2, sk 2, dc, ch 2, sk 2, sc) across, dc in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (ch 2, dc in sc, ch 2, sc in dc) across, dc in last sc

Repeat Row 2 for pattern

Shell Stitches 00011 and 11000

I'm back from vacation, and it was a great one!  Here's the next installment in this series consisting of stitches 00011 and 11000.  I worked these with different yarns and they came out looking remarkably different.  The purple yarn I used for 00011 was thinner, softer, and somewhat stretchy, so the definition of the stitch was lost to some degree.  The only difference should be the edges, like in previous stitches.  00011 has more solid edges than 11000.  The brown one is made from I Love this Yarn, which lets you see the zigzagging stripes inherent in the stitch.  I like both of the stitches, neither was particularly difficult or awkward.  I prefer the finished look of the brown one, but I think that is just due to the yarn I used.  Yarn choice does matter!  I like the more solid edges of 00011. 

 

Anyway, here's how to do these:

Stitch 00011:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (sk 2, 2 dc in next ch, ch 3, sk 2, sc) across, 3 dc in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (2 dc in sc, ch 3, sc in ch 3 sp) across, 3 dc in last sc

Repeat Row 2 for pattern

Stitch 11000:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (sk 2, ch 3, 2 dc in next ch, sk 2, sc) across, (ch 2, dc) in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (ch 3, 2 dc in sc, sc in ch 3 sp) across, (ch 2, dc) in last sc

Repeat Row 2 for pattern 

 

Vacation!

I'm on vacation this week, visiting family, so I probably won't post again til next week.  Til then!
-Sarah

My First Custom Order

So, something super exciting is about to happen!  I've finished my first custom ordered afghan, and I'm going to be delivering it next week.  Custom orders are great because the client ends up with exactly what they want, and there is very little guesswork involved.  The client was great in that she knew what she wanted and communicated it well, and then let me figure the rest out to make it look good.  I'm excited to see her reaction to the finished product.  I hope it's everything that she wanted.  I chose to use the same wide border as I did for the Thin Mint Blanket.  I'm going to call this the Oreo Blanket.

Anyway, here's what I made:
Chain  242, then work Stitch 8 until work reaches the desired length.

Border: (brown)
Round 1: sc around, 3 sc in corner
Round 2: dc around, 5 dc in corner
Round 3: sc around, 3 sc in corner
Round 4: (dc, ch 1, sk 1) around, (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc) in corner
Round 5: sc around, 3 sc in corner
Round 6: dc around, 5 dc in corner
Round 7: sc around, 3 sc in corner
The color pattern was 1 row of gray, (2 rows of brown, 2 rows of gray) repeated, ending with 1 row of gray.

I made this with I Love this Yarn Coffee and Graybeard yarn with a J hook.

Shell Stitches 00010 and 01000

Here's the next installment in the series: 00010 and 01000!  These two stitches are very similar to each other, almost identical.  Even the edges are not very different.  Even working the stitch feels the same for both.  It's simply a matter of the location of the ch 3 vs the ch 1 spaces.  Neither feels unnatural, so either works well.  I prefer 01000, the brown one, by a slim margin because the edge has an extra dc, making it thicker.  The general feel of the stitch is a complex mesh.  It's an interesting look that is quintessential crochet.

Here's how to do this:
Stitch 00010:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (ch 1, sk 2, dc, ch 3, sk 2, sc) across, (ch 1, 2 dc) in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (ch 1, dc in sc, ch 3, sc in ch 3 sp) across, (ch 1, 2 dc) in last sc

Repeat Row 2 for pattern

Stitch 01000:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (ch 3, sk 2, dc, ch 1, sk 2, sc) across, (ch 2, dc) in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (ch 3, dc in sc, ch 1, sc in ch 3 sp) across, (ch 2, dc) in last sc

Repeat Row 2 for pattern

Shell Stitches 00001 and 10000

I've been debating how to do this series: do I go strictly numerically, counting in binary, or pair the inverse of the stitches in a single post?  Well, I worked it out, and there are 20 unique stitches when stitches with inverses only count as 1.  So for today's installment, 00001 will be shown with 10000 and would count as 1 of the 20 unique stitches, even though they are a little different. 

These two stitches greatly resemble each other.  For both of them, squarish holes are outlined by two single stranded edges and two double stranded edges.  This make an interesting fabric and would be good for lacy scarves.  The biggest difference is what the edges are like.  00001 has more filled in edges because there is a (dc, ch 1, dc) at each end instead of simply a (ch 2, dc) in 10000.  If doing a large project this doesn't make much difference, but for scarves or other short chain projects, it actually matters a bit.  I prefer the both the look of  and the ease of 00001 over 10000 .  It felt much more natural to have to reach forward with a dc than to reach back with a dc.  That's essentially what you have to do in 10000.  It was doable, it just felt a bit odd, whereas 00001 felt natural.  


Stitch 00001:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (sk 2, dc, ch 4, sk 2, sc) across, (dc, ch 1, dc) in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (dc in sc, ch 4, sc in ch 4 sp) across, (dc, ch 1, dc) in last sc

Repeat row 2 for pattern

Stitch 10000:
Chain a multiple of 6 + 5
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, (ch 4, sk 2, dc, sk 2, sc) across, (ch 2, dc) in last ch
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc, (ch 4, dc in sc, sc in ch 4 sp) across, (ch 2, dc) in last sc

Repeat row 2 for pattern