Friday, September 9, 2011

Wiggly Tutorial (2)

Tutorial: Wiggly Crochet K-Town-Style
(Part 2 - Hotpad/Cushion Pattern)


Please note: This is a free pattern for your personal use. If you'd like to share this tutorial (or parts of it, like the pictures or graphic patterns), please link back to made-in-k-town. Thank you!

Welcome back to Part 2 of my Wiggly Crochet Tutorial. In Part 1 I’ve showed you some basics: the foundation mesh, some pattern examples and two alternative ways to add the ruffles. Today I'll show you the easiest way to do the following pattern and adjust it to the right size you want for your finished project:



Of course, we could just start with the foundation mesh. However, there are some problems when you complete the whole mesh first, and then start with the pattern: First, you need to do a whole lot of analyzing, calculating and measuring until you know the number of empty squares you’ll need in your mesh so that you won’t have any problems with your pattern and the desired size of your finished work. And the “desired size” is the biggest problem: When starting with the whole foundation mesh first, my cushion covers never seemed to have the size I had planned before – my theory is that the mesh stretches a little when you squeeze so many stitches in, so in the end your finished item is probably larger than you’ve actually wanted.
That’s why I start my mesh in the middle, continue in rounds and break off after a while to start with the ruffles. This way I can control the size of my work and stop when it’s large enough.

For this tutorial I work my mesh with a thin tread and a 1.25mm hook, and the ruffles with a cotton yarn (Catania) and a 2.5mm hook. If you prefer working with a thicker yarn, no problem: just pick a slightly thinner yarn and hook for the mesh and everything will be alright.

Let’s go, here’s a graphic pattern:



Begin with ch12, join with a slst to form a ring. Please note for the following rounds: Always work your dc into the specific indicated chain and not just inside the foundation ring!

Rnd 1: ch5 (counts as 1dc and ch2), skip 2 chains of your foundation ring and work a dc into the 3rd chain of your ring. Ch5 (that’s your corner) and work another dc into the same chain as before. Ch2, skip 2 ch and work a dc into the 6th ch of your ring. Ch5 (corner) and work another dc into the same chain as before. Ch2, skip 2 ch and work a dc into the 9th ch of your ring. Ch5 and work 1 dc into the same chain as before. Ch2, skip 2 ch, 1 dc into the last chain of your ring. Ch 5 and join with a slst to third chain of ch5.


Rnd 2: ch5 (counts as 1dc and ch2) and work 1dc into the dc of the previous round. Ch2 and work 1dc into the middle chain of the ch5 (corner) of the previous round. Ch5 and work another dc into the same chain as before. Continue this way and join with a slst to third chain of ch5.

Continue this pattern until your mesh has got the desired size. Again: make sure you always work your dc into the specific indicated chain and not just inside the ch5-space!!

When you’ve completed five rounds you should have a mesh with 11x11 squares looking like this:

Don’t worry if your mesh doesn’t look super-neat, you won’t see much of it later anyway! By now we could start with the first three “wiggly” rounds of our pattern, shall we? Secure the last loop of your mesh (don’t fasten off!), pick the yarn you’ve chosen for the ruffles, and just work your dc4-groups around the posts/bars with your favorite method (A or B, see Tutorial Part 1). If you have a close look at the sketch, you see that there are always “naked” bars between the ruffles, make sure you always leave those bars/posts naked while you’re working the pattern! I’ve marked our first rounds green:


I’m using method B (counter-clockwise, the right side of the dc’s facing inwards), so mine looks like this now:


It’s important that your mesh has always got one round more than you would actually need for the pattern: this makes it easier to continue the mesh later! Here’s a picture from the backside where you can see the extra-round better:



My patch is still tiny (not even a small coaster size), how about yours? I think I’ll add four more rounds of mesh, enough to make two more rounds of ruffles…



On this picture it’s clearly visible how the mesh stretches where I’ve worked the ruffles. It’s still a bit too small for a hotpad, but nevertheless I’ll leave it with this size and start the side rows of the pattern. Perhaps by now you’ve noticed how long it takes and how much yarn you need to make a whole round of ruffles – so better think twice before you make a cushion:


Mine took ages (but I think this was mainly due to the rather thin yarn I’ve used). If yours is still too small, just keep adding rounds of mesh and rounds of ruffles, the pattern is very easy to adjust, look:

 (the thick black line is the original border)

The easiest way to adjust (or design) a more elaborate pattern is to take a piece of graph paper and outline the pattern.

Now back to this one. If you’ve got your perfect size, let’s start with the side rows:




I attach my yarn at starting point B and work “downstairs” along the green bars to point A (if you use method A, just do it the other way round). At the end of the row, fasten off and start the next row. I’m finished now, it looks like this:


I’ve decided to work the side rows with white only, but of course you could change the color with every row, just like I’ve done in the middle.
For the edge I used the same yarn as for the ruffles, and just added a row of hdc’s and finished with a row of reverse sc’s. And here’s my finished little hotpad:


Congratulations to anyone who's read this long, long story until the end. I hope you liked my Tutorial and enjoy wiggling... :)

41 comments:

  1. That's so pretty - great work. I'm definately gonna do one of these soon. :)

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  2. Thanks Barbara - this is a great tutorial.

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  3. Love this, it's so pretty! Only wish I could crochet!

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  4. Oh WOW! I love this! I know good and well that I would never bother with the pattern because I have the patience & attention span of a newborn baby. But I love looking at what you have done, amazing :)

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  5. Thanks for sharing this Barbara. I love the fin al look of wiggly crochet. Now only need the patience to finish one!!

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  6. Looks great .... and it's been added to my long list of things to try! Thanks for the tutorial!

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  7. Oh Barbara, Thank you! This is such a great tutorial- and your colors are so pretty that you used in this project. Thanks for sharing this wonderful pattern. I wish that I could start it right now...it's so pretty...have a few projects for baby showers, etc. that I have to get done very soon.

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  8. Love it. It is definitely going to be my next project. xxxxxxxxx

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  9. Just to let you know, I have made a start. I have just about got it although I have to look twice to know where to go next! Only thing is, I have done the mesh using filet cotton on a 1.5 hook but I am using a 3.5 hook and DK yarn to work the wiggly bits so its a bit tight and the whole thing is curving slightly under which wont matter as it will hopefully be a cushion. Do you think it would make a difference if I started using a bigger hook to continue with the mesh??

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  10. Hello and thanks for all the positive feedback!

    Hazel, it's nice to hear you've started, but the problem is a tough one indeed. The difference between the two yarns might really be a little bit too big. Do you leave one row of bars/posts empty between the ruffles, like in the graphic? I've tried it once to crochet around every bar and post, but this didn't work at all.

    I really don't know what happens if you switch to a larger hook for the mesh, but I'd be afraid that the mesh itself might ruffle, don't you think? Maybe you could try it with groups of 3dcs instead of 4? Let me know how you've handled the problem and how it worked out! Good luck! :)

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  11. This looks so awesome. You've definitely got me interested in trying it! Going to add it to my project list. :)

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  12. Thanks Barbara. Yes I'm doing it just the same. I may start again with a slightly bigger hook. I have only done the first three rounds so no big deal. Brilliant tutorial. Thanks so much. X

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  13. Hi Barbara, this looks amazing! The design and the colors look great. Thank you for the tutorial, I will try that for sure.
    Have a lovely Sunday,

    Maaike

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  14. Excellent tutorial! Thank you SO much!

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  15. Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this tutorial . It looks so interesting! Don"t know what I will do with it but am really interested to learn!

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  16. I have a vintage hotpad like this that was given to me by DH's gma. It is made with very fine thread and is lovely! Now I know how to recreate it ... thank you. =)

    Erin

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  17. I've always wondered how to do this. Awesome tutorial!

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  18. Very nice tute and your squigglie squares are really pretty! Thanks for sharing with us!

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  19. wauw very nice! It's an awesome tutorial!
    I try it this evening en ik can do it!
    So I think that about a few weeks I can finish also a pillow!
    See my blog!
    http://huizevanderlaan.blogspot.com/

    Erika

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  20. Brilliant tutorial!

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  21. Thank You so much, I just may try this technique, you have set it out in very easy to understand terms, you are a natural born teacher! Have a Great Day and many blessings for sharing your talent!

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  22. thank you for the detail of how to do this. I plan to try it sometime soon. I enjoyed the long post.. it was very helpful!

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  23. Great tutorial - shall have to give it a try! Although I might get a trifle lost following your directions (being as I was under the impression K-town is in the Rheinland-Pfalz, not Bayern...I know I can get lost in my own backyard, but I've never managed to misplace Mannheim. I may have wanted to, of course.)

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  24. Thank you so much for sharing this new way of crocheting, I cant wait to get started, keep it up. I have just joined your blog, so do stop by and take a look at mine

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  25. awesome!!!!!! I would love to try this pattern? Did u make the same thing for the back of the cushion as well :/

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  26. Absolutely stunning, cant wait to give this pattern a try, what a lovely gift to give to someone Thanks

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  27. Merci beaucoup c'est un tutto génial.

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  28. Wonderful tutorial thank you!
    Elena

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  29. This is stunning! Having a go with some old stash first, but if I want to do the wiggles all in one colour do I still have to break off after each round?

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  30. I did the mesh in a round with white cotton...then used 'Peaches & Creme'
    varigated for the ruffles....it turned out quite well..I made two in one afternoon..they are about 12 inches across thank you !!

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  31. Great tutorial and lovely cushions! Thanks.

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  32. Many many thanks for this wonderful tute. Surely going to try this.

    www.shamiatcraft.blogspot.com

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  33. Thank you so very much!!! I have been looking for a tutorial on this stitch! I can't wait to try it!!!!

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  34. Thank you for sharing the tutorial on this excellent st.... I have wondered about it for a long time... So now it is time to put yarn to hook.... Exciting really :))

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  35. Thank you for sharing the tutorial on this excellent st.... I have wondered about it for a long time... So now it is time to put yarn to hook.... Exciting really :))

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  36. Oh. My. Goodness! I have been looking for instructions for these for years!! Wiggly Crochet...perfect name! I never even knew what to ask for. My Grandmother made these, hundreds of them for family and friends...my mom even had one (that I wound up singeing on the stove when I started cooking!) and it was lost in a move. I have wanted to make some for my home and didn't know where to turn. Then here you are! Thank you for bringing this Willy-Nilly pattern to me...you will never know how much I appreciate it.

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