New pattern available: Star Trek Security (Red) Crochet Pillow

I have finished the Star Trek Security Red Pillow, and I've also written up the pattern for it. Yeay! Its finished size is 16" by 16." Here it is. Enjoy! You can download the pattern for it here. download now

Materials used for this project:
  

If you like this pillow, don't forget to check out the Star Trek Command (Yellow) pillow. Stay tuned for the next one. 

Linking crochet stitches

When you have really tall stitches, like the treble crochet stitch, and don't want the holes between stitches, you can link stitches together.  This can be done with all stitches except single crochet stitches.

To link stitches: Insert hook into the horizontal loops of preceding stitch and draw a loop up. This is done in place of doing a yarn over before inserting hook. For a treble crochet, you would do this twice before inserting your hook into the next stitch to complete the stitch.

This swatch is of a group of linked treble crochet stitches.

This stitch helps solve the problem, if you want to call it that, of the large gaps and holes between stitches between normal treble crochet stitches. It also seems to create a double ridge on rows that looks almost like working a stitch in the back loop.

What I don't like about this method is the holes created by the unattached turning chains.  Perhaps not linking every stitch in a row would alleviate the holes on the end if the rows.

Extended Stitches: Extended double crochet

To make an extended double crochet stitch: Yarn over once, insert hook, yarn over and draw a loop through one loop. Yarn over and draw through two loops. Yarn over and again draw through two loops.


This swatch of edc looks like a swatch of double crochet, but it's actually a step taller than the double crochet, making its height fit between the double and treble crochet stitches.


(From left to right) Double crochet, extended double crochet, and treble crochet.

Extended stitches could easily make a smoother line. (i.e. If you used the pattern of: sc, dsc, dc, edc, tr  you would have a smooth curve instead of a stepped or zig zag one.

Extended stitches: double single crochet

To make a double single crochet stitch: insert hook and draw a loop up (you will have two loops on your hook). Yarn over and draw through one loop. (Still two loops on hook.) Yarn over again and draw through both loops.

This stitch is abbreviated as dsc.

Extended stitches can be used to create smoother edges when transitioning between the more basic stitches.





Notice the size difference between the single crochet (red) and the double single crochet.

New Pattern Available: Super Mario Brothers Question Mark Block Tissue Cover

You can now find the pattern for my Super Mario Brothers Question Mark Block tissue cover in the patterns section or by using this link: download now

____
Blogs and articles about this pattern.

My Crafting Compulsion
http://mycraftingcompulsion.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/mario-tissue-box-cover

KristinDragos' photostream

KristinDragos' photostream on Flickr.

Crochet pictures of things I've made and things I'm working on.

Double treble crochet stitch

Here is a stitch that I don't think I have ever seen in a pattern. (Maybe I should use it in one.) The dtr or double treble crochet stitch is made like the treble crochet stitch but with an extra yarn over.
For example, the double crochet stitch needs one yarn over before inserting the hook into the stitch. The treble crochet stitch needs two. If you combine the two stitches (hence the name double treble), you need three yarn overs.
This stitch makes really tall rows and a lighter fabric with much more drape to it.


Swatch of dtr stitch


Single crochet stitch swatch next to the dtr swatch.


double crochet swatch next to the dtr.

Star Trek Yellow Command Pillow

Here are pictures of the finished Star Trek Command (yellow) Pillow. I'll post the pattern and chart when I'm finished writing it up. The finished size is 14" and worked entirely in single crochet stitches.

You can download the pattern on Ravelry or by clicking here. download now

I'm in the process of working on the other two pillows. Red (Security) and Blue (Science). I'll post those patterns when I'm done with them as well.

Materials used: Red Heart Yarn - gold and black; I Love This Yarn (From Hobby Lobby) - Buttercup; and 1 14" pillow form.

World of Warcraft Horde Banner

Here are a few pictures of the World of Warcraft Horde Banner, which is done entirely in single crochet stitches. (I will post the pattern and chart when I'm done writing it up.)

I used two wooden dowel rods to hold the shape and for hanging. The top dowel rod is 25" and the bottom (hidden behind the banner just above the middle point) is 18". The top one is longer than the width of the banner to make it easy to hang it up. The bottom rod is just to provide the bottom some weight to maintain its shape.

I'll be working on the Alliance banner soon. 

Treble crochet stitch

The treble crochet stitch (tr) is one of the tallest stitches I have come across in patterns. There are taller ones, just add more yarn overs before pulling through your stitch, but this is the most common that I've seen. This stitch leaves you with an even more hole-y look than the double crochet stitch. It works up very quickly. 
The video for how to make this stitch is listed on the directory of stitches.





Treble crochet stitches

Double crochet stitches (left) next to treble crochet stitches,


From left to right: Single crochet, double single crochet, double crochet, treble crochet.

Double Crochet Stitch

The double crochet stitch, another basic crochet stitch, is great for when you want to work up a piece quickly because it adds more height (compared to the half double crochet stitch) to each row. It doesn't have the density the single crochet has, so it drapes much better. The stitches have a hole-y look to them. Here's a sample swatch.

Here we have a swatch of double crochet (the gold) next to the swatch of half double crochet stitches. Notice how the half double crochet swatch doesn't seem to have as much space between the stitches?

 

When designing your own crochet patterns, draping and density will be important factors when choosing the right stitch for the pattern.

To see how this stitch is made, watch the video on the crochet directory page.

Half double crochet stitch

The half double crochet stitch is nice when you want the density of a single crochet, but you want a little height. This stitch works up a little faster than the single crochet stitch, but it doesn't leave you with the hole-y look like the double crochet stitch.

To make a half double crochet stitch: yarn over once before inserting hook. Insert hook, yarn over and draw one loop through. (You will have three loops on your hook.) Yarn over again and pull through all three loops.
Abreviation: hdc

Here we have a swatch of half double crochet. 

The red is a swatch of single crochet. Notice the size difference.

To learn how this stitch is made, watch the video on the directory of stitches page.