Author: A Ni

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Creating Reoite’s vine detail – Embroidery Method

Once you have your Reoite Glove panels complete, there’s one last detail to add before they’re sewn up.
There are two different ways to achieve this lovely petal stitch detail on your own gloves.

If you’re handy with a crochet slip stitch, click here for the Crochet Hook Version.

Using just a bodkin (a blunt darning needle), here’s how you create this gorgeous, textured vine effect.

First Things First

Here’s what we want to achieve.
You can either work with the same colour yarn as the rest of your glove for a subtle effect, or you can spring for a contrast colour yarn to really show off your new skills. For this tutorial, I’ll be using a contrasting yarn so that you can see exactly what I’m doing at every stage.

Completed Reoite Glove (left) and a Reoite in progress with contrasting colour vine detail (right)

Have you picked up your copy yet?
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So, first, thread your bodkin with an armspan of yarn.

While you will need about 3 meters of yarn to complete the entire vine it’s not wise to work with a strand of yarn that length from the beginning. The end will get ragged and tatty, and it will catch on your yarn with every stitch. You’ll end up fighting with it more than embroidering with it. It’s better to cut a length you can easily manage and then secure your end and start with a new strand when you run out.

(This tutorial on Binding off a Petal Stitch will help when you need to bind off)

From Wrong Side to Right Side, insert needle where indicated in pattern (the location of your first stitch changes depending on the size of glove you’ve chocen to do).

Setting up for the first Petal Stitch.

From Right Side to Wrong Side, insert bodkin into same hole you chose to set up stitch.
From Wrong Side to Right Side, come out one square up, and at a diagonal.

draw loop to front

Draw yarn in front of bodkin so it sits between fabric and the bodkin itself.
This creates a loose loop which will become the first “petal stitch” in a moment.

Take tip of bodkin and pull it out of the fabric.
As you pull, you’ll notice the loose loop you created in the last step tighten…

yarn wrapped in front of bodkin
bodkin removed from fabric

…and tighten, until a little petal shape has been created.

pull to tighten loop

first petal now sits on top of fabric

The Second Petal

From the Right Side of your fabric, press bodkin through fabric from within the petal loop.

Pick up yarn again and draw it in front of bodkin so it sits between fabric and the bodkin once more.

yarn wrapped in front of bodkin
Bodkin removed from fabric and loop pulled to tighten

Once loop has been tightened, you’ll see you have a second petal stitch completed.

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Adding More Petal Stitches

Let’s go through the sequence again…

bodkin inserted inside previous petal
and out to Right Side again, according to pattern guide
yarn wrapped in front of bodkin
bodkin pulled through fabric with loop tighening
…tighter…
…and done!

Keep working like this, with the pattern guide as reference.
For a photo guide on finishing off, click here.

Thanks for reading.

And thanks to all my Patreon Supporters, without whom tutorials like this one would not exist:


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Marie Saur, Kathleen Robins, Jolin Lang, Sylvea Allington, Sherry Lynn Cekala, Marion Muir, Gwen Coltrin, Sarah Mcfall, Subethjimbob, Gillian Balharry, Michelle Ganoff, Liz Lowe, Heather Lane, Lisa Walsh, Cecilia M Mencias, Isabeau Suro, Ellen Krawiec, Caragh Barry, Wonne, Woolly Wormhead, Konni Wuppertalerin, Deanna Nielson, Mary A Maddy, Sue Horsburgh, Samantha Locke, Teresa Baker, Thea Hutchings, Mariag, Rachel Moutrie, Kris Park, Susan Baughman, Jill Shanmugasundaram, Sarah Davis, Patricia M Fragaszy, Lisa Hendrick, Fran Oberne, Amanda Blohm, Kate Hulme, Emily Owen, Ann Ryan, Kim Tijerina, Ursula Moertl, Kristin, Seyren, Tanja Osswald, Ursula Mayr, Judy Baldwin, Concetta Phillipps, Liss Allen, Maire, Beate Siefer, Kristen, Edi, Julie Marz, Sammy Campbell, Flootzavut, Kathlyn Smith, Regina Schweinsberg, Lora O’Brien, Anne Johannessen, Cheidner, Jasminetea182, Medora Van Denburgh, Heather Longino, Mary, Annie Wells.


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6 Beginner-Level Tunisian Crochet patterns to get YOU started

a small pink tea cozy cover sits on a small pink one-cup tea pot

The Fasten Off Yarn Along is currently in full swing, and I’m heartened to see how many people are using the event as encouragement to try out a “new-to-them” craft.

I see knitters jump on the crochet band wagon, I see weavers wading through lace knitting, and many people expressing an interest in Tunisian Crochet as their next big adventure.

A Beginner’s Paradise

To help you along your way, I have compiled a list of Tunisian Crochet patterns I’ve designed that I think are perfect for your first forray (or your 5th!) into Tunisian Crochet.

Luckily, ALL of these patterns can be made with a regular length crochet hook, so there’s no need to invest in a long Tunisian-style hook for anything I’m about to show you.

Crocheters, I guarantee you have all the tools you need to hand, and knitters, I bet you have a crochet hook lurking somewhere in the bottom of your stash that you use to pick up dropped stitches.

Ok, so with hook in hand and yarn picked out, let’s dive in!

Hey! Knitters!

The perfect starting point for you is the ever-popular Ishrat Hat.

It starts off with a soothing, and a familiar knitted garter stitch brim to ease you in.
You then add some gorgeous Tunisian Simple Stitch on to it to create the textured crown.
The construction is fun, and the hat itself takes less than a skein of your favourite sock yarn.

The pattern comes with a suite of Helpful Tutorial videos that takes you through the entire process.

All Simple Stitches

Another great first make is the Tea Beanie Tea Cozy.

This pattern is straight up Tunisian Simple Stitch from start to end.
This stitch is the one everyone learns first, so this project is a wonderful opportunity to get the basics down right from the start.

Because of its simple construction, the Tea Beanie is infinitely modifiable to fit your personal tea pot (or your head, if you seam it up entirely! Who doesn’t love wearing a tea cozy on their head, eh?!)

This cozy as written takes about 100 m of worsted weight yarn (or 100m each of fingering weight yarn, doubled for a great stash-busting project) and you could easily get this done in time for Christmas.

Crocheters!

If you know how to make a single crochet (US) stitch or a double crochet (UK) stitch already, then you already KNOW how to do Tunisian Crochet.
Tunisian Simple Stitch uses the exact same dance steps, just in a slightly different order, so crocheters… you got this!

Great beginner patterns include:

Pax

I designed Pax specifically to be a tutorial for beginners, so there are no unwelcome surprises.

I have taught Pax at many yarn festivals over the years, and it has become the introductory pattern for So. Many. People into the wonderful world of Tunisian.

I’ve kept the price super low, too, to ensure it’s accessible to everyone.
The only commitment you need is a little of your time.

Finola

The reviews for Finola are in, and they are glowing!

Finola is made out of a series of wedge shapes, so once you have the first one complete, the rest flow on in a logical pattern.
This one is great for anyone who loves a good jigsaw, as the pieces all fit together in a soothing and satisfying manner. You’ll find yourself saying “I’ll just do one more wedge before bed” more than once!

Finola comes with a suite of How To videos on Instagram. Click here to see them before you buy.

Nuada

Nuada is one of my personal favourites.
It is made in layers, with each layer made out of Tunisian Simple Stitch.

The two main layers contain simple-to-learn lace eyelets.
This shawl is easy to modify, too. You can make it longer by adding more lace repeats, and make it wider by adding more layers to the centre.

Discount Time!

And don’t forget to use your FO2021 discount on these patterns, (and a whole range of other ones, too) before the deadline on the 6th of December.

Happy Crocheting, everyone!

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Creating Reoite’s “Snow Flower” – Part 2

This tutorial will guide you through the Return Pass for the Snow Flower stitch in my Reoite Glove pattern.

Recap

Here’s where we left off in Part 1.

The Forward Pass has been completed and we are ready to work the Return Pass

Have you picked up your copy yet?
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Work the Return Pass as usual until there are only two loops left before we reach the stitch marker:

(This will require referencing your copy of Reoite as the number of stitches to be worked will change depending on the glove size and Snow Flower position)

Two loops left on hook before the stitch marker is reached.

Remove the marker.

Then, Yarn Over and draw through 3 loops on hook.
You will work through 2 tight loops and a loose (petal) loop.

Yarn Over in place on hook.
Yarn Over has been drawn through two loops
and the looser (petal) loop.
Note how the first petal has been worked off the hook.

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Make another Yarn Over and draw that through the next two loops and one looser (petal) loop.
Do this repeatedly until all the petals have been removed from hook.

Second Repeat – second petal is off hook
Third Repeat – third petal is off hook
Fourth Repeat – fourth petal is off hook
Fifth Repeat – fifth petal is off hook
Sixth Repeat – sixth petal is off hook

At this point all six petals of the Snow Flower have been worked off the hook, so now, we can complete the Return Pass in the traditional manner i.e.
*Yarn Over, and draw through 2 loops* repeatedly to end of row.

Nicely done!

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Creating Reoite’s “Snow Flower” – Part 1

The “Snow Flower” on my Reoite Mitten pattern is worked as you crochet, rather than being added afterwards.
As such, it’s literally part of the fabric of the glove, making them warmer on your hand and cozier to the touch.

Reoite has 4 Snow Flowers per glove, and here’s how you create this gorgeous, textured effect with some simple loops and regular length crochet hook.

First Things First

There’s some crocheting to be done.

Getting set up to create the first Snow Flower

Have you picked up your copy yet?
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Next, we have to locate a spot on the fabric we’ve created..

Three TSS sts in…
…and four rows down.

From the next stitch along, count three stitches in, and then count four rows down. There is a little hole in your fabric on the bottom right of that stitch’s bar.
(It’s on the bottom left for left-handed makers)

The First Petal



Insert your hook into that hole, push through to the back of your fabric and make a Yarn Over.

Hook about the enter fabric
Hook at back of fabric, with Yarn Over added

Draw Yarn Over through to the front of work, and stretch until loop reaches top of fabric.

This is your first Snow Flower petal

Peek behind the petal you have just made and you’ll see the previous row’s TSS bars sitting there.
Insert hook into the next one along:

Hook in next TSS ba along

Yarn Over, and draw through:

Yarn Over
Draw Yarn Over through bar

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Adding More Petals

We will repeat the above dance steps a few times until our flower starts to bloom.

Insert hook into same hole in fabric, Yarn over and draw a second petal loop through to front
Locate next TSS bar on previous row behind petal, insert hook, Yarn Over and draw another loop onto hook

Once you’ve done this repeatedly, you’ll notice that the loops on your hook alternate between a long (petal) loop and a shorter (TSS) loop.

Stop picking up loops when you have 6 petals and 5 TSS loops on your hook.

Pop a latchable stitch marker onto your hook.

Make sure the stitch marker you use is a removable one.

Complete the row as directed in the pattern:
(This varies depending on the position of the Snow Flower, so follow the pattern to be sure).

Forward Pass is complete

For a Photo Tutorial of the Return Pass, click here.

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Marie Saur, Kathleen Robins, Jolin Lang, Sylvea Allington, Sherry Lynn Cekala, Marion Muir, Gwen Coltrin, Sarah Mcfall, Subethjimbob, Gillian Balharry, Michelle Ganoff, Liz Lowe, Heather Lane, Lisa Walsh, Cecilia M Mencias, Isabeau Suro, Ellen Krawiec, Caragh Barry, Wonne, Woolly Wormhead, Konni Wuppertalerin, Deanna Nielson, Mary A Maddy, Sue Horsburgh, Samantha Locke, Teresa Baker, Thea Hutchings, Mariag, Rachel Moutrie, Kris Park, Susan Baughman, Jill Shanmugasundaram, Sarah Davis, Patricia M Fragaszy, Lisa Hendrick, Fran Oberne, Amanda Blohm, Kate Hulme, Emily Owen, Ann Ryan, Kim Tijerina, Ursula Moertl, Kristin, Seyren, Tanja Osswald, Ursula Mayr, Judy Baldwin, Concetta Phillipps, Liss Allen, Maire, Beate Siefer, Kristen, Edi, Julie Marz, Sammy Campbell, Flootzavut, Kathlyn Smith, Regina Schweinsberg, Lora O’Brien, Anne Johannessen, Cheidner, Jasminetea182, Medora Van Denburgh, Heather Longino, Mary, Annie Wells

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TSS2tog decrease

It’s hard to imagine, but sometimes, Dear Reader LESS Tunisian Crochet is called for.
And in those moments, knowing how to decrease is a boon.

In my Reoite Gloves, we use decreases to add a little shape to the fabric. This ensures that we have a cuff that sits comfortably on the wider part of the arm, as well as a glove that sits snug at the wrist and knuckles with no room for pesky drafts to sneak in.

Here’s how the TSS2tog (Tunisian Simple Stitch 2 together) is made.


Work the pattern up to the point where you need to make a TSS2tog:

Part of the Forward Pass on this row of Tunisian Simple Stitch is complete.

Have you picked up your copy yet?
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Slide your hook through the next TWO bars along:

Two bars on hook

Yarn Over hook:

Yarn Over

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Draw Yarn Over through the two bars on hook:

You have created a TSS2tog stitch by making one loop (on hook) out of two bars (on previous row).

When you complete the rest of the row, you can see a little upsidedown V shape indicating the point you worked the TSS2tog decrease.

The decrease will appear one row LOWER than you may expect. Remember that if you use them to count rows.

Note:
The Return Pass is worked as normal i.e.
Yarn Over, draw through 1 loop to make a chain stitch, then *Yarn Over, draw through 2 loops* repeatedly to end of row.

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Marie Saur, Kathleen Robins, Jolin Lang, Sylvea Allington, Sherry Lynn Cekala, Marion Muir, Gwen Coltrin, Sarah Mcfall, Subethjimbob, Gillian Balharry, Michelle Ganoff, Liz Lowe, Heather Lane, Lisa Walsh, Cecilia M Mencias, Isabeau Suro, Ellen Krawiec, Caragh Barry, Wonne, Woolly Wormhead, Konni Wuppertalerin, Deanna Nielson, Mary A Maddy, Sue Horsburgh, Samantha Locke, Teresa Baker, Thea Hutchings, Mariag, Rachel Moutrie, Kris Park, Susan Baughman, Jill Shanmugasundaram, Sarah Davis, Patricia M Fragaszy, Lisa Hendrick, Fran Oberne, Amanda Blohm, Kate Hulme, Emily Owen, Ann Ryan, Kim Tijerina, Ursula Moertl, Kristin, Seyren, Tanja Osswald, Ursula Mayr, Judy Baldwin, Concetta Phillipps, Liss Allen, Maire, Beate Siefer, Kristen, Edi, Julie Marz, Sammy Campbell, Flootzavut, Kathlyn Smith, Regina Schweinsberg, Lora O’Brien, Anne Johannessen, Cheidner, Jasminetea182, Medora Van Denburgh, Heather Longino, Mary, Annie Wells

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Flat Section on a Curved Shawl?

V’s Question

Dear Aoibhe.

I am almost halfway crocheting through your lovely Lunula shawl but have a question re the “36 L40tr” stitches on Panel 3 -does this mean 36 rows of 40linked trebles without increasing or decreasing?

If so, I am confused as I thought the shawl was circular.
Is the midpoint of the shawl the middle of these 36 rows?

Could you clarify this for me please?
Many thanks!
– V

Aoibhe’s Answer

Hi, V!

Thank you for your insightful email.

To answer your question, your interpretation is correct.
I can confirm you are being asked to make 36 x L40tr as you thought you were.

Here’s the logic behind it, so you know you’re on the right track;

The purposes of the [increases] at the beginning and end of Panel 3 and later the Short Rows that are added is twofold;
First, yes, they are there to increase the number of stitches and help bring your shawl into a curve, but they’re also there to help compensate for the growing stitch height.

Without all those increases and short rows the open edge of Panel 3 would get quite tight and wouldn’t lie flat.
It’d be unwearable.

So, while I know it seems like a sudden shock to stop increasing all of a sudden, you will notice in that 36 stitch stretch we also stop growing the height of the stitches, so we’ve way less need for the short rows at that point. That section will lie flat without any outside help.

The 36 stitch stretch is there for a few reasons, too;

Firstly, it’s a good breather and gives the crocheter a chance to take stock, make sure your stitch counts are working out and then to work on from there. It’s a good time to count the stitch spaces you have remaining to you, and to make an adjustment if you have too few or too many.
(just add extra L40trs if you have too many sts left, or pull back a few if you’re running low)

But secondly, that big solid gold block is the shawl’s main feature, so I thought adding short rows to it which would interrupt the gorgeous flow of that golden yarn would be doing it a disservice.
Panel 4’s increases will help ease that flat section into a curve, so it won’t look out of place.

Your shawl will indeed curve as you want it to, so worry not.

I do appreciate your question though. Thanks for asking.

Happy Crocheting!
A x

PS. Hey, crochet fans! If you’d like to have a go at Lunula, you can find it here!

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Show me yours and I’ll show you mine

This is my stash, folks.
This is the entirety of it, save for a few tiny scraps I’ve likely forgotten down the back of the couch.

On the left I have animal fibres; mostly wool and alpaca for the projects I’m working on right now.
And on the right is cotton; used for my ongoing series of animal amigurumi which my Patreon peeps are well familiar with.

The reason I’m showing you this is to help counter a little of the inadequacy I’m sure some of you feel when Social Media dazzles you with the absolutely massive hoards of luxury yarn accumulated by some lucky crafters.
You know the Instagram Reels I’m talking about, right?

“You mean, that’s not a yarn shop?!”

The fact is, collecting yarn can be an expensive hobby completely aside from knitting or crochet.
And without a healthy income most makers can’t afford those kinds of hoards. Most of us buy what we need when we need it and only get as much as we need. Most of us budget and substitute for cheaper yarns and wait til our next pay day to hit “Purchase”.
Most of us use what we have to hand first.

You just don’t see people showing their small stashes on the internet so frequently because there’s no glamour in it. So, I’m showing you mine.

This is how I work; I design the thing, calculate yardage, add a ball (just in case!) and place an order.
I then get the yarn, I make the thing, and when I’m done I have maybe half a ball left over. That half ball eventually finds its way into a separate project, so there’s very little left on my shelves to show for it.

Yarn passes through my work space oftentimes without leaving so much as a footprint. It doesn’t have much time to mingle on its journey.

So, the yarn I have right now on the shelf is either gift yarn, work yarn which will be gobbled up by the design monster in short order, or left-over bits I’m keeping around for secondary projects.

Now, don’t got me wrong here. There is nothing at all wrong with having enough yarn to cover all the major land masses on a medium sized planet. Would that we all could! I gaze at those images with avarice and envy same as everyone else. In quiet moments, I dream of diving into a pit of yarn and doing my best Scrooge McDuck impression. I’d literally never surface.

But for many that’s all that can be; a fantasy. And it’s for them that I’m showing my tiny stash.

If I, a literal professional full-time designer with lots of yarn-dying friends and over 100 patterns in my back catalogue only has this much in my stash right now… well, I hope it helps you feel better about your collection.


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Handmaking my world

Lately, I’ve been trying to settle on a colour palette for future clothes making endeavours.
I’ve been researching, reading colour theory, comparing eras…

If you’d told me I had ALREADY chosen a colour palette, I’d have disagreed. But here I am, organising my winter hand mades and clearly… CLEARLY… I have already decided.

Muted secondary colours it is, I guess!

This is a collection of knitting, crochet and machine sewing. Each piece is designed and drafted by me, made by me to my taste out of fabrics and yarns I’ve chosen for texture or colour, or dyed til I was satisfied.

Each piece is made to fit me.

I’ve no sizing information. No idea what size each one corresponds to in real terms. They each make me comfortable in my skin because they conform to me, not the other way around and there’s power in that.

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Sewing up your colourwork mittens


You have all your three mitten bits made, and it’s time to sew them all together.

Here’s how I did it:

First Things First

Weave in your ends and block your pieces.
Tunisian Crochet fabric has a tendency to curl, you may have noticed.
Tunisian Knit stitch is renowned for this feature. And as we’re working a pretty dense fabric for our mittens, that curl can be quite enthusiastic.

So blocking before you sew will ensure your panels behave (and look) far better.

All blocked and ready to rock!


With Wrong Sides facing in on Panels 1 & 2, seam up thumb side of wrist from Row 1 – Row 24 with Main Colour

Starting at the cuff, use a top / whip stitch to seam up edge of cuff.
Stop sewing when you complete the horizontal stripes.
I like to add a few extra stitches to the last stripe to reinforce the edge.
First seam complete. Gorgeous!

Adding The Thumb

Then, with wrong sides still facing in, align marked st on thumb with top of wrist seam.
Seam side of thumb with left Panel for 15 (17/19) sts.

Fold thumb in half lengthways and seam up edges to tip of thumb.

Use a whip / Top stitch for a flat thumb seam
weave a strand of yarn in and out around tip of thumb
pull firmly to close hole

Finishing Up

Beginning at top of wrist seam again, seam other side of thumb with other Panel for 15 (17/19) sts.

Begin sewing where indicated above.
continue seaming around edge of glove, and down other side of cuff.

Weave all your ends in, and you’re done!

One of the beautiful things about this method of construction is that it is infinitely adaptable.

If you find your hand fits better in a Large glove, but you thumb finds a Large thumb too roomy, you can down size to suit you. Similarly, if your thumb is larger than the mitten size that fits, you can shift that around too.

There is no need to rip back all your work to the base of the thumb and re-do it all. You just need to whip yourself up a new thumb and lash that on in.
Super!

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A reverse TSS2tog for a neater mitten


Tunisian Crochet has a symmetry problem, insofar as it has none.

You may have noticed that each row’s stitches are drawn from the last row’s stitches by pulling them out of the fabric on the side of your dominant hand. This barely matters when we’re working a large piece, or when a slight shift to the right or left can’t be noticed, but for colourwork, especially colourwork that contains decreases, it becomes pretty clear pretty fast.

My mitten designs include TSS2tog decreases towards the finger tips that help reduce the number of stitches, drawing the mitten tip to a pretty point. But, as they are colourwork mittens, the decreases pose a problem;
while the decrease on the right of my fabric (my dominant side) looks lovely and neat, the one on the left gets all bitty and jagged.

Booooooo.

Compare the photos below to see what I mean:

The pink line on the left is made with regular TSS2tog sts and is jagged and broken as a result
The pink line on the left is made with a reversed TSS2tog and is neat and solid as a result


What we’re going to do in this tutorial is work the first TSS2tog as normal. No point in fiddling with perfection, right?

Then we’re going to use a blunt-ended darning needle (a bodkin) to simulate a TSS2tog in the opposite direction.
Hold on to your hats, people. Things are about to get weird!

The First TSS2tog

Firstly, we’re going to work 1 TKS in yellow which is our Main Colour (MC), and then the first TSS2tog on the row in pink, our Contrast Colour (CC).

Make 1 TKS with Main Colour (MC)
Push hook TSS-wise through the next 2 sts, then YO with CC
Draw CC through both sts.
(1 TSS2tog made)

After that, we’re going to work TKS sts across to within 3 sts of the end.
Don’t forget to catch your floats!

Reverse TSS2tog

Here’s where our trusty bodkin comes into play.

Draw both strands to the front of the hook
Thread CC onto a bodkin
sew bodkin through next two sts in same direction as hook is pointing
Pull CC through fabric.
Remove bodkin.
Return both strands to back of fabric
Place CC loop on hook.
Tighten CC loop.
Work final MC TKS st and draw up a final loop in chain

Work return pass as normal.

After a few rows of this malarkey, you’ll see the effect of your reverse TSS2tog stitches.
So smooth!