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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781446307144 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | David & Charles |
| Publication date: | 10/16/2018 |
| Pages: | 128 |
| Sales rank: | 267,027 |
| Product dimensions: | 8.20(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.40(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
How to C2C
C2C Basics
The corner to corner crochet technique (often abbreviated C2C) is worked exactly as it sounds – diagonally from one corner of a square or rectangle to the other. C2C employs a stitch called the diagonal box stitch and it can be worked using double crochet or half double crochet stitches. While using double crochet is faster, half double crochet allows for more detailed yarn "illustrations" because each tile is smaller. The projects in this book will call out which stitch to use.
HOW TO READ A C2C PATTERN
C2C patterns usually include some combination of a graph and/or written instructions. Each pixel in a graph represents one C2C "tile". Each tile is typically made with three double crochet or half double crochet stitches. C2C blankets with designs in them are often called "graphgans", because they are an afghan made from a graph.
The patterns in this book include both a graph as well as written line-by-line instructions. You may find it faster to work predominantly from the written pattern, but I recommend checking your completed progress against the graph every few rows so you can catch any mistakes sooner rather than later (I've learned this the hard way!).
Each project begins in the lower right corner of the graph, even for left-handed crocheters. You'll increase by one tile per row (see How to Increase) until the longest row(s) of the pattern has been completed. At this point, you'll begin decreasing by one tile per row until you've reached the final tile in the upper left corner of the graph (see How to Decrease).
Each written pattern contains a lot of helpful information:
Yarn Type and Yardage: Amount is overestimated so you can create multiple working bobbins in each color.
Stitch Type: Whether the pattern calls for using a half double crochet C2C stitch or a double crochet C2C stitch.
Color Key: Bridges the visual information in the graph with the written pattern. For simplicity, each color in the written pattern is called by the brand name color. Of course, feel free to change up the color palette of each project to suit your style.
Directional Arrows: Referencing these arrows in the written pattern can be helpful tracking your progress in the graph and knowing when to increase or decrease at the beginning of a row.
Row-by-Row Instructions: How many tiles of each color to crochet.
Difficulty Level: Know what you're getting into!
Beginner: Nocolor changes or counting.
Intermediate: Few to moderate number of color changes and working bobbins/skeins.
Advanced: More counting and several working bobbins/skeins at once.
How to Read a Graph
SAMPLE PATTERN
* Row 1 [RS]: Coral x 1
* Row 2 [WS]: Coral x 2
* Row 3: Coral x 3
* Row 4: Coral x 1, Grey x 2, Coral x 1
* Row 5: Coral x 2, Grey x 1, Coral x 2
CORNER(decrease at beginning of each row)
* Row 6 [WS]: Coral x 1, Grey x 2, Coral x 1
* Row 7 [RS]: Coral x 3
* Row 8: Coral x 2
* Row 9: Coral x 1
DESIGNING YOUR OWN GRAPHS
So you're ready to map out your own design? Awesome! Here are some tips for getting started.
1. Come up with a concept. Perler bead graphs, cross stitch and modern textiles can all serve as excellent C2C inspiration.
2. Determine sizing. To figure out how many tiles wide and tall your project should be to create the size you want, you need to first know your gauge. Crochet a small swatch that has six tiles per side. Measure the middle four tiles in both directions and average that number to determine the length of four tiles. Take this length and divide by 4. The resulting number is the approximate length of one tile.
Take the total desired width of your project and divide that number by the length of one tile. This number is the approximate number of tiles you should work for the width of your project. Repeat the same equation to determine the number of tiles to create your desired project length.
Example:
If 4 tiles measure 5in (12.75cm) and I want to make a blanket that is 50 x 60in (127 x 152cm):
Approximate length of one tile is 5/4 = 11?4in
Desired blanket width = 50in divided by 11?4in = 40 tiles
Desired blanket height = 60in divided by 11?4in = 48 tiles
3. Chart it. Even if your design only includes stripes, it's still a good idea to map it out before you get started. Grab some graph paper or head to StitchFiddle.com to design your graph based on the total number of tiles per side you determined above. Stitch Fiddle is a fantastic resource that even allows you to upload a photo and convert it to a graph, create written line-by-line instructions from your graph, and track your progress as you crochet.
How to Increase
In C2C, we refer to "increasing" as adding one tile per row. The first half of any project involves increasing at the beginning of each row. Once you have finished the longest row in the graph, you will begin decreasing at the beginning of each row.
HOW TO INCREASE USING THE DOUBLE CROCHET C2C STITCH
ROW 1:
Step 1: Ch 6
Step 2: Dc into the fourth ch from the hook
Step 3: Dc into the next 2 chs, turn
ROW 2:
Step 4: Ch 6
Step 5: Dc into the fourth ch from the hook and into the next 2 chs
Step 6: Skip the next 3 dc, then slst into the space created by ch-3 at end of tile
Step 7: Ch 3 quite tightly
Step 8: Dc 3 into the same space, turn. (1 tile made)
ROW 3 and beyond:
Repeat Steps 4-8 to begin each row. As rows increase in number of tiles, repeat Steps 6-8 in each remaining tile of row.
HOW TO INCREASE USING THE HALF DOUBLE CROCHET C2C STITCH
ROW 1:
Step 1: Ch 5
Step 2: Hdc into the third ch from the hook
Step 3: Hdc into the next 2 chs, turn
ROW 2:
Step 4: Ch 5
Step 5: Hdc into the fourth ch from the hook and into the next 2 chs
Step 6: Skip the next 3 hdc, then slst into the space created by ch-2 at end of tile
Step 7: Ch 2 quite tightly
Step 8: Hdc 3 into the same space, turn. (1 tile made)
ROW 3 and beyond:
Repeat Steps 4-8 to begin each row. As rows increase in number of tiles, repeat Steps 6-8 in each remaining tile of row.
How to Decrease
The "decrease" term in C2C can be slightly confusing because it has a different effect than we think of in traditional crochet. In C2C, a decrease eliminates one tile from each row, thereby creating a flat edge. You'll work the C2C decrease stitch at the beginning of each row once you've completed the longest row in your graph.
HOW TO DECREASE USING THE DOUBLE CROCHET C2C STITCH
Step 1: Ch 1, slst into the next 3 dc
Step 2: Slst into the ch-3 turning chain
Step 3: Ch 3 quite tightly
Step 4: Dc 3 into the ch-3 turning chain of previous row
Repeat Steps 6-8 of the tutorial "How to Increase Using the Double Crochet C2C Stitch" in each remaining tile of row (see How to Increase).
HOW TO DECREASE USING THE HALF DOUBLE CROCHET C2C STITCH
Step 1: Ch 1, slst in the next 3 hdc
Step 2: Slst into the ch-2 turning chain
Step 3: Ch 2 quite tightly
Step 4: Hdc 3 into the ch-2 turning chain of previous row
Repeat Steps 6-8 of the "How to Increase Using the Half Double Crochet C2C Stitch" tutorial in each remaining tile of row (see How to Increase).
Changing Color
When your C2C chart or graph indicates that it's time to create a tile in a new color, you will actually begin the color change in the last yarn over of the original colored tile.
While the instructions below explain how to change colors when working in double crochet, the technique is exactly the same when using half double crochet stitches; simply work half double crochet tiles instead of double crochet tiles.
Step 1: Do not complete the last yarn over of third dc
Step 2: Instead, yarn over with the new color to complete the dc
Step 3: Skip the next 3 dc, then slst tightly into the space created by ch-3 at end of tile. Ch 3 tightly, using new color
Step 4: Using new color, work 3 dc in ch-3 sp as you usually would
Repeat Steps 1-4 each time it's necessary to change colors in the graph.
BEGINNING A ROW WITH A NEW COLOR
When changing colors at the beginning of a row, you'll do something very similar depending on whether you're working an increase or decrease tile.
> When beginning an increase row in a new color, the color change will take place in the last final yarn over of the previous row. Ch 6 with the new color and proceed as usual.
> For a decrease row, begin the row by using the previous color to slst 3 up the edge of the last tile in the previous row. Switch to new color to complete fourth slst and proceed as usual.
TIP
People often ask what the back of a C2C project will look like. The answer is that it will be an exact reflection of the front. So if your project includes words, you can expect them to appear backward on the backside of the project.
Managing Yarns
REDUCING THOSE PESKY ENDS TO WEAVE IN
Weaving in ends is often the price you pay for a spectacular C2C design, but there are a few ways to minimize your effort. For one, it's not necessary to cut the original colored yarn after each color change. Keeping it attached whenever possible will allow you to pick it up again if necessary in the next row.
Similarly, crocheting over the tails of yarn you do cut will significantly reduce the ends to weave in. My rule of thumb is that if the color of the tail matches either the tiles below it or the tiles I'm crocheting above it, then I'll work over the tail. If for example though, a tail is dark and the tiles below and above it are light, I wouldn't crochet over it because it wouldn't disappear enough into the light-colored yarn. In this case, I'd leave the dark tail to weave into a dark tile later on.
At some points in a pattern, you may use several different colors in one row. This is when it can be helpful to have a few working skeins or bobbins attached to the project at once. By doing so, you're able to pick up each color as it's needed and then drop it (without cutting) when it's time to switch colors.
When dropping a color, make sure to drop it to the wrong side of the project so as to keep the right side free from any small yarn carries. It can be helpful to place a safety pin or stitch marker on the right side of a project after you've worked a few rows. This way you can easily tell which side to drop the strand of yarn when switching to a different color.
Sometimes you'll find that the color you need is already attached nearby, but not exactly right next to the tile you need to work. As you can see in the example below, it's possible to gently bring the red yarn over to the right (left for left-handed crocheters) in order to switch colors without cutting and reattaching the yarn. After completing the final yarn over of the last stitch with the red yarn, you can work the first red tile over the carried strand of yarn, thereby hiding it. Monitor the tension of the carried yarn carefully so that it doesn't cause the design to bunch up.
TIPS FOR WRANGLING YOUR YARN
As soon as you get the hang of switching colors with C2C crochet, your next question will likely be "How the heck do I keep all this yarn under control while I work?"!
You'll certainly figure out your own personal strategies for working with multiple balls of yarn at once, but here are some basic concepts to keep in mind:
Wind small bobbins
Find a tool that you like for creating small bobbins of yarn (read on for ideas) and then attach the bobbins to something that won't allow them to roll all over the place. For example, if you wind bobbins onto clothespins or industrial clips, clip them onto a basket in the order you'll need them in the pattern.
Be mindful of the direction you're flipping your work
Think of turning your work over like you're re-reading the same pages of a book. If you turn the "page" from left to right at the end of one row, be sure to turn it back from right to left on the next row. This will prevent your strands of working yarn from twisting together after a few rows.
Reduce rolling
If you're just working with a couple of skeins of yarn instead of many bobbins, it can still be very helpful to contain them in a way that prevents them from rolling around. Place the skeins in a box or basket and begin each skein from the middle rather than the outside so that the yarn doesn't need to roll each time you pull on the working strand (empty tissue boxes make great individual skein wranglers!).
Untangle as you go
It's bound to happen–you'll get all tangled up in the yarn and start to feel like a fly trapped in a spider web. Don't despair! Take a couple of moments to straighten out your yarn every few rows or at the end of a session of crocheting. Worst case, you can always cut the yarn and reattach it to your project.
TIP
Before starting a project, work one tile in a color, then unravel it and measure how much yarn the tile used. Look ahead in the graph and estimate how many tiles in that color you'll work with that bobbin. Then wind that approximate amount of yarn onto the bobbin.
TOOLS THAT CAN HELP
Small Bobbin Implements: Try winding bobbins on small household objects that you can attach to a stable basket, book, clothes hanger or even to the project itself. Some items that can work well include: clothespins, clips (binder clips, industrial clips, chip clips) or toilet paper tubes.
Containers With Holes: Use a simple household container, like a laundry basket, to place your skeins in. Pulling yarn from middle of skein, thread each color through a hole in the basket before you begin working with it. This method has the added advantage of giving you somewhere to easily contain your work-in-progress project in one place until you can pick it up again.
Bobbin Holders
Try a baby bottle drying rack or check Etsyfor C2C bobbin holders similar to the one pictured here. There are many talented woodworkers who have come up with fantastic solutions for crocheters like us. 1DogWoof.com even has a tutorial on how to make your modular bobbin holder.
HOW TO WEAVE IN ENDS
Some crocheters choose to weave in ends every few rows, while others may do them at the end of each day. Others still save them all for one glorious weaving session at the conclusion of a project.
In any case, weaving in the ends is also an opportunity to clean up any areas of your project where you'd like the individual tiles to be more visually connected. To do this, simply use a yarn tail to do a few whip stitches where you want the tiles to appear less separate. Then proceed with weaving in the end as described below. Weaving is usually done with a tapestry or upholstery needle, but a small crochet hook can also be used for dense projects.
Step 1: Thread yarn tail onto tapestry needle. Insert needle through the bottom "meatiest" section of a tile.
Step 2: Pass needle back through tile in opposite direction, taking care to pick up one vertical strand of yarn from the tile you're working through.
Step 3: Repeat Step 2.
Step 4: Snip yarn tail and celebrate being one step closer to a finished C2C project!
Repeat Steps 1-4 with each tail.
CHAPTER 2Projects
MIDTOWN STROLL BABY BLANKET
A modern alternative to the classic crochet baby blanket, this gender-neutral blanket is perfect for city and country folk alike. Babies will love the graphic, high contrast patterns, while parents will appreciate a statement piece of handmade art for the nursery. Substitute the pale blue sky in favor of a brighter color for a Pop Art look. For an adult-sized throw, use a bulkier yarn and larger hook.
Difficulty Rating
* * *
Yarn
Lion Brand Vanna's Choice (100% acrylic), 4 worsted (10-ply/aran), 100g (70yd/156m), in the following shades:
> Silver Grey (149); 1 skein
> Dark Grey Heather (404); 1 skein
> Charcoal Grey (151); 2 skeins
> White (100); 1 skein
> Silver Blue (105); 3 skeins
Supplies
Size H (5mm) hook
Finished Size
30½ x 35½in (77.5 x 90cm)
Gauge (Tension)
4 tiles measure 3½in (9cm) using size H (5mm) hook and Lion Brand Vanna's Choice
Stitch
Double crochet (UK treble crochet) C2C
Instructions
TO MAKE THE BLANKET
> Follow the written pattern and graph to crochet the blanket.
> Weave in all ends (I promise, you can do it!).
> For the border, work one round of single crochet border (see General Techniques: Single Crochet Border), followed by one round of crab stitch border (see General Techniques: Crab Stitch Border). For each border, use Silver Blue around the 'sky' section and Charcoal Grey around the 'city' section.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Corner To Corner Crochet"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Jess Coppom.
Excerpted by permission of F+W Media, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION,
TOOLS AND MATERIALS,
How to C2C,
C2C BASICS,
HOW TO INCREASE,
HOW TO DECREASE,
CHANGING COLOR,
MANAGING YARNS,
Projects,
MIDTOWN STROLL BABY BLANKET,
FADED ARROWS THROW,
PEAK-TO-PEAK BEANIE,
WEE WANDERER BABY BLANKET,
INVERSE THROW,
FROSTED WINDOW THROW,
SKI LODGE PILLOW,
DOWN SHIFT BICYCLE PILLOW,
TAPESTRY PILLOW,
LOVE SQUARED WASHCLOTH,
ON THE PLUS SIDE RUG,
CRESTED BUTTE COWL,
BRUSHSTROKES SCARF,
ENDLESS SKY PONCHO,
SEDIMENT BLANKET PONCHO,
Techniques,
CROCHET BASICS,
GENERAL TECHNIQUES,
RESOURCES,
ABOUT THE AUTHOR,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
Related Subjects
Customer Reviews
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