So, here's a cool thing to do today: Bloggers and Interweave authors are opening their studios for the first-ever Open Studio Virtual Online Tour! You'll find details and a full list of participants here. Be sure to check out the studio of crochet designer Kristin Omdahl.

Stop in and be inspired!

Marcy

I've been working the Shawlette in Chains by Kristin Omdahl from Crocheted Gifts by Kim Werker. Here are a few more tips:
For the first tip, I drew from a quilting technique called, actually, chain piecing. You use it to sew together a series of shapes. After sewing together two pieces of fabric, you slide the next two under without cutting the thread. When you're done, you simply cut the threads between each set of fabric. Quilted chain piecing looks like this.

This is how this translates to this project:

In this week's enewsletter, I talk about learning how to do the most basic crochet stitch–chaining–all over again in order to make the Shawlette in Chains by Kristin Omdahl in Crocheted Gifts by Kim Werker.

I'm using laceweight for the project, but it's a bit too slender for clear pictures of tensioning. So I'm illustrating with a DK yarn.

Here's how I crochet with close tensioning:

In this week's enewsletter, I'll be writing about finding the right tension for making chains. If you're not signed up for the enewsletter, just click on the brown rectangle over to the right of your screen. Then come back Thursday for more details on this blog.

See you then!

Marcy

update: find the blog post here.

Wimi had a blast checking out the yarns and people at TNNA. Here's a little bit of what she saw.

Here with her new Peruvian crocheted friend, Smith, Wimi is under the spell of a new acquaintance. She declined the offer of a beer, but regrets that she can't tell you more. The babe in black is the creation of Mary Beth Temple.

Here, Wimi and Smith hang out at the ballpark for the TNNA Stitch n Pitch at Huntington Park (great fun, though Wimi has the same story: She declined the offer of a beer, but regrets that she can't tell you more about the game).

She met a new BFF:

This is Laura Patterson, with a freshly signed copy of Cookie A's phenomenal Sock Innovation. Laura, of Fiber Dreams, has already cast on Wanida.

Over at the booth, Interweave was taping Knitting Daily TV. And to prove that the series really does feature crochet, here is Kristin Omdahl wrapping up her chat with Eunny Jang:

(I know some of you may be thinking that Wimi has some kind of mad crush thing going with Kristin Omdahl, but really, it's just coincidence)

There's more. But as Doris Chan says: "What happens in Columbus stays in Columbus."

So we leave you with this image. Wimi getting home on the last flight out of Philly:

Really. That is The. Last. Plane. Usually there are two boards full of flights. (At least there was one.)

Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on the Solomon's Knot, to help you along with Dolores, the featured download with the Summer issue of Interweave Crochet.

Ciao,
Wimi

(and Smith and Marcy)

You all have the best ideas!

I asked you what button to use for the cardi and you chose -- no buttons!

So I made ties:

I attached the yarn at the top of the body, right under the motif yoke. I chained 50, made a 3-stitch bobble in the second chain, then slip-stitched back up the chain to the body. I slip-stitched a couple times on the body, then wove in the ends. I made the tie on the other side the same way.

To wear it, I laced the ties upward through the edge loops on the yoke.
It looks good, too, with the ties just tied right at the top of the body, and the edges of the motifs folded back. But I don't have a good picture of that.

(Her Dogginess actually approves, though she looks rather aloof at the moment.)

Thanks, y'all!

Marcy

I love linked crochet. I can't explain it, but there's something about the stitch that simultaneously slows down and speeds up the process. The linked treble stitch, for instance, takes longer to make than double-crochet. But when you're done, you've made a row that's as tall as a triple crochet. If you aren't familiar with this stitch, our Back to Basics feature in the Spring issue of Interweave Crochet tells all about it.

The Forest Flower Pullover by Kristin Omdahl on the cover of this issue gives lots of practice with linked crochet. I know, because I'm working on my very own sweater. I reversed the colors so the body is teal and the flowers are natural and tan with a touch of red (the white top is lovely, but I'm just not a white-top kinda gal).

To appease my multi-tasking nature, I am alternating between the motifs and the body of the sweater. I did all the flower centers at once, then wove in the ends. Then I did a few rows of linked crochet for the body. On another night, I did the second round of the flowers. Later this week, I'll weave in the ends. Ideally, by the time I finish the body of the sweater, all the motifs will be done and crocheted together. So I'll just whip it all together!

Oh, and the sleeves -- here's my sleeve trick. At one point, I didn't have enough yarn to work a row of the body. So I began the sleeves, which, of course, require less yarn to work across a row. Every time I run short on body yarn, I'll do more of the sleeve. So, when I'm done the body, ideally the sleeves will be done too.

I know, I know -- it will all take just as long to do. But it feels shorter. And it gets a project done!

What are your tricks for making a project move along faster? Do tell!

Happy crocheting

Marcy