Welcome One, Welcome All
How This Works :)
1 BREATHE! This is sooooo relaxed. There is no right or wrong, just interpret the instructions however they seem to read to you. Everyone's freeform will turn out differently anyway :) ery day in March 2012 there'll be a new instruction with changes to the following things. \* stitch - we'll start off simple and get more complex as we get better acquainted with the freeform. \* yarn - just go with the nearest thing you have to what's suggested. \* hook size - sometimes this won't match your yarn... that's part of the fun! + Direction - this will become apparent as we go along \* when to stop - even in the middle of the freeform \* Where to start - this will be an approximate thing, don't get bogged down with being exact :) 3 Sometimes there will be something else thrown into the mix, like adding beads maybe. 4 The number of stitches and/or rows you do will either given to you, or will be chosen using a kind of random number generator, e.g. go and count the number of spoons in your kitchen - that's your amount of stitches, or roll a dice for the number, etc.\* 5 The whether you follow the directions as though they are UK or US stitches is up to you unless stated in that day's directions. 6 This year's instructions will be heavily influenced by a few things... 5 is the magic number! events happening this year Special Anniversaries 7 Occasionally, there will be a DfaD (Designer for a Day) who will give an instruction. This may be in addition to the normal day's instructions and if that's the case you can chose to do one, the other, or both... up to you :) 8 For those of you who find working in one colour too tough, 5 is the magic number for you, allow yourself 5 occasions where you can use contrasting, or complimentary, colours :) 9 For those of you who want to make something larger, 5 is the magic number for you too, multiply any of the instruction numbers by 5
y 0 of our Freeform - March 0 2012, or Leap Day 29 Feb ;)
It's a pre-curser to the real stuff; we're just setting ourselves up to begin. So pick a hook and pick some yarn; any hook, any yarn in your chosen colour.
What's going to be your favourite thing about 2012?
+ The amount of letters in this is the amount you chain. The amount of words is the number of rows you are going to do. If it's about family your stitch is single crochet If it's about pets your stitch is half double crochet If it's about friends your stitch is double crochet + If your favourite thing concerns anything else your stitch is treble crochet Now go and lay the groundwork for your freeform!
Day 1 of our Freeform - March 1 2012 - Hapus Dydd Dewi Sar
...or for non Welsh speakers... Happy Saint David's Day.
Here in Wales we are celebrating our patron saint, St David (a patron saint advocates in heaven for a nation, place, craft, activity, etc.) and the day is celebrated by the wearing of a daffodil. For today's instruction you need to decide on which flower is your favourite. Hook - Go up a size from yesterday's instruction. Yarn - Unless you are using the same yarn throughout change it now. Direction - if you are about to start with the right side facing, continue across your work as normal, if you are about to start with the wrong side facing you, don't! Instead carry on down the side of your work (and across the bottom if necessary. Stitch - Bobble. There is a description of the stitch here along with video links so you can watch and play along :) Amount of stitches - The amount of letters in your favourite flower. Now, if you're doing this in March 2012, tell us in the chat thread what your favourite flower is and why, post pictures if you like, and suggest someone to be the patron saint of crocheters ;)
Day 2 of our Freeform - March 1 2012 - INSPIRATI0N
One of our freeformers reminded me today of my love for Charles Rennie Mackintosh designs and it turns out that was fate at work. Why was it fate? Well, 5 years ago (5 is our magic number!) Glasgow City Council agreed to a café bar and live music venue (party anyone?) in a building that Mackintosh designed the facade of... the Daily Record Building... and what month did they give that permission???? Why March of course!!! Here is a drawing of his stylised rose on that building...
He also had full height tree motifs placed between the bays which were created by the simple use of different coloured bricks... how freeform-y! So, today's instruction is about someone whose work inspires you... a designer, an architect, a painter, anything... but not a crocheter (we'll be using this Ilater!). Hook - keep it the same as yesterday's instruction. Yarn - Unless you are using the same yarn throughout change it now. Direction - Take your current scrumble in both hands and turn it 180 degrees. Join your new yarn in a suitable place there. Stitch - Eyelet. There is a description of the stitch here, ignore row one, just repeat rows 2 and 3 Amount of stitches - The amount of letters in your inspirational person's name. Amount of rows - Count the decades that your inspirational person lived for, that's your amount of rows. Each time you do row 2 of the pattern above that counts as 1 row for you :) Be inspiring, thread ribbon, cord, plarn, anything, through your eyelets; secure ends down or do something different with them... let your inner self shine through... you are inspiring too! Now, if you're doing this in March 2012, tell us in the chat thread who it is that inspires you and why, post pictures of their work if you can... we all love eye candy!
Day 3 of our Freeform - March 2 2012 - Start Again!
Yep, that's what I said, start again. Put down your current scrumble and start a new one. You can chose how you want to join them later. For our new scrumble we are going to give a nod to the Olympics that are being held in the UK this year (2012). Hook - You chose. Yarn - You chose. Direction - Round in a circle.. 5 times, for the 5 Olympic rings. Then find an interesting way to join them together. Stitch - You chose. Amount of stitches - You chose. If you're new to freeform and this is a bit too scary for you, then use the magic ring to make rings. Make US double crochet (DC) into the rings, you will need to start with a chain three to act as your first DC, then make 11 further DC into the ring. You can chose to make all of the rings the same size, same stitch, same yarn, or you can chose to do all of them different, or you can chose to keep some things the same whilst changing others. You can chose to join them in a line, in a ring or in an interesting shape of your choosing... just remember, in freeform there is no right or wrong, it's all just a feeling of what works for You! Have fun my little Olympiads ;)
This is day 4 of our Freeform - March 4 2012 - March Forth
It's March Forth and Do Something Day!
So march forth to your craft room, table, box, and grab a piece of material (along with a needle and thread) and something that you wouldn't expect to see with crochet or with sewing. Cut your material to a size and shape you like, then do buttonhole stitch, back stitch, or a running stitch around it. Hook - 4mm. Yarn - Unless you are using the same yarn throughout pick something fluffy, fuzzy, or with texture Direction - Round in a circle... Round the outside of your material. Crochet Geek shows you how to do this here :) Stitch - You can stick to SC and DC, or do something more expressive, all are just as good :) Amount of stitches - Enough to go right round your piece of material Amount of rows - The amount of different colours you're wearing (if an item of clothing has more than one colour in it, the colour is "multi" and so counts as one), increase stitches as necessary to make your piece lay flat. If you don't know how to do that (and you're doing this in March 2012) yel out in the chat thread :) Now, "what", I hear you yell, "are we supposed to do with the object not related to crochet or sewing".. find a way to crochet it in to your scrumble... whether that be crochet a basic chain over it in the middle of your stitches, or something different...the choice is yours
This is day 5 of our Freeform - March 5 2012 - Look Back
For today, I'm going easy on you after yesterday's challenging day and this is how it goes. We marched forth yesterday, so today we're going to look back. Specifically to 1963 when, sadly, Patsy Cline died in a plane crash. I love her voice; love the sense of heartbreak she brings to her songs - one that we've all been able to identify with at one time or another! So, sit back and listen to Patsy at her best... Patsy's probably best known for her song "Crazy" and when I go'crazy + crochet' my mind always goes=corkscrews! Hook - 1 size smaller than you would normally use for the yarn you pick. Yarn - Unless you are using the same yarn throughout pick something variegated or the most vibrant shade of your chosen colour.. something a little, well, crazy! Direction - pick a piece of either of your scrumbles that you think would benefit from some dimensional work, attach your yarn there and begin your foundation chain for the spiral Stitch - [Corkscrew][2] Amount of stitches - If you've watched the video you'll know that your corkscrew will end up about half the size of your foundation chain, so decide how long you'd like your spiral and double it for the amount of chains. Amount of spirals - How many does your piece need????? Go crazy and honour a woman who had a great voice and a troubled life (which came through in the pathos of her music) with your screwball spirals! If you're doing this in March 2012, share in the chat thread which vocalist, band, instrument player, really has a profound effect on you and why (link to a video if you can)... we're a bunch who like to broaden our horizons here ;)
This is Day 6 of our Freeform - March 6, 2012!
From, twisted1, our Designer-for-a-Day.
War of 1812
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the War of 1812. For most Americans, it has little significance to us other than a date we have to memorize in school. However, it is being celebrated in a big way in Canada, and after reading about it I learned a lot of things I never knew. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_1812 ?The U.s. declared war on Britain in June 1812, over the interference with trade and westwardexpansion. ·The U.s. invaded Canada in an attempt to annex those lands. Francis Scott Key was inspired to write our National Anthem as he watched the defense of Baltimore. Dolly Madison was instrumental in saving the portrait of George Washington as the British burned down the original White House. For today's instructions, pick 3 yarns that “do not play well with others”’ to represent Britain, The U.S. and Canada at war. We will do the Flame Stitch. Top section of the photo illustrates this stitch
Hook size: appropriate to yarn Number of full repeats : 2, to mark the length of the war 1812-1814 You may make a free-standing piece to attach later, or find a straight edge on your Freeform. Yarn A=America Yarn B= Britain Yarn C=Canada Lsc= long single crochet (instead of working into the usual stitch, you insert hook into stitch from row below as specified in instructions, draw up your loop to working height and complete the stitch. Try to keep your loops loose) Foundation row (wrong side): with A, ch 1, 1 sc in each stitch across, ch 1, turn. Row 5 (Rs): Drop A, attach B, sc in each of nect 2 sc, \* 1 Isc in next st 1 row below, 1 Isc in next st 2 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 3 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 4 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 3 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 2 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 1 row below, 1 sc \* end 1 sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. Row 10 (ws): Drop B, attach C. 1 sc, \* 1 Isc in next st 4 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 3 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 2 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 1 row below, 1 sc in next st, 1 Isc in next st 1 row below, 1 Isc in next st 2 rows below, 1 Isc in next st 3 rows below end 1 Isc in next st 4 rows below, sc. Ch 1, turn. Rows 11-14: 1 sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. Repeat rows 5-14 to complete 2 full repeats (optional) It seems strange to think of these 3 countries being at war with each other when we are such allies today. Just as your 3 yarns are now intermeshed. Why can't we all just get along?
s is day 7 of our Freeform - March 7 2012 - Try Something Ner
I was just sitting there and thinking, oh dear, I must go and make up today's instruction for those lovely little freeformers, then I read a post from fibredoodle, and it all clicked into place :) Let's all try something new, is there a stitch that's been scaring you, that you're itching to try out and haven't found the right project, or just a stitch that you keep meaning to get around to? Today's the day for it. Hook - yarn appropriate. Yarn - Unless you are using the same yarn throughout stick with the last yarn you used on your freeform. Direction - Start a new scrumble, your new stitch deserves it ;) Stitch - You chose. If you haven't got one in mind then why not join fibredoodle in having a go at Crocodile Stitch. Here you'll find written instructions along with some videos, and here is Crochet Geek with one of her excellent videos. Amount of stitches - count the teaspoons in your drawer (if it's over 10 add the 2 numbers together e.g. 13 is 1+3 and so becomes 4) and times this number by the amount of people who live in your house. That's your number of stitches. Amount of rows - Do it until you feel it you've shown the stitch off to its best advantage. Can't wait to see what people choose!
Today is International Women's Day
Surprisingly, this commemorative day dates back to the early 1900s and the to time of the suffragettes. It is also 1o0 years this year since the 'Bread and Roses' campaign drew attention to women's working conditions and, although this happened in the Us, the movement spread around the world making it possible for women to aspire to be whatever their dreams lead them towards. It was reported that strikers, led predominantly by women, carried signs saying "We want bread, but we wantroses,too!". Today's women want bread, the essentials in life; but we also need to enrich our lives with things beyond the mundane, the roses of life :) So we will commemorate our grandmother's, our great grandmothers, even our great-greatgrandmother's struggle to bring equality to our lives, whilst also teaching us that it's ok to want more than just the basics, teaching us to feed our souls as well. Chose a stitch, motif or edging that symbolises each of these things to you (3 in total) 1. The bread of your life the things that may seem hum-drum, but are so important to your world 2. The roses of life, the things that enrich it and feed your soul 3. The woman in your life who you have most looked up to. Tell us in the chat thread about these three things. If you don't have access to a crochet stitch book, here is a selection of stitches, motifs, and trims. Here are some more if you can read charts and here is the best tutorial I've ever seen on reading charts (if that's something you would like to learn to do during this ingredient!). It says it's for Japanese, but then notes that these are actually International. Enjoy! Here is the James Oppenheim poem about the bread and roses strike, I hope you like it :) As we come marching, marching in the beauty of the day, A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill lofts gray, Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses, For the people hear us singing: "Bread and roses! Bread and roses!"" As we come marching, marching, we battle too for men, For they are women's children, and we mother them again. Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes; Hearts starve as well as bodies; give us bread, but give us roses! As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead Go crying through our singing their ancient cry for bread. Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew. Yes, it is bread we fight for - but we fight for roses, too! As we come marching, marching, we bring the greater days. The rising of the women means the rising of the race. No more the drudge and idler - ten that toil where one reposes, But a sharing of life's glories: Bread and roses! Bread and roses!
Day 9 of our Freeform - March 9 2012 - Be kind to yourself!
We're been really challenging ourselves over the last 8 instructions, so it's time to dial it down a notch and be kind to ourselves. We're going to do 2 things.. 1. Look at your scrumbles and see if they're calling out for something... anything... a couple of chains here or there connecting things, a bullion or 2, some V stitches, some picots? Add them on, play, have fun :) 2. Play with spirals, improve your technique. Even if you've done this before, do some more, you can balance out your finished piece by where you place them. I heartily recommend having a look at the Sylvia Cosh James Walters spirals worksheet, along with Prudence Mapstone's Spectacular Spirals , and Crochet Scallops & Spirals Ebook from Renate Kirkpatrick.
