Stitch: Double Crochet – A Hooker's World

Black or White Scarf

My crochet houndstooth stitch development has been a regressive process from the beginning…

Name

The project name should be obvious: Black or White by Michael Jackson.

Black Or White Scarf

Dimensions: 66-inch Length x 5-inch Width

The work up of this scarf was very quick as I only had to change color every row, alleviating additional yarn twisting. I used

Yarn

Michaels Loops & Threads Impeccable

Fiber Content: 100% Acrylic
Yarn Colors: 01040 Black and 01005 White
Yarn Weight: 4, Worsted

Designer Notes

My crochet hound’s tooth stitch development has been a regressive process from the beginning because I finally made a scarf in the recommended hound’s tooth stitch pattern – Griddle Stitch – and now I see it!

I will be presenting all four scarves to the recipient and let him choose which one he likes best; the three that are left will go into inventory.

And now…back to work on the eBook: Hound’s Tooth & Beyond.

Baby Blanket

On da Hook: January 6, 2016
Off da Hook: January 21, 2016
Pattern: Mayflower Baby Blanket by Tammy Hildebrand
Yarn: Cascade Elysian (Fiber Content: 60% Superwash Merino Wool, 40% Acrylic; Yarn Color: 06; Yarn Weight: 4, Worsted)
Hook: US I/9 – 5.5 mm
Dimensions: 31 x 31 inches

Oh whoa! Oh whoa! Oh whoa!

Loved the pattern result. I indicated medium difficulty rating because I am an advance crocheter; Lynette had difficulty with the pattern as a less experienced crocheter. Advise confident knowledge of back/front post construction, which took me a minute to get my stitch count down. The other thing that threw me for a loop was the half double crochets, whose top stitch points left versus double crochet which point right.

Noticed some errors in the copy: Border indicates SC count…should be stitch count. Notified Caron. Once again when it come to the border, my counts got all messed up, so I improvised a border; also because we were not sure we had enough yarn. Commendation to Cascade Yarns for getting back to me within 24 hours; I was right should have read “stitches,” not “single crochet.”

When I calculated 5 skein yardage, I was short. Another visit to the store only produced one more skein and I thought we needed at least two.

Oh well, I am just waiting to hear from the client as to whether she is satisfied and then I will sew in the ends, fluff it and deliver it.

I always try to find a project appropriate song name for my projects, but I my choices are lessening. I named this project after Baby by Justin Bieber. I think I may just start picking song names at random.

Dead Man’s Party Antimacassars: Full Set

On da Hook: March 17, 2015
Off da Hook: July 6, 2015
Pattern: Skeleton Antimacassar by Regina Rioux
Yarn: Department 71 Perle Cotton Size 8 (Fiber Content: 100% Cotton; Yarn Color: [White], Yarn Weight: < 0, 10-Count Crochet Thread)
Hook: US 8 – 1.5 mm

I finally finished and here is the full set that I was commissioned to make. The duration above represents the project time from beginning to end. Each piece can be viewed in its own post: Skull, Rib Cage, Right Humerus, Left Humerus, Right Ulna, Left Ulna, Right Hand, Left Hand. I will be throwing in the extra, practice skull also.

Critically speaking, my tension changed throughout the project, evidenced by a longer right side than left side. Additionally, I wish the side were more straight and there was less rippling on the edges. However, they are hand made and anything handmade is not going to be perfect. Besides, no human body is perfect either.

To reiterate, the project name – Dead Man’s Party by Oingo Boingo – was a selection from my music library.

And for those word/history buffs, Macassar oil was an unguent for the hair commonly used in the early 19th century. An antimacassar was a small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs, or the head or cushions of a sofa, to prevent soiling of the permanent fabric.

Dead Man’s Party Antimacassars: Right Hand

On da Hook: June 24, 2015
Off da Hook: July 2, 2015
Pattern: Skeleton Antimacassar by Regina Rioux
Yarn: Department 71 Perle Cotton Size 8 (Fiber Content: 100% Cotton; Yarn Color: [White], Yarn Weight: < 0, 10-Count Crochet Thread)
Hook: US 8 – 1.5 mm
Dimensions: 6 x 10 (H) inches

After a recent 4-day hospitalization, I am glad to return home and only have about half of the last antimacassar to finish. I managed to move the furniture into an accommodating formation to maintain elevation of my leg and finished that right hand this morning.

Next I will sew in the ends; launder, praying the second skull turns white; and iron them. I will photograph all pieces together and post a picture in a separate post.

Dead Man’s Party Antimacassars: Left Hand

On da Hook: June 23, 2015
Off da Hook: June 23, 2015
Pattern: Skeleton Antimacassar by Regina Rioux
Yarn: Department 71 Perle Cotton Size 8 (Fiber Content: 100% Cotton; Yarn Color: [White], Yarn Weight: < 0, 10-Count Crochet Thread)
Hook: US 8 – 1.5 mm
Dimensions: 6 x 10 (H) inches

It is definitely getting too hot to crochet. I figured I could finish this in one day and I met my deadline. Now I only have the right hand to do.

The hand was a little bit more difficult; I think it was because of all the open space, especially between the fingers.

I know it looks like a right hand, but I checked the pattern chart and I definitely have the left hand positioned with the exact orientation as the chart.

Dead Man’s Party Antimacassars: Right Ulna

On da Hook: June 3, 2015
Off da Hook: June 4, 2015
Pattern: Skeleton Antimacassar by Regina Rioux
Yarn: Department 71 Perle Cotton Size 8 (Fiber Content: 100% Cotton; Yarn Color: [White], Yarn Weight: < 0, 10-Count Crochet Thread)
Hook: US 8 – 1.5 mm
Dimensions: 4 x 14.5 (H) inches

Only three more antimacassars to go: Left Ulna, Right Hand and Left Hand.

If you are following this series, you might be interested to know that I decided to wash the yellowed antimacassars in mom’s washing machine on the Whitest Whites setting with bleach and detergent. Despite grabbing the wrong skull…Voila! They are now white. Yay!

Dead Man’s Party Antimacassars: Right Humerus

On da Hook: May 28, 2015
Off da Hook: May 29, 2015
Pattern: Skeleton Antimacassar by Regina Rioux
Yarn: Department 71 Perle Cotton Size 8 (Fiber Content: 100% Cotton; Yarn Color: [White], Yarn Weight: < 0, 10-Count Crochet Thread)
Hook: US 8 – 1.5 mm
Dimensions: 5 x 20 (H) inches

This is the third of eight pieces. I am glad it was so narrow; the crochet went much faster.