Modern Love--Kim's Shamrock Piece

Shamrocks from Priscilla and D'Arcy books

This little piece of Irish Crochet seemed like it would never be finished!  It started out as just the shamrock motifs.  I was planning to make a top or blouse but used No. 10 thread for the shamrocks, and thought they were a little big for what I had in mind.  The border that you see there (from a Priscilla book) was going to be a waist decoration.  It just wasn't working out so when the IC Lovers group on Ravelry had a backgrounds CAL (crochet-a-long) in October 2012, I was happy to use the shamrocks for that.  I had to make more, but once I got the layout designed, the filling in went pretty quickly.  I made the center first, with the close mesh, and then did the Clones Knots working from the center out to the edges.  I can see where I changed direction but overall I'm happy with finishing this!  I think I will make it into a pillow.

~~Kim

Clones Knots as taught by Maire Treanor

Flowers in the center border are from Duplet

Modern Love--Mirto's Skirt

Mirto's skirt, modeled by her daughter

Last month I walked into Stitches West (a fiber convention with classes and shopping here in the US), and right away I saw a woman wearing an amazing, colorful, crocheted skirt.  It was made in the Russian style of Irish Crochet and I stopped and complimented her on her skirt.  After I walked away, I thought, "hmmm, she looked familiar" so I went back and asked if we knew each other.  We did!  It was Mirto.  We had met in 2011 at Maire Treanor's Irish Crochet Workshop at Lacis!  It turned out we were both taking Myra Wood's awesome class on creative crochet shawls.  We spent the day together and promised to meet again.  She is very kind to share her process and photos with us here on the blog!

As a template, Mirto used a skirt that was flattering to her figure.  She started with the waist band sizing.  She wanted it to hang just below the waist.  She used a repetitive rhythmic design that she improvised as she went along.  She pinned her motifs right side up, and used Garden 5 Nazli Gelin yarn, Crystal Palace Panda Silk, and Araucania Lonco in reds.

She wanted to keep the motifs in a repetitive pattern until she got below the hips.  Her design at the waist of repeating small motifs is a very flattering design and creates interest without distracting from the pattern below at the hemline.

Mirto created nine gores (sections of the skirt).  In each section she placed a leaf pattern with a long stem leading to the hem.  She wiggled the stems, which she created with the Romanian cord method, so they had pleasing contours.  She placed her motifs in between the stems.  Mirto says it took her 4 hours to connect all the motifs of the first gore.  The subsequent gores ended up taking about 2 hours each to join.

Creating the sections and placing the lower motifs.

The skirt in progress, placed over the slip with which it is to be worn.

After she finished the body of the skirt, she added a bit more to the waist line, tapering it in a little, and adding a thin elastic cord.  I love how the hemline is irregular, following the contours of the motifs.

The finished skirt.  Amazing!

Modeled again by her lovely daughter!

Mirto writes, "It probably took me about a month to do. I set myself up for a deadline to show it at the 2012 Reno CGOA/TKOA fashion show-and nearly didn't make it!!"

Mirto, thank you again for sharing your beautiful skirt with us!  Do any of you have any projects you would like to share?  Please email me if you do!

~~Kim

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Kim's little tree

Eileen's motifs on a card

Are you  up to your neck in projects for the holidays?  I hope not, because Eileen is sharing a great little motif here!! ~~Kim

Here is the pattern for the Christmas tree, which has been adapted from the Ridged IC leaf motif known to many.

Terms given UK

Row 1

4 chain, 1dc in 2nd ch from hook,1dc in next ch, 3dc in last chain,

working along other side of chain make 2 dc.-Turn

Work each row into the back loop of the stitch for remainder of motif.

Row 2
1 dc in each of next 3 stitches, 3dc in next ,1dc in each of next 3 sts-Turn

Row 3
1dc in each of next 4 sts,3dc in next, 1dc in each of next 4 sts-Turn

Row 4
1dc in each of next 5 sts,3dc in next, 1dc in each of next 5 sts-Turn

Row 5
1dc in each of next 6 sts, 3dc in next, 1dc in each of next 6 sts-Turn

Row 6
1dc in each of next 7 sts, 3dc in next, 1dc in each of next 4 sts-Turn

Row 7
1dc in each of next 5 sts,3dc in next ,1dc in each of next 5sts-Turn

Row 8
1dc in each of next 6 sts, 3dc in next, 1dc in each of next 3 sts-Turn

Row 9
1dc in each of next 4sts, 3dc in next, 1dc in each of next 4 sts-Turn

Row 10
1dc in each of next 5 sts,3dc in next,1dc in each of next 2 sts-Turn

Row 11
1dc in each of next 4 sts, 3ch, 1dc in 2nd ch from hook 1dc in next ch,
1dc in same st as last of first 4 dc worked,1dc in each of next 3 sts-Fasten off.

To achieve this tree shape I have made more straight rows at the begining of the leaf before working the rows where less stitches are made to serrate the leaf edge.  The different height of the trees was achieved by making 1 ch less or more at the begining of the motif.

Eileen's suggestions for use of the Christmas Tree motif