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

Modern Lace-Mountain Gold

In our "Modern Lace" posts, we will feature current trends in Irish crochet, and new or inspired uses for traditional techniques.  Our first post is by Fatima L., who has designed the gorgeous necklace below.

“Mountain Gold” is one of five crochet jewelry patterns that I designed to explore the idea of the small crocheted motif and simple hand sewing. The motifs in “Mountain Gold” are sewn together to become an adornment for the neck.

I am quite fond of combining sewing with crocheting, something that I learned through reading antique publications on Irish Crochet. I find that sewn joins have useful rigidity and can be adjusted to desired flatness or curvature of the crocheted fabric. While there are specific sewing techniques for seaming such as whip stitch and mattress stitch, I often improvise, taking into account the direction and tension of sewing and the effect these have on the fabric.

The leaves in “Mountain Gold” are similarly inspired by Irish Crochet motifs, in particular, the leaves employed in Lula M. Harvey’s “Wild Rose Design.”

“Mountain Gold” may be found at http://crochetology.net/2011/04/mountain-gold


The Priscilla Irish Crochet Book, A Collection of New and Original Designs with Stitches and Lessons for Working by Lula M. Harvey, published in 1912.

http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/catalog.htm

Translation–Hardouin Volume 1, No. 4, La Pensee

Pansy

Materials

No 40 thread: Coats, DMC, Lizbeth etc
1.00mm hook
No 10 thread for padding cord

Can be worked in any size thread from No 10 to No 80, with appropriate hook and padding cord

English terminology

Standard abbreviations

pc=padding cord

Downloaded from http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org
Worth a look to print out the photo, even if you don’t want the French text.

Wind the padding cord twice round the handle of a crochet hook, pencil etc.

Pick up working thread and make a slip stitch. Remove wraps carefully and work 38-40 trebles over the pc, ss into first dc to close the ring.

(Note: Mme Hardouin recommends a special treble when working over pc: work off 1 loop, then 3 loops. As she says, it covers the pc better.)

Working through both loops of each stitch over padding cord:

1^st Crescent 10 dc over the first 10 stitches on the ring,
40 stitches on pc alone, turn the work back (to the right – see photo) and attach with pc by doing a dc in the first of the 10 stitches that you have just done on the ring - work the dc through both loops of the stitch.

(You will need to twist the 40sts/pc so that the top of the sts face outward – see photo)

Drop the padding cord, turn, and over the 40 sts on the pc:
1dc, 1htr, 36 tr, 1htr, 1dc, turn
Repeat this row.
Pick up the pc again, working 1dc into the same place where pc was dropped,
10dc over the first 8 dc of the crescent.
Then make 6 picots with 5 sts between.
Finish with dc in the rest of the stitches, increasing by 2 sts.

Before beginning this last row it is vital to tighten the pc so that the crescent will lie flat, otherwise your motif will not have a good shape.

 2^nd Crescent

Again work 10 dc on the centre and begin the 2^nd crescent with 40dc on the pc, turn and attach with 1dc to the 12^th stitch of the 1^st crescent. Turn and do 1 row of 3ch 1dc in the 2^nd, turn and do a 2^nd row the same, putting the hook into each hole; do 2 rows more, making a total of 4 rows of net. Take up the pc again, make 4dc in the 1^st two holes, then alternately 2dc, 1 picot, 2dc and 4dc. After the 7^th picot work 4dc in the remaining holes.

3^rd Crescent Do 10dc into the ring and make a 3^rd crescent like the 1^st, attach to the 12^th stitch of the 2^nd crescent. After this last crescent, do a few sts on the ring with the pc, and do the stalk by working 60 dc on the pc and returning with trebles, still on the pc. Join the stalk to the ring, make a crown and a few dc more on the remaining sts of the ring. Cut and finish off the pc by stitching under the 1^st crescent.Crown:  Dc over pc with a picot every 5 or 6 stitches. It is attached to the motif only once, about halfway round the motif, opposite the stem.

Translated by Sally M.

Translation-Hardouin Volume 1, No. 8, Le Pneu

I used a #14 hook with #80 thread over two strands of #10 for the PC. Diameter of my flower is about 1.5 inches.

Rough Translation: (UK terms in parentheses) 
Make a circle with the PC by winding it around your hook shaft 25 or 30 times. (I wound it maybe 12 times)

R1:Fill the circle with as many sc (dc) as possible.

R2: Ch5, 1tr (dtr) in stitch, ch1, 1 tr (dtr) in next stitch, repeat italicised directions around, finishing with ch1, slip stitch into 4th chain of beginning 5ch.

R3: Over PC, 3 sc (dc) in each ch1 space.

R4: Over PC, work the spirals. Make a loop with the cord, working 20 sc (dc) around loop. Make one sc (dc) in the stitch below, tighten loop and make 4 sc (dc), skip 3 sc (dc) make one sc (dc) in the stitch below. Repeat italicised directions, spiraling around. Stop when you have 10 open stitches, now make the stem. You shouldn’t have to turn the PC. This round was confusing for me, so I am not sure if I’ve explained it correctly, but the result is nice :)

Stem: Continue, on the PC only, 75 sc (dc), making a loop halfway down and securing it with a slipstitch. ch2, turn and sc (dc) back up the stem, working around the loop, securing with a slipstitch, finishing at the top, with a couple of sc (dc) on the flower round.

By Kim