Two crochet techniques I need to use more...

I love crochet - a lot. When I'm crocheting I feel cool, I can go fast and make fancy patterns and it just makes sense to me. I've been crocheting for much longer than I have been knitting. When I first started to crochet it was for sculptural purposes - elements to add to my artwork. Now, I crochet garments and still use it in my artistic practise.

The Cloister 

The first technique that I love and want to do more of is Tapestry Crochet (also called: Mosaic Crochet, Jacquard Crochet, Intarsia, Fair Isle and Hard Crochet). It's a technique where you carry and use different colours to make patterns within your work. Much like colour work in knitting. I was first introduced to this technique by Danielle Kassner who is just amazing. I started working on her pattern for fingerless gloves called, "Cloister" during her class and never finished them. They went into my "unfinished" pile, not sure why because I was enjoying making them so much. I think now that I have more experience doing this technique, I'll make them again. It takes awhile to get your tension right. Another pattern I'm almost finished is another from the same designer called, "Camino de Santiago". It's an infinity scarf.
I got super inspired when I went to the David Bowie show that was at the Art Gallery of Ontario late last year. I saw all his wild knit "fair isle" patterned costumes and immediately wanted to make some of my own patterns BUT in crochet not knit! The costumes I am referring to were designed by Kansai Yamamoto.

The Camino de Santiago

The second technique is Broomstick Lace (also called Jiffy Lace). This techniques uses a very large knitting needle that the stitches are hooked around, you then remove the needle and catch the loops in different configurations to create a very unique and lofty lace. It was traditionally done on a broomstick and was called Jiffy Lace because you can create something rather quickly compared to doing other traditional lace making techniques. I wouldn't necessarily agree with that, as I'm making a shawl and it's quite awkward as it's increasing and the stitch count is growing…  I learned this technique the old fashion way - sitting down with an old book and my friend Tamaralda who was taking the Crochet Guild of America's Certification Program (I learned lots of different crochet techniques that year!).


Maybe I'll write about those techniques another time...

Not the best picture, but you see the large knitting needle.