I'm not really into a lot of lace. Sure, it has a time and place, and little touches of it can be quite elegant, but generally speaking it just isn't me. That means that I tend to shy away from crochet patterns with the word "lace" in the title. Plus, I don't really have any yarn or thread that would be appropriate for lace. (When it hits a rock bottom price at Michael's, or shows up at my Dollar Tree, or I stumble on some in some other way then I might pick some up!) However, while flipping through a library book I came across a lace pattern with violets in between lots of trellis work. Those violets looked awesome--and I thought that they were "me" so I decided to adapt the pattern to something that I would like.
My original idea was to take a couple of rows of the lace pattern and make a year round open and airy scarf/belt. I planned on using a cheerful color of yarn that should work for any season. I wanted it to be fairly skinny and long to allow for various wrapping, draping, and tying combinations.
Not having the finer crochet thread, I opted to use some of my Peaches and Creme pink and purple yarn. It is easy to work with and 100% cotton. First I worked some trellises (pretty much just chains and single crochet--dramatic and yet simple). They looked pretty cool, but it was a little too big open for me using the larger hook and yarn combination; plus, I really wanted this project to be skinny and if I had two rows of trellis, a row of violets, and two more rows of trellis it would be pretty wide. So I scratched the trellis work and opted for a row of single crochet to work the violets into. (That is one nice thing about crocheting--if something doesn't turn out how you'd like all you have to do is unravel it. No biggie.)
Then I began working on the violets. They are mostly constructed of treble puffs. I had to make a couple of changes to the pattern here and there to account for all of the differences (yarn, hook, trellis vs. single crochet, etc). Two of the petals are worked in the first row with the other three being worked into the next row.
Once the two rows that create the violets were finished I mirrored the beginning rows and finished with slip stitches all around.
Overall, I like the finished product! I think it is cute (and if you don't agree with me, that's okay!). I do think that I would like to try this project again with a finer yarn and smaller hook. I also think that these violets could be pretty worked into an afghan. But that is a project for another day!
Check out my
Facebook page for a
few more pictures and the
original crocheted lace pattern. I'd be tickled pink if you "like" me!
I will be linking up at the following link parties:
http://sewcando.blogspot.com
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2012/02/20/made-by-you-monday-88/
http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/
http://linesacrossmyface.blogspot.com/
http://becolorful.typepad.com/becolorful/
http://www.northerncottage.net/
http://gigglesglitzandglam.blogspot.com/
http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com
http://www.mybackyardeden.com/
http://imtopsyturvy.com/
http://my3boybarians.com/
http://www.notjustahousewife.net/
http://atozebracelebrations.blogspot.com/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/
http://goteamduncan.com/2012/02/whatcha-got-wednesdays-link-up/
It took a little while for my fingers to adjust to the difference--both to the size and weight of the thread and of the hook. Once I got the hang of it I made progress--slow progress. Like I said before, it felt like it took forever! I used my (current) favorite stitch pattern--the same one I used when making my Shades of Green Belt. This pattern really looks different on these projects, doesn't it!? I just kept going until my ball of thread ran out.
