Okay. I have WAY too many different crochet projects going on. As always. But it’s starting to get hot and with no AC in the house, that means I’m spurning the electronics AND the crochet hook more often than not. Well, it’s not the hook so much as the yarn. So I like to stick with smaller projects during the summer, but I can only do so much amigurumi because the tight stitching hurts my hands after not very long at all. So in my heat muddled head, I decided that I should find a project (or two) that I can work on without having the computer up, too – only one of two sources of heat would be tolerable right? Well, now that the house is getting as hot as 90 degrees in the afternoon some days, I’ve decided that my reasoning is faulty. However, I’d already put this not-so-ingenious idea to work in the form of an easy stitch and repeat pattern that I can calculate time invested simply by counting rows – which is now even easier than ever because I finally invested in a row counter, which I absolutely love.
I did, however, take the time to do a modified foundation stitch to provide a base that similarly matches the top – ultimately because I’m lazy and don’t like doing borders.
THE PINS MARK WHERE THE SHELL AND THEN THE TWO ROPES BEGIN
I’m particularly fond of this stitch pattern because it’s not only simple, but it also works up well in a variety of yarns. This is the first time I’ve used a variegated yarn, though, and although I’m not certain how it would work with longer color changes, I rather like the way this is turning out. I think once it is washed and blocked, it will really open up and show the shells between the ropes (shall we call them vines?) in a very, well, rose garden like look.
-C
