not exactly a scrumble...

My photo today is not exactly a 'normal' scrumble, but it is freeform crochet.   

I started by using a fairly thick synthetic (nylon?) macramé cord to create the central spiral, then extended it by adding other stitches using fine mercerised cottons and glittery threads. 

The macramé cord was also used to needle-wrap some of the bars that hold the central crocheted piece in place, and also for finger wrapping around the recycled embroidery hoop into which the crochet has been suspended.  

To complete the piece I added 3 lengths of i-cord...and some large crystal pendants (only one of which is obvious in the photo, but there are others at the end of each the 'dangles').


This piece was created last year, for an exhibit titled 'Dare to Dream'.

Let me know if you ever decide to make your own freeform dreamcatcher.  Would love to see photos!  :-)

a crochet spiral that grew into a necklace

This is another one from a couple of years ago

...made by me, for me

...I have worn it quite a lot

still scrumbling :-)

It's been absolutely ages since I posted anything on this blog, so I figured it was probably about time to add another scrumble or two  ;-)  

Here's a closeup of a section of one (with lots of crochet bullions and a little bit of embroidery) that I did last year (or maybe it was the year before!).   If anyone is still reading here, let me know, and I will aim to post a few more photos periodically.  I can't promise it will actually be weekly, but for the moment I'll aim for a new addition on Monday mornings, and I'll see how I go.

Scrumble #47

here is a scrumble for March

...so much for my original idea of weekly scrumbles!

Maybe I will get another done before April, but at least I am aiming for a minimum of one a month this year...and since this is the 5th for 2012, I have already done way better than last year ;-)

I always seem to have a problem photographing oranges and reds, so in the picture the centre of the scrumble has lost a little bit of definition. The piece started with a small knitted section behind the ruffle (just above and right of centre), and then I crocheted on the raggy-looking orange bit (Indian recycled silk). Much richer in real life than in the photo.

I then continued outwards with little areas of both knitting and crochet, working multi-coloured stripes for most of the knitting and back post stitches and slip stitches for a lot of the crochet, with the aim of avoiding too much of a stripey effect. The tw0 little crochet flowers were made separately and attached onto the surface.

Lots of stash yarns, both new and very old, were used in the making of this scrumble; they include wool, silk, cotton, rayon and a few blends, plus a bit of man-made stuff for added sparkle (which probably doesn't show up much in the little thumbnail, but should be apparent if you click for the larger photo)

scrumble # 35

here is my next freeform piece - the red leaf shape was knitted first, using garter stitch, then chains were crocheted through the knitting to create the 'veins'.

a few glass beads were stitched on (just because
i happened to run across them shortly after i had finished knitting the leaf and they matched). Then a piece of very old, hand-knotted Japanese fishing net was placed over the entire leaf.

i have added a close-up showing the net. i bought it once at a textile conference, ages ago - just because it looked interesting - but i hadn't found a use for it until now.

to hold the net in place i added lots of little areas of freeform crochet to the edges of the leaf; they were worked over the fishnet at the same time as working into the knitting, to attach it securely.

this piece measures approximately 36cm (14") in length x 18cm (7") at the widest part.

Week #31

here is my latest blog scrumble. am visiting NYC at the moment, and heading out shortly for a class...so no time to write about it at present. if you have any questions about how this one is made feel free to ask, and i will get back to reply in a day or two.

week 19

Last week while travelling I came across a reference to psiloceras planorbis - ammonites from the Jurassic period that can be found fossilized in rocks in the south eastern areas of Wales....so for week 19's scrumble I have incorporated a crochet ammonite-like spiral shape set amongst a loose interpretation of some of the shapes and colours of the Welsh countryside. Mohair and other soft, hazy yarns were used to mirror the muted blending of even the stronger colours that were often apparent in the spring landscape.

week 18

I have spent the past couple of weeks in Wales and England, where the colours of the landscape have varied from the muted browns and greens of misty hills to the more vibrant greens of new folliage and the various colours of spring flowers...but one of the small bags of mixed yarns that I had brought with me has insisted on working itself into a more tropical ocean theme - as I have noticed many times before, freeforming sometimes just has a mind of its own!

Week 18's scrumble began with the crochet spiral motif in the centre, worked in blue cotton and later embellished with slip stitches in pink. A row of softer blue chain stitches were worked between the points, and then a very thick yarn was threaded through some of the chain stitches, leaving large loops sticking out from the edge. I then crocheted around the perimeter using a thinner blue and pink mix yarn, using short stitches with chains in between. These stitches were worked from the wrong side of the piece, as were the green and blue mohair additions around the edge and the majority of the dark blue and lurex lacy sections, but the bullion stitches in between were made from the right side, using a chunky pale lime single-ply wool.

I imagine that a much more 'English countryside inspired' scrumble will make its appearance here in a week or two ;-)

week 17

This week's scrumble again features a flower motif...this time using a length of French knitting (i-cord) made with some left-over sock yarn. The rest of the ball of yarn hadn't been used for socks, either, but had been incorporated into other previous freeforming. First the base area was completed all in one piece, then the knitting was done and twisted up and stitched into place so that it held its shape. A small crochet bobble completed the flower. The rest of the scrumble is mainly crochet, using lots of ends of fine-weight novelty yarns, sometimes used single, but often doubled up for added texture and subtle colouring. Once again, too many thin fuzzy yarns made it difficult to get a clear photo, so click on the thumbnail to take a look at the larger image for a bit more clarity.

Week 9

This week's scrumble definitely thinks it is a tidal rock pool. If the photo seems a little small and you can't see all the detail please take another look next week; I will change it to a better size next week when I am back to my own computer.
edited to say photo is all fixed up; click on the thumbnail to see this scrumble in all its glory ;-)