Issue 36, summer freeform

a good time to just play

just playing around

hey everybody,

Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s the summer vibe, or maybe my 100 Day Project is still lingering in my mind, but I might just do the freeform equivalent of beach reading for next month or two—just doodling around with scrumbles. Light freeform, little bits of this and that. It should be a fun way to stay engaged with freeform over the summer when it’s hard to think about big projects and big plans.

It’s also a way to let ideas bubble up. Picasso said the artistic muse will visit you, but only if you’re working. In this case, playing with freeform must certainly count as working, don’t you think?

Whatever the inspiration, whatever the benefits, it’s fun to just play with freeform. It seems like something that a freeform enthusiast like myself would do all the time, but I often don’t. I tend to get caught up in trying to plan and control the way a piece is going to look rather that letting myself just doodle. In an effort to loosen up and work more freely, I tried to let go of the planning and enjoyed just making things during my 100 Day Project. Spending less time sitting and thinking about freeform and more time actually doing freeform was terrific. It was a good reminder that, for me, too much planning is stifling.

My big projects are now on vacation while I indulge in summer freeforming. Here are a few little things I’ve done that turned into yarn bowl rugs:

something to try

This is an excerpt from a Study Group email prompt. These emails go out 3-4 times a month to paid subscribers. If you’d like more information about the Study Group, click the link in the PS at the very end of this post.

Puff stitch is probably my favorite texture stitch in crochet. It shows off a pretty yarn really well, and it’s not as bulky as bobbles or popcorns. Puffs will likely show up often in my summer freeforming.

Here's how to make puffs (using US terminology):

1. Yarn over, insert the hook where you want to plant the puff, yarn over, pull up a loop as tall as you'd like the puff stitch to be. I usually aim for the height of a double crochet or half double crochet stitch.

2. Repeat the Line 1 instructions 2 or 3 more times, inserting the hook into the same place each time.

3. Yarn over and pull through all loops on the hook.

4. Chain 1, pulling to make the chain draw up tightly.

Since I was working these puff stitches (in light blue) around part of a circle, a curved shape, I put a chain stitch (worked at normal tension, without pulling to make it tight) after each puff to keep the work laying flat.

You can do a few puffs at a time, like I did, or you could do a longer line of puffs. Try them with the right side showing, as in the photo above, or with wrong side showing, as in the photo below. For me, the texture is a little different on right and wrong sides.

Other ideas:

1. Add in a small section of nothing but puff stitches, as in the “right side” photo above

2. Alternate puffs with double crochet stitches

3. Substitute a puff in place of a double crochet whenever and wherever you like as you're freeforming

4. Try them in solid colors

5. Try them in multi colors

an artist for inspiration

Artist Odile Mandrette was featured on Velones In Action (an art page) on Facebook recently. She works with ceramics and textiles to create sculptural art. I don’t know all the techniques that she used this neckpiece, but I’m just fascinated with it.

See more of Odile’s work at her website.

a few more things you might like

What I’m listening to: the Broadway soundtrack to Big Fish

What I’m cooking: Mediterranean recipes from Jamie Oliver and America’s Test Kitchen

What I’m reading: The Secret Life of Sunflowers

That’s it for today, thanks for reading!

Lisa

PS: The Freeform Yarny Things newsletter is sent once or twice a month, and it's free to everyone. Thank you for subscribing! For more information about the Study Group paid subscription, visit the Study Group tab on my website: ldoherty.substack.com/p/freeform-crochet-study-group