How to do Trinity Stitch

I was reviewing my instructions for crochet trinity stitch and thought it would be so much better if I could show it ... and then remembered that my (very) old compact camera has a video mode, so it has no audio but at least I can show what I am doing.

This is my first attempt at making a crochet video ... so sorry the quality isn't exactly brilliant.  Hopefully its good enough for you to see what is happening.

A trinity stitch is (oddly enough) made over 3 stitches.  It can be made over any number of odd stitches (+1 for your turning chain).   Start your work with the base chain as follows.

Using US Notation.

SC into the second CH from hook

Then working into this same chain, insert your hook and draw up a loop, keep the loop on your hook and work into the next 2 chains in the same manner, inserting your hook & drawing up a loop - you will have 4 loops on your hook when you finish.  You have worked into 1 previously worked chain and 2 new ones.  Then yarn over and draw through all 4 loops. 

Chain 1.

Then repeat this across your work until the last chain.  When you have worked your last trinity, do not chain this time, but work another SC into the last chain of the trinity.

The little video that follows shows how you continue to work.

The movie should be viewed in conjunction with these written instructions.   

On your second and subsequent rows you start with a turning chain. 

Then working into the last SC from the previous row work 1 SC 

Working into the SC just worked, insert hook and draw up a loop, insert your hook into the next stitch and draw up a loop, and again for the third stitch.  You now have 4 loops on your hook, yarn over and pull through all 4 loops.  (You worked into 1 previously worked stitch and 2 unworked stitches.)

CH1

Continue across the work in this manner, creating 1 trinity stitch followed by a CH until you get to the last trinity.

With the last trinity you will see that you have 2 unworked stitches to reach the end of your row plus the already worked last stitch of the previous trinity.  So working as before.

Insert the hook into the last worked stitch and draw up a loop, insert the hook into the next 2 stitches drawing up loops.  4 loops on your hook, yarn over and draw through all 4 loops.

This time do not make another chain, but work 1 SC into the last stitch of the last trinity.

Bet you thought I'd forgotten about you

I know, I know ... its been too long since I wrote in this blog.  I blame the summer (which I know is long gone) because I don't crochet so much in the summer ... I've got a few half finished projects that I just couldn't sum up the "bothered" to finish.

My shape sorter stalled at three sides !! Not much of a shape sorter really, I think I need to revisit the circle side anyway - it didn't turn out so circular in the end ... So I guess the shape sorter is really two sides and a experiement went wrong.  I'll need to get back to that one again at some point.

The giant rose project stalled as well - I have the giant rose and decided to make it into a tie-together Alice band .  So I have the rose and half (if that) an Alice band ... then this one was abandoned as well.

Now I've had a request for a pattern for my Red Cowl. 



I should have thought of writing it down at the time - I usually do, but not this time.  So I need to make another so that I can get the pattern right ....

So that will leave me one 1/3 finished shape sorter, one 3/4 finished Alice band and another project on the go .... Plus a holiday (Hoooooo-ray) coming up next week - I see this ending in a third half finished project, well at least I am starting to think about picking up my hook again, I suppose that is progress of a sort.

What to do with a large Irish Rose??

I got this absolutely beautiful silk & mohair blend yarn, and decided to make another rose.  I wanted to make a larger one this time which is why I chose this yarn.  I used Rowan Silk Twist.

The photographs don't really capture how luxurious this yarn is.



So as you can see the flower worked out at around 7" across, so quite large really. Now I am struggling for what to do with it.


Typically I make these as embellishments for bags or as brooches. But this one is a bit large for a brooch and it’s just too nice to be an embellishment.

My thought was perhaps to make a long headband and attach this? What do you think?

I got a commission!!

I am generally wary of comissions, I've had a few where I have put in an awful lot of effort even going as far as purchasing yarn and the whole thing falls though without as much as a single penny coming my way.

Anyhow, I was contacted at the end of last week by a lovely Etsy buyer.  She saw my bluebells crochet pattern but doesn't know how to crochet herself, so she asked if I wouldn't mind making some for her.

So I did :)

These are made using 100% cotton 4ply yarn



When I've made them before I put a brooch pin at the back, but this time they are for a 1 year old, so (for safety) I have left them just as they are.

As I always do, I have attached one of my little Walnut Baby tags on a piece of yarn.  In this case I used that to hang my bluebells for one of the photos.


And finally I boxed them up for their trip to their new home.



Its nice to get out one of my patterns and try it out again.  I was trying to think what else I could do with them if/when I make them again, other than make a brooch - but what else?

The Pattern for my Crochet Irish Rose

I mentioned before that although I love making Irish Roses and they feature not only on many of my handmade items but also in my shop banner & on my avatar I have never got round to actually creating a pattern for it.

Well I have now.  After getting an email asking if I had a pattern for sale I thought I really need to write this down.

When I make them, no two are the same.  I usually have another idea of making frilly edges or adding beading.  Even the number and densitiy of the petals can change.

I love to mix colours, use multi-coloured yarns or even use different yarn weights & textures when making them.  I think, like in nature, my roses should be individual.

Have a look in Walnut Baby to see some of my little rosy creations and the pattern is there for you too

I love the rose I created for this pattern

I made it using DMC multi-coloured embroidery thread.  The silkiness of the thread gives this particular rose a lovely sheen and the feel is so soft.

Shape sorter - side 3 completed

Sorry I've been away so long ... no excuses, just havn't been doing a lot of crochet recently.  I think that the hot weather makes me just want to spend time in my garden reading rather than crocheting (see Stuff and things)

Anyway I managed to organise myself to complete side 3 of the shape sorter (finally!!)

This time its a circle.

So now I have a triangle, circle and an offset square



So far I am happy with how it is turning out, I particularly like the bright colours.  Time to raid the yarn stash again and find the next colour.

Sorry its been a while, more on Irish Roses ....

There is something about this lovely weather that we've been having that makes me not want to crochet.... so unfortunately my shape sorter has not progressed much in the last couple of weeks. 

I do have 3/4 of the circle side done, it would only take me an hour to finish it - so why don't I??? 

In the mean time I was contacted about my Irish Roses

I make them in all sizes and designs, some with the little ball in the center & the ruffled edges  & some a more classic design



And others decorated with beads, or crochet using embroidery thread



I guess they are my signature piece :)

So when I was contacted about them and asked if I had a pattern, I was embarrassed to say "No".  Now I am writing up the pattern(s), I have my first draft that I need to try out to check that it works as expected & I'll need to do the photos ... so watch this space, hopefully I'll have a new pattern for Walnut Baby very soon.