Seed Bead Strawberry

This unseasonal Strawberry was a little diversion for me. A change of pace to use big, coloured threads and play about with beads.  The challenge came in finding the right size crochet hook to first the right size to catch one pair of threads to draw through the seed bead, and secondly to go through the center of the seed beads.  My seed beads were from a random bag so I don't know what size they counted as but the were on the larger size for seed beads. The thread was a magenta crochet thread, the nearest I could get to a proper red but it paired up nicely with the soft peridot green I had.  

The 'pin under four' or 'two pair edge' makes it easier to sew the green leaves to the top but a standard two pairs twisted about the pin is still acceptable. 

I started at the top left corner, this allowed me to see where the threads went before adding more.  The ones which were happy to 'bounce' off the opposite edge went back into the ground.  Sometimes I had to look at both edges to see which was the most appropriate pair to use for this purpose.  Because this is not a true geometric shape, some artistic licence has to be used and the lacemaker has the final decision to make on pieces like this.  

This piece is worked from the back.

The seed beads were added at alternate pinholes, with one Torchon stitch being pinned between each.  I used single Torchon (ct,pin,ct) but in hindsight, I think a double Torchon would have given me a stronger and thicker ground between the beads. 

 If you choose to use sequins, only use alternate pinholes to leave room for a small sequin.

Tension on the beads is important.  Make sure that there is no slack thread on either side of the bead before working the next pin.

I ran the pairs in with the passives along a straight side to finish, easier to throw out a lot of pairs along a straight edge than all at once at the point. I sewed in the last few threads at the end.

Reuse 2 pairs of the bobbins rewound with green thread for the leaves at the top.  Two versions are available, either the plaited zigzag, or the leaf tallies.   The leaf tallies are worked continuously.  Work the leaf upwards, pin and turn to make a plait back down to the strawberry where a sewing is made, and onto the next tally and plait until the last one is made when you tie off the last plait into the strawberry.  

Techniques:-  Torchon Ground (single or double). Add plait or leaf tallies. Add seed beads. Take in and throw out pairs into the edge. Add beads to darker dots.   20 pairs for ‘pin under 4’ edge, 18 pairs for single pair around pin edge.  Shown is the 5cm Strawberry using Coates crochet thread no 20. using a 0.5cm crochet hook to add large seed beads.  

Dachshund, a little dog that just keeps getting longer!

The shape of this little dog took my fancy one day, and I was about to start filling the outline with my favourite Bedfordshire stitches then I thought, why not try something different?  Torchon didn't immediately spring to mind because it isn't a lace that lends itself to organic, fluid shapes, being based on a 45 degree grid 

The 'Adventurous' series of patterns I designed needed another project so this little dog volunteered.  The long, comedic shape of the 'sausage dog' gave me the idea to extend the body, and to have an insert which can be repeated multiple times to make the dog as long as anyone could possibly want.  A bookmark?  Why not make it long enough for a belt, or an edging?

This one was made with no 40 Crochet thread, I used a thicker thread than usual because I wanted to practice making a series of video tutorials.  Sequins and some sparkly gift tag cord was hunted out and the bobbins were wound.

I learn as I work and make the decisions where threads go as the pattern progresses.  I thought it would be interesting to include the choices, and why, when making a design for the first time. 

This pattern uses only a line for the outside edge trail.  The straight lines of the Torchon stitches dictate where the pins have to be along the edge.  As long as the outside pins are kept relatively equidistant, then the edge should sort itself out without the need for pin dots. 

The dots are dictated by the ground.  The ground pairs follow the grid and where they meet the edge, or need to be added/taken out, or turned to go back into the ground is where the pins go. This changes a lot on an organic shape and the Torchon grid does not allow for these irregularities so the lace maker has to make the choice.  The outer pin is placed as evenly as possible. I have not marked the pins on this piece because my intention was to show how a piece is constantly being worked out when made for the first time.

I use a 180gsm blue card which I find is easy enough to stab my pins through directly into the pillow without the need for pre pricking.  I like to make notes and mark alterations directly onto the card during working so I don't cover with the plastic film which is used to protect prickings in normal use. This also allows me to move pins about if needed.  The final prickings are usually drawn up after my first working but on this piece, you are seeing the first working being made. 

I decided that life really is too short to spend time on things I don't enjoy so videos are made in one take.  There is no excitement at the thought of staring at a computer screen for any longer than is absolutely necessary, so editing is not an option for me.  

It is hard enough trying to make lace and talk about it at the same time that I am figuring it out, for me to refilm it all over again for the sake of an odd blooper or two.  

Please do award yourself points when you find the bloopers, I see it as a novel way of seeing if you are paying attention and all part of the learning process!  I only have a mobile phone on an old camera stand and it sometimes obscures the actual work I am making!  

The full playlist of the Dachshund videos is here    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtaX_I87zRKXiWEIGw5d68HzykZ8NuDJr&feature=shared

The .pdf is in the Files tab of my Lesley's Lace facebook group

This prints at A4