Projects Innumerable

So, I just finished working on a show that took place in 1930s Ireland. Crochet was, of course, totally necessary. I created hats, scarves, and lovely lace collars, all to fit the mood perfectly. Unfortunately, the patterns for the collars were not original- they can be found in the wonderful book Crocheting in Plain English- but I did add a few of my own alterations. To make a collar, take a "complete as you go" pattern, repeat until it is half as long as necessary, tie off, and then repeat on the opposite side of the foundation chain. If you wish, make the inner edge solid double crochet instead of a block pattern. I used a bedspread-weight cotton for one collar and a lace weight wool for the other. The hats and scarf were very, very, very ugly. They were a lesson in why crochet has a bad name.

Project Number 1

So I just finished this lovely pair of fingerless gloves, and decided I felt like blogging about them . I am rather pleased with myself because they are the first pair of gloves I made that actually fit, instead of being too big.They were inspired by the Solas Caomh blanket from Interweave Crochet- which I hope will come up in subsequent posts. I have small hands and thin wrists, so you'll have to make your own adjustments for size.

Materials: Shepherd's Wool Worsted Fine Spun Wool from the Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan (Orange) and a soft charcoal worsted of a similar size
Hook: Size G? H?
Gauge: I don't like gauge, which is probably why all the gloves I made before don't fit, but I think this is approx. 4st/ 2 rows per in. of double crochet.
Stitches: double crochet (dc), front post double crochet (fpdc), treble crochet (trc), front post treble crochet (fptrc), chain stitch (ch), and double crochet decrease (dec). If you need tutorials of any of these stitches, or on cabling, look elsewhere. They're everywhere online.
Notes: This is crocheted in the round, joined with a slip stitch (slp st) at the end of each row, except in the last few rows where I will give more explicit instructions. Do not turn between rounds.

Pattern:
           Ch 30. Join with slp st. Ch 3.
Row 1: Dc around. Ch 3.
Row 2: Rpt row 1.
Row 3: Dc 2, skp 3 st, fptr in next 3 st, tr in prev 3 st, skp 3 st, tr in next three st, fptr in prev 3 st, dc around. Ch 3.
Row 4: Dc 2, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc 3, dc around. Ch 3.
Row 5: Dc 2, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc 3, dc, dec, dc 5, dec, dc 4, dec. Ch 3.
Row 6: Dc 2, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc 3, dc, dec, dc 2, dec, dc 3, dec. Ch 3.
Row 7: Dec, skp 3 st, tr 3, fptr in prev 3 st, skp 3 st, fptr 3 st, tr in prev 3 st, dec, dc around. Ch 3.
Row 8: Dc 4, fpdc 6, dc around. Ch 3.
Row 9: Dc 4, skp 3 st, fptr in 3 st, fptr in prev 3 st, dc 3, inc 2, dc 4, inc 2, dc 2, inc 2. Ch 3.
Row 10: Dc 4, fpdc 6, dc 3, inc 2, dc 5, skp, inc 2, dc in prev st, dc 3, inc 2. Ch 3.
Row 11: Dc, skp 3 st, fptr in 3 st, tr in prev 3 st, skp 3 st, tr 3, fptr in prev 3 st, dc, inc 2, dc 4, skp, fpdc, dc in prev st, inc 2, skp, dc, fpdc in prev st, dc 3, inc 2. Ch 3.
Row 12: Dc, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc 3, dc 6, skp, dc, dc in prev st, dc 4, skp, dc, fpdc in prev st, dc 3, inc 2. Ch 3.
Row 13: Dc, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc, dc 6, fpdc, dc 3, inc 2. Ch 3.
Row 14: Dc, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc 3, dc 6, fpdc, dc 6, fpdc, dc 6. Ch 3.
Row 15: Dc, skp 3 st, tr 3, fptr in prev 3 st, skp 3, fptr 3, tr in prev 3 st, dc 6, fpdc, dc 6, fpdc, dc 6. Join with sl st, ch 4, skp 5 prev st, sc around st. Ch 2. (Thumb formed.)
Row 16: Dc 9, fpdc 6, dc 9, fpdc, dc 6. Sc around turning ch (t-chain), ch 2.
Row 17: Dc, dec, dc 6, fpdc 6, dc 2, dec, dc 5, fpdc, dc 6. Sc around t-chain, ch 2.
Row 18: Dc 2, dec, dc, dec, dc 3, dec, dc 5, dec, dc 3, fpdc, dc 6. Sc around t-chain, ch 4, skp 5 st, sl 4, ch 4, skp 3 st, sl 4, ch 3, skp 3, sl. Fasten off. Weave in ends.

The final series of chains and slip stitches are optional; they help keep the glove in place.