The Handweaver’s Guild of America produced several videos about the classes being offered in July during Convergence in Knoxville. The interview that features my bead tapestry crochet class is between minutes 2 and 9 at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftsawomn56Y.
Hopefully this interview will motivate you to give bead tapestry crochet a try – even if you can’t make it to Tennessee this summer!
Tapestry crochet has helped me through some of the toughest times of my adult life. It continues to help me deal with misinformation and now the pandemic. Lies are prolonging the pandemic and making so many innocent people suffer and die! I retired from teaching at TTU last summer, but will never stop trying to open minds and expand horizons. My most recent contribution is:
Prevention Trumps Disease: Covid Hijacks Independence but Masks and Vaccines Ransom Freedom attempts to rectify the confusion between masks, vaccines, and freedom. Although Covid-19 is the disease overwhelming us now, all types of preventable illnesses restrict our freedom. The healthcare system, represented by red crosses, is able to contain, treat, and eliminate many diseases, thereby restoring our freedom to walk, run, dance, eat, pray, and sing together. Red, white, and blue represent more than just the United States, as the flags of many nations include the same colors. It is disease that takes away our freedom, but vaccines and masks can restore it. Doing something for your own good and the good of the world should not have to be mandated, but in some cases it is the only way out of a dangerous and disastrous situation.
This piece is in the 2022 Craft Biennial at the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, Massachusetts, through June 12th, 2022. Not only are the compliments the finished piece is receiving a pleasant reward, the concentration required to bead tapestry crochet such a complicated basket was meditative and the repetitive motion released endorphins. Combined, tapestry crochet is a win-win-win!
My YES NO basket is one of 52 pieces (selected from 1100 entries) included in The Excellence in Fibers VI juried exhibition. Just click on the arrow under the Vessel category in the photo box of the exhibit web page to see it. The online exhibit runs through March 28th, 2021.
The basket is read from top to bottom:
Three rounds of Yes and three rounds of No.
Twelve Yes and Twelve No on every row.
Twenty-four up and down all around.
Twenty-four diamonds in a row.
Twelve merged hearts below.
How many times is Yes a No?”
You may interpret the message as you wish, but my intention is that the victim is saying, “No”, but the perpetrator is saying,” Yes”.
How did I crochet different images on both sides of a single-walled basket? It was accomplished with four beaded threads, a white thread with white beads, a white thread with red beads, a red thread with red beads and a red thread with white beads. Carrying 3 threads made the fabric stronger and and having red and white threads with red and white beads allowed me to place red or white beads where they were needed while crocheting red or white stitches, following a graph. I used the same technique to make the White Lies Basket.
My web page includes a free video that shows how to tapestry crochet with 2 beaded threads and my Bead and Felted Tapestry crochet book has more projects using two beaded threads. I hope you’ll give bead tapestry crochet a try!
The bag I crocheted in Peru in 2017 is in a wonderful hot-off-the press crochet book, Virkkaajan Vapaus (Crochet Freedom). The book includes the bag pattern and one of my short articles written in Finnish. The Swedish edition of the book will be released in December.
This informative book includes interesting histories, inspirational stories, and amazing traditional and contemporary projects – including sweaters, dresses, slippers, gloves, hats, necklaces, earrings, scarves, bags and more! The majority of the pieces are tapestry crocheted into the back loop, but other stitches and approaches are included, too, even granny squares! The colorful photographs speak volumes – especially if you don’t understand Finnish.
I try to spread good American vibes while traveling, so I chose red, white, and blue to tapestry crochet this bag during my Peru adventure. In 2017 my intent was to make the blue and red look as if they were going over and under each other to form a fabric. Reflecting on today’s political situation, it would be great if red and blue would actually join together to build a better America – because united we stand!
The Handweavers Guild of America’s Convergence 2020 has been postponed to 2022, including the exhibitions. So, what a happy surprise when a letter arrived informing me that my White Lies bead tapestry crochet basket had won the third place award in the Dogwood to Kudzu basketry exhibit!
Very interesting, especially since the same basket had been rejected from Convergence’s Small Expressions exhibit; different judges and different criteria and different odds. It just goes to show that rejection of your work should not be taken personally, because the very same piece can achieve greatness in another venue!
This basket was inspired by the news, social media, and situations closer to home.
Let there be light.
Let there be truth.
Let there be no more white lies!
The Handweaver’s Guild of America postponed Convergence from 2020 to 2022. I’m now scheduled to teach a three hour Bead Tapestry Crochet Basket class during the conference on July 15th in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The class project teaches how to place beads on the back of single crochet stitches while carrying another beaded color. Instead of using one strand threaded with beads in the color sequence needed, bead tapestry crocheting with multiple beaded threads allows for easy color switching. The tapestry crocheted threads produce a motif on the traditional “front” side, while beads create interest on the “back”.
Students will also learn blocking and how to design motifs on tapestry crochet graph paper. Participants can follow the duck graph provided to produce the above basket, or bead tapestry crochet another design. For more about bead tapestry crochet, please look at my web page for videos, projects, and info about my Bead & Felted Tapestry Crochet book.
Convergence is such a fun event! Please help me spread the word! I look forward to eventually seeing you there!
The international symposium organized every two years by the Textile Society of America includes a variety of exciting activities, workshops, and scholarly papers. Most of them focus on weaving and dyeing, but other textile topics are welcome, too, even crochet!
The recently posted online version of the paper I presented last September, Tapestry Crochet in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East: Tradition and Innovation, at https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2115&context=tsaconf summarizes my TSA presentation.
I worked on a small bag before and during the symposium. Not only did it help me relax, but crocheting during the talks exposed this misunderstood technique to many textile artists, curators, historians, professors, and students attending the symposium. Hopefully, more tapestry crocheted clothing and accessories will now be correctly identified in museums and collections!
Tapestry crochet in Peru? I found the hats seen below (made by the lady selling them), but very few people I encountered knew how to tapestry crochet. Knit hats with playful images of llamas and birds were easy to find, but crocheted ones with figurative motifs were scarce.
Acrylic tapestry crocheted hats made and sold in Peru, 2017.
What was I doing so far from home? Well, I have ALWAYS wanted to travel to South America. The opportunity finally presented itself last November. I was especially blessed to be able to join a textile tour and to attend the Tinkuy Conference in Cusco, Peru. As usual, I brought along tapestry crochet and some Bead & Felted Tapestry Crochet books to give away. Like Johnny Appleseed, I planted tapestry crochet seeds wherever there was interest – and there was a LOT of interest!
Known mostly for their beautiful backstrap woven fabric, many male and female weavers also knit and crochet in highland Peru. I brought an unfinished bag with me that I started during a trip to England (the colors were inspired by the English and US flags). Peruvians had seen hats like the ones pictured above, but few knew how they were made. So, after they showed us how to spin, dye, and weave alpaca yarn, some of us demonstrated our fiber techniques. The savvy Andeans were thrilled to learn tapestry crochet – and picked it up right away!
I demonstrated a few color changes before letting them give it a try in Pitumarca, Peru (photo by Judy Sprague).
Tapestry crochet was a hit in Pitumarca!
This young man in Pitumarca was especially adept at changing colors and maintaining a consistent gauge.
In Accha Alta the crocheters were also interested in the cotton and nylon I used because they were more familiar with alpaca and wool.
Tapestry crochet seeds were also planted in Chinchero.
Hermelinda Escalante and I immediately hit if off when we realized we both crocheted. Many of the crocheters I met there controlled yarn tension by wrapping it around their neck, as she did.
I met this woman at the conference. While most used regular crochet hooks, hers had a yellow handle – perfect for tapestry crochet.
It gives me great pleasure to see what talented people around the world are doing with tapestry crochet. I’m sure that many of the seeds planted in Peru will thrive, as they have elsewhere. Like so many others, Peruvians are looking for new ways to increase their income. Tapestry crochet requires little investment, the finished products are easy to transport, and product possibilities are endless. My regrets? I should have brought more books and crochet hooks. Next time.
Tapestry crochet has been there for me when I needed it. This video shares some of the ways it helped me work through a difficult part of my life.
I accepted another challenge – this time to crochet with a smaller hook into the back loop – which produced a fourth basket (below front center).
The same thread and instructions were followed to tapestry crochet these baskets, but the hook was inserted into the back loop to crochet the front 3 baskets and into both loops to crochet the basket in the back.
The cat does not slant on the basket crocheted by yarning under (left below), but slants slightly when tapestry crocheted yarning over with a smaller hook. The motifs do not slant as much as they do in the largest basket (above far left) that was crocheted yarning over with a size 1 steel hook, so the smaller stitch lessened the slant – but did not eliminate it.
Both baskets were tapestry crocheted into the back loop, but the basket on the left was crocheted with a size 1 steel hook yarning under while the basket on the right was crocheted with a size 4 steel hook yarning over.
I don’t understand how other back loop tapestry crocheters are able achieve vertical motifs while yarning over. Mysteries never cease. I hope someone out there in cyberland can enlighten me – but please – no more challenges for now!
After my previous post, several crocheters asked why the cats slanted on both of my first two baskets (left and center below). Motifs usually don’t slant when the hook is inserted into the back loop (center and right below). The motifs are upright in my third attempt (right). Why?
The same hook, thread, tension, and instructions were followed to tapestry crochet these baskets, inserting the hook under both loops (left) or into the back loop (center and right).
Yarning under and yarning over affects the slant of the motif, so I crocheted the third basket (right above) by yarning under. This last basket turned out much smaller, the motif doesn’t slant, and the fabric is very stiff. Why? I think the stitch is tighter because I manipulated the hook differently to keep the thread from sliding off the hook. Since I’m used to yarning over, yarning under was very awkward for me to do, but I kept reminding myself that challenges like this makes new brain cells, which I sorely need.
My latest tapestry crochet experiment; 3 nesting baskets.
Tapestry crochet is still teaching me new things! I especially enjoy seeing what others are doing with this fabulous technique. I wonder, what’s next?
The most popular way to do tapestry crochet is with the single crochet stitch, inserting the hook into the back loop or under both loops while carrying the other color(s). Each method produces a different result, with it’s own advantages and disadvantages. The choice is yours.
The same hook, thread, tension, and instructions were followed to tapestry crochet these baskets, inserting the hook under the back loop (left) or under both loops (right).
I grew up seeing people knit and crochet in public; today it’s a rare site. I’m one of the few who continues this tradition. I love crocheting where people can see what I’m doing and it’s certainly a great conversation starter!
Experience has taught me that geometric patterns tapestry crocheted with light, contrasting colors work best for crocheting in distracting places with low light – the usual scenario. I did the first rounds of the bag pictured below at home because they were a bit more complicated – but crocheted the rest of the tote while attending a number of very interesting talks at a honey bee conference and a textile symposium. I was the only crocheter at both events, but did see a few knitters there.
ME Tote tapestry crocheted with Omega Nylon, 2016.
I first crocheted this geometric motif in 2013, but didn’t see the letters back then. But after crocheting a few sections this time, I noticed the conjoined letters, M and E. I like to think it was a subliminal message from my inner self; I didn’t need the affirmation in 2013, but it’s very appropriate now.
First version of the ME motif, crocheted with cotton in 2013.
I usually create both right and left-handed versions of my patterns at Ravelry, but since “ME” only manifests when crocheting right handed, I decided not to create left-handed instructions because the word would appear backwards – not good.
The new ME Tote pattern is based on the larger Leftover Bag seen next to me below. I also crocheted the Leftover Bag in public, but some of the colors were too difficult to see in the low PowerPoint lit venues where I crocheted it; lesson learned.
Beginning the handles during the 2016 Textile Society of America Symposium.
This tote was a joy to crochet. I hope you’ll give it a try – even if you find yourself crocheting in a well-lit, calm location.
Are you looking for a Christmas stocking pattern? The right-handed instructions for these bead felted tapestry crocheted stockings are now available on Ravelry. Both were crocheted with the same yarn and instructions, but the smaller one was felted in a washing machine.
Worsted wool stockings before and after felting.
The alphabet chart included with the pattern helps personalize the stockings. Happy Holidays!
My husband stuck his head in the door last May to say, “Ten more minutes.” The sun was starting to go down, but he was almost done mowing the lawn. When he didn’t come in, I went looking for him. I couldn’t believe what I found. He had died while resting on the porch, looking out on the yard that he loved taking care of. What a shock! We never suspected he had a heart problem. I crocheted the tapestry below in his honor.
I’m very thankful for the 17 years we had together. We accomplished so much! My life will never be the same.