Want to make a non-lacey tablecloth

[Kittaly]

I want to use a graph to make a tablecloth the only problem is I have no idea what thread or hook I should be using.

 

Obviously nothing acrylic so it doesn't melt, but cotton would shrink. What else is there that would be durable enough?

[Kittaly]

Oh Rose, thank you for that link! That looks like a much easier program than the other ones I have or KintPro.

 

Granny, I did actually try and make my own, and yes the tediousness of it nearly killed me and I decided that I didn't want it all that badly. lol

 

And that is exactly what I'm looking to do. I've really gotten into this crochet thing and regretting that I didn't do it sooner.  My husband keeps kidding about how I want to crochet the entire house. He has no idea how right he actually is. 

[RoseRed]

I think I'd lay out towels and just close the door.

[Kittaly]

Hmm, we don't normally allow the pets in there during the day and I guess as long as I don it early enough to allow it to dry it could work too.

[RoseRed]

How about on top of your bed?

[Kittaly]

Wheat, that sounds like the perfect solution for me! Thank you. I half joked with my husband that he'll need to build me a shed and a rack so I can stretch larger items. Hmm, may not be such a bad idea to let him put that sun room off my office.

 

Granny, we don't have rugs in the new house we put down ceramic tile throughout the whole things because of the pets so that wouldn't be an option. Like I'd ever be able to keep the cats off it anyway. lol

[Granny Square]

A mangle!  Oh my, showing my age too but I haven't seen one of those in - ages.  (Do they still make them?  I'll need to do some googling...)

 

I confess I've never made a full sized tablecloth, but I have blocked a couple of largish thread items by folding them in half or quarters.    You might have to give it a touch with the iron where the folds were afterward.

 

I've not done this, but I've seen recommendations to block items on the carpet if you can keep kids/pets away.

[wheat]

Wheat, I will definitely get in touch with you once I get started because OMG I never thought about the fact I'd need to block something so big.

 

"while I was thinking about it"  I wrote up one idea and published it on my blog - it has already recieved one comment with another tip, so you may want to visit at http://wheatcarr.com/tiplet/tiplet-diy-blocking-large-projects.php and give it a quick read - might be more input later on.

 

Those flowers for mothers day sound lovely and lucky will be the giftees.

[Kittaly]

Rose, I don't know if I'm crazy or looking for a challenge, but I'm pretty psyched over attempting this. I crochet in front of the computer so I do stop every so often for breaks. I hand write novels and I'm actually surprised that my hands don't bother me crocheting they way they do while writing. 

 

Right now though I've got to finish the four dozen flowers before Mother's Day I've tasked myself with. I only just finished number 15.

 

Wheat, I will definitely get in touch with you once I get started because OMG I never thought about the fact I'd need to block something so big.

[wheat]

FWIW, I have never been able to "get" why Filet seems to require using DC, unless it is because the patterns are really vintage and maybe they "meant" the Euro versions of DC which is a US SC.  Just one of those niggling questions that make Wheat Wonder What

 

When I make a graph, I have always used Single Crochet (SC) because it allows me to give the finer detail I want for rounded edges and the side benefit of smaller mesh so less of a hazard.

 

It may take some working in pattern to get the pattern motif the way you want it to appear, but I have always found it worth the extra effort.

 

Covering with a clear plastic was mentioned and we also do that on our dining room table most of the time that is sufficient to provide a stable surface for glassware and other small base items to stay upright.  At least as stable and any item on a table with children and animals of all ages is ever going to be <G>

 

That said, I also like the openwork with the wonderful wood showing thru or a colourful underlay for special occasions or just for effect, like a green cloth under a crochet table cloth of flower motifs. 

 

If you want more color look for some of the "sock" or lace weight yarns that fit into the CYC Standard for 0 or 1 - with a knitting gauge of 7-8 stiches to the inch or

28-32 or higher in a 10cm/4in swatch. 

 

If you choose cottons, look for mercerized.  The process helps to lock in the color and so you will get less fading over time as the table cloth is washed. 

 

If you need some DIY Blocking Ideas Let me know - Space & Money are challenges I have faced most of my life <G>

[RoseRed]

I could never take on a thread graph in sc.  Carpel tunnel surgery once on each hand was enough for this lifetime.

 

I don't know if you'd be interested in this idea but you could do the graph in the center and then work a border around it.  This way the entire thing wouldn't be sc.  If you're one of those people that just loves sc and wants to do an entire table cloth in it - more power to you!!!  And I can't wait to see it.  It's just that I couldn't do it.

[Granny Square]

You can absolutely design your own.  If you don't want to invest in software, I've made my own grid on Microsoft Paint and use the paint bucket to fill in squares, sort of tedious but it works.  Some people use Excel, I think that would be even more tedious except for filling in large areas.

 

Rosered, that piece is gorgeous, so sad that it's crumbling a bit

 

Kittaly, if you wanted to do flowers like her example there are gobs of flower patterns on that antique site, just not as much for fruit.  Another reason I suggested filet is that I was envisioning you doing an entire tablecloth in SC in thread (like one would do a color chart with worsted weight for a blanket), which makes my hands hurt thinking about it.

[RoseRed]

I bought the Crochet Designs Filet Crochet Software http://www.crochetdesigns.com/software/

 

You can pretty much use any charting program once you know your gauge.

[Kittaly]

I always discounted filet since to me it falls under the lace category and I did want something solid with color, but if I can easily just fill in the holes so to speak that would be perfect and opens up so much more for me.

 

Granny, thank you so much for the links! That is more then enough to start researching and those videos are perfect. I always have an easier time when I see something done as opposed to just reading it.

 

Is it possible to make your own filet patterns? What would one use for that?

[RoseRed]

Then you want to use #10 Mercerized Cotton Thread and a 1.75mm steel thread crochet hook.

 

If you want it to be solid with with colors instead of spaces you can still use filet graphs.  Just fill in the spaces with colored thread although that will make it look rather pixelated.

 

This is a runner my grandmother made in #20 thread - to give you an idea of how filet looks.  (Unfortunately, it wasn't taken care of very well.)

    

[Granny Square]

I found some fruity filet patterns by this author / book in the Antique Patterns link from above.  Not linking the file as it's a large pdf

Boucherit, Eduard, ed., Grand Album de Modelès pour Filet No. 3

 

There are probably more, I stopped looking after the "C"s.

[Granny Square]

Gotcha.  Since you are thinking thread, have you thought about filet?  Yes, it's sort of lacy but you can make wonderful pictures with filet.  In it's simplest form, it's either filled or empty squares, (think black and white pixels making up a picture).  The stitches are just dc and chain.

 

Are you familiar with this site? http://www.antiquepatternlibrary.org/html/warm/catalog.htm  It has all sorts of patterns for filet, and I'm positive I've seen fruit baskety patterns.  The site is organized by author, but if you do a seach (ctrl F)  on filet you will land on many books with filet.

 

Awesome filet tutorial sites: (the first is more complete on-the-page-wise, the second has videos)

http://www.smartcrochet.com/lesson1.shtml

http://www.hassdesign.com/BasicFiletTechniques/

[Kittaly]

I was going under the assumption that it I would be using one of the steel hooks and thread from someplace like Handy Hands but wanted to make sure there wasn't something specific I should be using. When I first started out I had no idea that you couldn't use acrylic for potholders until I was reading through the forums here and was very glad that I didn't find out the hard way.

 

I don't have a set pattern yet, but I'm thinking of something with fruit. I want to basically make a tablecloth the way you would a graph-ghan but with thread appropriate to a tablecloth.

 

I'm not too concerned about fading because I always use a clear plastic tablecloth over top of fabric cloths anyway so it shouldn't need to be washed all that often.

[Granny Square]

Are you wanting to make this out of worsted weight yarn?  When you say graph for a tablecloth, I'm thinking filet made with thread (usually #10 thread, #7 US hook), but that would fall under 'lacy'.  I wouldn't want to use a worsted weight for filet, I'd worry about glasses tipping over on the large holey surface.

 

So, I'm assuming you're thinking graph as in a solid stitch graph-ghan.  I agree, I wouldn't make something for the table in acrylic, it would not wear well at all and as you said, can't take heat.  Cotton does shrink after taking it right out of the dryer, but it grows back upon use / gravity.  You can also block or even iron it when damp to 'unshrink' it.  Cotton will wear like iron compared to acrylic, but will be a little heavy.

 

Some cotton yarns will fade some after repeated washings.

 

You could even go with wool, felting it intentionally, but you'd have to make it bigger to allow for the shrinkage..  It's more heat resistant than cotton.

 

Do you have a pattern in mind?