Is this really free-form?

[Ilah]

Around a year or so ago, when I was new to crochet, I saw some free-form crochet and the web and was really facinated by the look of it and the idea or creating something purely by improvising with no set pattern. I was a not really sure how to get started on it so I picked up a couple books from Annie's Attic by Margaret Hubert on free-form crochet. Well the pictures certainly look like free-form crochet, but the way they are made, the process is the opposite of what I think it should be for free-form crochet. You are given pattern for specific motifs at the beginning of the book. Each design tell you how many of each moitf to make, what color to make each one, what yarn to use. The only part left up to you is how you fit all the pieces together. She states that free-form does not actually use patterns, but these patterns will help you get started. (In my opinion, it seems like maybe she is making it more complicated than it has to be, by requiring specifics rather that just whatever leftover yarn you have on hand.) Unfortunately after looking through this booklet I have not much desire to complete any patterns in the book as the method she uses is very unappealing.

 

Are there other books that give better tips for getting started in free-form? Or do most people just improvise without any instructions.

[CatsCradleCreations]

For me, I just picked up my hooks, yarns and threads and went with it. I ended up with a beautiful wall hanging for my living room. Right now, I'm working on covering a canvas tote bag with freeform.

 

Prudence Mapstone is a diva among freeform artists. Her site is Knot Just Knitting. You should go check out her work and some of her suggestions.

[dudleyspinner]

I got a great book Never Too Many Handbags by Prudence Mapstone. It has some great ideas and just has patterns for the motifs, and is very creative on how to put them together, a few safety pins to keep them together until you decide how to sew them. I crochet mine together, I don't like needle and thread. The joins add another dimension.

http://www.knotjustknitting.com/ that is the link to her site.

I should get my free form afghan photographed on Monday.

Deb

http://www.dudleyspinner.com/

[Alosha]

Don't let the book turn you off free form! I have been doing free form for quite some time & was very disappointed in her "Learn to Free Form Crochet" booklet. The hardest part of free form is to forget the rules. Use whatever fibers, hooks, colors you want. Do scrumbles, then sew or crochet them together or just keep crocheting/knitting in one big piece. My first piece was all acrylic worsted (great stash buster) & I made it in to the front of my project tote. In the past year I have taken two free form classes (one with Margaret Hubert) & while there was a scrumble pattern to get us started, we were really encouraged to make our own.

That said, there are several sites for that are great for inspiration

 

http://www.lacismuseum.org/exhibit/freeform/index.php?picture=17&sec=8&as=false

 

& I did find one with a simple starter pattern.

 

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/Sample%20Freeform%20pattern.html

 

Have fun:) Alosha

[cdunitz]

I started without the books and the only one I own is Prudences Bullion book. That's not to say that these gals are not my heroes, quite the opposite. BUT, you can do it without the books, in fact, if you are looking to release the inner chaos, try this:

 

Pick out a few of your really favorite yarns from your stash, small bits are welcome here. Pile them up or put them in a bown paper bag. Close your eyes and mix them around. Get your hook and or needles handy. Now, close your eyes again, reach into the bag/pile and select a yarn. Crochet a little something with it. Close your eyes and pick another yarn. Attach a little something else with it. Close your eyes once more and pick a third. Add another something onto the two you already have.

 

That should be enough to get you started. Now you can pick with your eyes open. Keep adding bits until you're happy. While it is helpful to know a bunch of stitches, I don't, since I was knitter long before I was a crocheter. I do know how to do a bullion (learned it online, just google bullion stitch) because they do add a lot to the finished object. I mostly do variations of single and double crochet, forwards and backwards and in spirals and domes and whatever have you. I snaggle the stitches about until I'm happy with them.

 

My freeform is tight and dense, because that's what pleases me. You can visit www.knotjustknitting.com to see the different "styles", but remember, whatever you do is good, there are no rules. You can see one of my bags on my blog www.typepad.healmylife.com in the photo album, more photos to come. I'll be giving workshops and classes in my technique and method of bag construction in the near future, but that's the gist of it.

 

Above all - it should be fun and freeing.

 

Cheers,

 

Claudia

 

 

Around a year or so ago, when I was new to crochet, I saw some free-form crochet and the web and was really facinated by the look of it and the idea or creating something purely by improvising with no set pattern. I was a not really sure how to get started on it so I picked up a couple books from Annie's Attic by Margaret Hubert on free-form crochet. Well the pictures certainly look like free-form crochet, but the way they are made, the process is the opposite of what I think it should be for free-form crochet. You are given pattern for specific motifs at the beginning of the book. Each design tell you how many of each moitf to make, what color to make each one, what yarn to use. The only part left up to you is how you fit all the pieces together. She states that free-form does not actually use patterns, but these patterns will help you get started. (In my opinion, it seems like maybe she is making it more complicated than it has to be, by requiring specifics rather that just whatever leftover yarn you have on hand.) Unfortunately after looking through this booklet I have not much desire to complete any patterns in the book as the method she uses is very unappealing.

 

Are there other books that give better tips for getting started in free-form? Or do most people just improvise without any instructions.

[Alosha]

Claudia, your approach to free form is quite similar to mine. My first free form started with an odd little motif that I just kept adding to. You also don't need a lot of specialty yarns, my first several pieces were all acrylic worsted, the stitches give it texture & interest.

:)Alosha

[Ilah]

I started trying to do some freeform, but didn't like how it turned out. I discovered that I am very particular about my colors. I notice that with free form some people stick with a color theme (such as shades of green or greens and blues) and some do what looks like random colors. I have discover I am more of a color theme person. So I plan on having several freeform stashes, orgnaized by theme. I have it all planned in my head, the perfrect way to use my yarn. First I get several skeins for large projects like ponchos and shawls. Any left over from that goes to hats and what does not make up a hat can be part of a freeform. Actually hats and freeform go well together. I have a smallish head so I find one skein is usually good for a hat plus some extra.

 

I also have some cone yarn I bought for dyeing. I enjoy dyeing yarn but the whole part of winding the yarn into a skein, carefully hand washing the skein and winding back into a ball is a pain, especially since it almost always gets some small tangles. I am thinking that I might do small motifs and scrumbles with the undyed yarn and then dye the pieces in small batches.

 

Well I haven't done any freeform yet, but I have lots of loose ideas in my head for colors and projects. It will probably go slowly though because I will be using leftovers from other project.

[jacqui]

What ever you end up doing will be fantastic because it will be absolutely a one off work of art. You have to play with ideas and whatever threads you choose and you will amaze yourself probably more than anyone else. I tend to have a fruit box with mixed and varied threads and yarns and literally just pull it out randomly and don't worry about the color but just how i feel at that time and just create. So go for it and ENJOY!