Identify this stitch please?

[chickie]

Hi everyone. I made a couple of cowls last year. They are really stretchy and puffy (no puff stitches involved) and I want to make a few more as Christmas gifts. But I can't find the pattern I used and I don't know what stitches I did. It looks like a very simple pattern and I'm pretty new to crochet, so it should be something easy for a pro to recognize....I hope!!  Thanks so much for looking!

 

The photos are of the front, the back, and then I stretched it so you could see those long lines...which are what is throwing me!  How did I do this?  HELP?

[redrosesdz]

I'm so glad!  The waffle stitch in the Crochet Stitch Bible has become my go-to stitch for puffy and cozy. 

 

I found it quite by accident.  I had 12 dishcloths to make for a give-away and decided to make them using 12 different stitch patterns.  I literally closed my eyes, randomly opened the Crochet Stitch Bible and pointed.  As long as the stitch wasn't too lacy, that's the one I made.  LOL

[chickie]

I know. I should go for quality over quantity.  Some really nice yarn would make a much better project. Plus I'd love to support the smaller yarn stores and independent spinners. (Someday I'd love to try spinning, too!)  But for now it's all about keeping people warm and I'm literally filling box after box with hats and scarfs to donate (still working on figuring out mittens).  Not that these people don't deserve the best, but there's no way I could possibly afford premium yarn and still make so many warm items.

Still, I will venture into a few smaller shop to see what they have. And I'd love to go to a convention!  I'm sure it would be inspirational.

Thanks for all the info.

[redrosesdz]

No worries!  I've been crocheting a while and have never tried the premium yarns.  They are outside of my budget.  But, I love drooling over them!  I buy 95% of my yarn using 50-60% coupons and the rest using the 20-25% off sale items.  I happen to live within a mile of an AC Moore in one direction and a mile from a Michael's and JoAnn's in the other direction.

[ReniC]

chickie, on 15 Nov 2015 - 6:36 PM, said:chickie, on 15 Nov 2015 - 6:36 PM, said:chickie, on 15 Nov 2015 - 6:36 PM, said:

For the muti colored cowl I used I Love This Yarn "Nightwatch."  I just discovered this yarn. I guess it's only sold at Hobby Lobby and the nearest one is more than half an hour from where I live.  I usually just use whatever is on sale at AC Moore or Michael's, like Bernat or Red Heart or Carron. All good, but since I discovered I love This Yarn, I'm spoiled. It's super soft, but not too silky or slippery. And it never splits. And I think I've only found one knot in about 2 dozen skeins.  I know I sound like a commercial, but...I Love This Yarn!

I do wish I had the money to try exotic yarns like Alpaca and all sorts of wools.  But maybe when I get better I will make one super nice item using something special.  Does anyone have a special yarn like that that they have tried?

 

Thank you chickie. And I love "I Love this Cotton" for it's softness and smooth feeling. I haven't tried the Hobby Lobby acrylic yet. The closest stores to me are 1.5 & 2.5 hours away. But, next time I do get to go to one of them, I will surely try out your choice of the color Nightwatch. Again, thank you for your quick answer.

 

ETA: Don't forget to check out thrift stores like Goodwill and St Vincent DePaul, just to name a few. There's a thrift store run by the Senior Center here. Sometimes they get in good vintage crochet books. I found 6 balls of beautiful DK yarn at Goodwill some time back. All never touched- $5!

[ReniC]

redrosesdz, on 15 Nov 2015 - 10:54 PM, said:

No worries!  I've been crocheting a while and have never tried the premium yarns.  They are outside of my budget.  But, I love drooling over them!  I buy 95% of my yarn using 50-60% coupons and the rest using the 20-25% off sale items.  I happen to live within a mile of an AC Moore in one direction and a mile from a Michael's and JoAnn's in the other direction.

 

I've made items from higher end yarns and threads, but, only for very special gifts. When I was young and a greenhorn about yarn, I thought I'd make a afghan from some gorgeous wool and silk yarn. Hah- For over $200! Sales clerk didn't bat an eye when I said no thank you.

 Maybe I should feel fortunate that I don't have any big box stores close to me for yarn and crafts. I'd either be in there all the time or have to go to work there to feed my yarn cravings. Oh well- makes me more appreciative when I do get to go out of town to pet and buy yarn (among other things)! LOL

[magiccrochetfan]

I don't know that it is true that most LYS (local yarn shops) cater only to knitters. Many shop owners do realize that crocheters use the same kinds of yarn as knitters and are knowledgeable about crocheting. And crocheting doesn't necessarily use more yarn than knitting; this depends the stitch pattern and other factors.

[magiccrochetfan]

I am really liking the "doubly-extended sc mesh"     stitch!  I have subscribed to a monthly mini yarn sampler and this stitch pattern is great for swatching and playing with the yarn.  I'm so grateful for this thread!  

[ReniC]

magiccrochetfan, on 16 Nov 2015 - 1:00 PM, said:magiccrochetfan, on 16 Nov 2015 - 1:00 PM, said:

I am really liking the "doubly-extended sc mesh"     stitch!  I have subscribed to a monthly mini yarn sampler and this stitch pattern is great for swatching and playing with the yarn.  I'm so grateful for this thread!  

As I too am grateful and fun as well.  

[redrosesdz]

What Kathy & Reni said!  Me, too! 

[chickie]

I love the waffle stitch! (and why do I always have to type "stitch" twice before I spell it correctly?)  I finally got to start a waffle stitch cowl last night. Here's a photo of it in purple next to the extended stitch in multi.  The waffle stitch is just as puffy but closer and tighter so that it makes a nice warm cowl.  The reason I just got to it was that I had to finish the pink one in the background (just a two stitch, sc,dc pattern) and then I started fingerless gloves to go with the extended stitch cowl.... I'm all over the place!

 

Of course the fingerless gloves are because I can't do a decent mitten. I'll try to figure out what patterns I have tried and where I go wrong. Then maybe some of you can offer suggestions?

 

But in the meantime, I think I may make at least three more waffle stitch cowls or scarves.  Love it!  Thanks so much redrose! Your instructions were perfect and so easy to follow!

[ReniC]

Your scarves look great chickie! And love the colors.

 

I was surprised when I looked up the Waffle St in the Crochet Bible. I expected it to look like this stitch. What a neat surprise to find another stitch!  In fact, I have 2 potholders in (my) waffle st that my MIL made when she was pregnant with my husband in 1941 (way before my time....no really...hee hee hee). The red is a bit faded but still very nice. She made 2 stitched together out of sz20 cotton thread.

Amazing how something can be named the same and look so different. I'm definitely going to try the other Waffle st- maybe a few dishcloths.

[chickie]

I was expecting the waffle stitch to look like those dishcloths, too!  I wasn't sure how that would work on a scarf but was willing to give it a go.  Surprise! It's all little puffs!  Just goes to show you can't go by a name.  Well, except for the basket weave stitch. I just made a hat that looks just like a basket.   Yup, I AM all over the place this week!

[chickie]

For the muti colored cowl I used I Love This Yarn "Nightwatch."  I just discovered this yarn. I guess it's only sold at Hobby Lobby and the nearest one is more than half an hour from where I live.  I usually just use whatever is on sale at AC Moore or Michael's, like Bernat or Red Heart or Carron. All good, but since I discovered I love This Yarn, I'm spoiled. It's super soft, but not too silky or slippery. And it never splits. And I think I've only found one knot in about 2 dozen skeins.  I know I sound like a commercial, but...

I Love This Yarn!   

 

I do wish I had the money to try exotic yarns like Alpaca and all sorts of wools.  But maybe when I get better I will make one super nice item using something special.  Does anyone have a special yarn like that that they have tried?

[chickie]

HELP!

 

I went back to the extended mesh stitch and something is wrong.  I have started it 3 times and the same thing keeps happening.  I join to make the cowl and then do one row around and I end up with what looks like ...well, like I twisted it and the row is higher than where I'm going next. I can't explain it.  Hopefully someone will know what I'm doing wrong by looking at this mess. 

 

I'm feeling quite frustrated at the moment!

 

 

[magiccrochetfan]

Looks to me like it is twisted, in the upper right corner.

[chickie]

It's not twisted. The instructions say to start in the 5th chain, and when you do that the whole row sort of drops down. I tried starting in the 2d chain and it's a bit better, but still won't make a straight edge. I'm about to give up and just find another stitch that's loose and drapey.  Thanks for looking.

[magiccrochetfan]

Not at all sure i understand what happened, but here is something else you could try.....You don't have to join the initial chain. Do the chain and then do the first row flat. At the end of the row, join to the top of the first stitch, and from then on work in the round. At the end you can sew together the edges of the first row.

[ReniC]

Sometimes it gets frustrating doesn't it? I had this exact same problem this evening when working on a 220 chain infinity scarf. I just could not find where the twist was. After having to frog a 2nd time, I laid the whole chain completely straight, right side up on the dining table, laid a few books on top of the chain, then carefully and without lifting off of the table, pushed the two ends together making sure the chain did not twist in any way. Then I sl-st the two ends together (still laying on the table) and making sure the first chain with the tail was on the opposite side of where I was joining. It is stretching the procedure a bit but worked in the end. (No pun intended  )

[redrosesdz]

Great solution, Reni!  When something is done differently than "that's the way it's always been done" some call it unorthodox, I call it inventive and creative.  Thanks for sharing!! 

[chickie]

I was really frustrated last night, but took a breath this morning and attempted it again (I usually only crochet at night, but this was bugging me!)  So after ripping it out three more times, I came online.  I did what magiccrochetfan suggested and then I also started in the first stitch, not the 5th, of the next row.  It worked out pretty well, and I think I'll have a nice straight edge when I weave it in. So thank you magic! 

This is one reason why I hate to do mittens. I tend to "work out" a problem and add a stich or subtract one ...maybe when going around the thumb or whatever. Then when I do the second mitten I have to remember how I "fixed" the problem...if, indeed, I even have the same problem on the second mitten.  I have taken to using two balls of yarn (which means pulling the whole skein apart and making two balls and hoping they are the same size) and then doing one row on mitten #1, then one row on mitten #2 and back and forth back and forth!

 

SO much easier to make one hat or one scarf! 

[magiccrochetfan]

Very happy that you got it to work out

 

I know exactly what you mean about making a change then having to try to remember what you did....have that kind of problem constantly lol

[redrosesdz]

I'm glad that you figured it out, too! 

 

I got tired of not remembering what change I made, including hook size and yarn weight/texture.  So I started writing it down on my patterns.  At first I was using post-it notes, but they don't last.  A couple of my patterns have almost as many hand-written notes as they do original instructions!  The only bad part is that I can't give them away when I'm done with them.  I love my kindle and have a few crochet patterns on it, but I rarely use them.  It's a pain retyping the pattern just so I can make notes on it.  I know I can make notes on my kindle, but then I forget that they're there.

[Granny Square]

Ditto on scribbling on patterns all the time, for the same reasons.  

 

I have to admit that when I'm ready to make a pattern from a Kindle book I print the patterns out (screen prints from my PC Kindle reader).  Am I a Luddite or what? 

[chickie]

I write all over my pattern, too.  And I print them out rather than sit with a laptop or tablet propped on my lap.  But then, according to my kids, I do everything the "old fashioned" way.

My problem is, being relatively new to crocheting, what I write doesn't always make sense...even to me!  Sometimes I even draw pictures and still can't figure it out.

[ReniC]

Of course- -Duh-- Do I feel like a ditz or what! I did indeed turn each row.   I'll try another swatch in the round. Thanks redrosesdz.