could use suggestions/help

[Lisa1308]

I am wanting to crochet this pilllow for my daughters archery coach, but am having issues with the black lines.  I am pretty new to crocheting, so I really only know back stiches, but I was doing single crochet for the black lines and 2 rows of dc for the colors.  Any suggestions on making the lines show up better?Also,  are there instructions for how to finish it off after the last black line in the white?  I'd like the pillow to end up square.

Any help or suggestions you can off are greatly apprecitated.

 

[bgs]

So I assume you are crocheting in the round?  You could be crocheting in rows and using bobbins which would be more complicated.  Its pretty much going to be trial and error as you are creating your own pattern as you go.  You are going to have to try various things and if you dont like it pull it out and start over.  Have no idea what you mean when you said "you only know back stitches".  Did you mean basic stitches like single crochet, half double crochet, and double crochet.  For the black lines you could try half double crochet as its height is between a single and double crochet or else you could see if 2 rounds of single crochet look better.  Then what do you mean by finishing it off after last black line?  Are you wanting to go from a circle to a square?  There again its going to be trial and error to get the proportions right. There are some patterns out there for granny squares and possibly an afghan or two that go from round to square that would give you some idea how its done but you will have to figure it for your pillow.  It would probably be easier to make a round pillow.

 

[Granny Square]

I concur that 'n the round' is the way to go in my opinion.  There are round pillows too...  I would make a round piece that is all solid color rings, and crochet-embroider the thin circle-lines (it's easy).  edit, meaning 2 sides worked center-out in the round, so you end up with 2 circles to connect together.

Here is a  rule for working center out in single crochet: 

make an adjustable ring, rnd 1: work 6 sc around the ring, slip stitch to the top of the beginning stitch, chain 1 (this turning chain does not count as a stitch). (total=6 sc)

rnd 2: make 2 sc in each sc (total=12 sc) (this and the rest of the rounds also end as above by joining to the beginning with a slst and ch 1)

rnd 3: make *1 sc  in in the first sc, 2 sc in the next 1 sc; repeat from * around, join as before (18 sc)

rnd 4: make *1 sc  in in the first sc, 2 sc in the next 2 sc; repeat from * around, join as before (24 sc)

repeat the concept of round 4, except each round add 1 to the number of plain stitches between increases - so round 5 would have 3 plain SC between increase for example.  Change colors when the circle stripes look to be the right size to you - from the photo it looks like they are all the same size/distance between the rings.

To make the thin black line with the 'crochet-embroidery', below is a tutorial.  The hard part is anchoring the first stitch (not hard, just a bit fiddly) but after that it's just reach thru the fabric where you want the line to continue, pull up a loop from the yarn source that is beneath the fabric, move to the next spot, repeat.  At the end, pull the last loop to the underside and finish off securely.

 https://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-surface-crochet-or-surface-slip-stitch/

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Granny Square

[Lisa1308]

Thank you for the replies.  Sorry for the confusion in my post.  Yes, I meant basic stiches.  And I was hoping to go from circle to square, but of course that would depend on what I can figure out.   I've never heard of the surface crochet, that seems easy enough to be the way to go with this.

Thank you both!

 

[bgs]

This explains process of turning circle into a square.

[ReniC]

You might also be able to use a front loop only single crochet which will make the black lines stand out a bit more.