Picture Tapestry

[Amiguru44]

Hi all,

I don't know if I am posting this in the correct section because I did not finish something yet, but I started designing a tapestry. The starting point is a picture I made during a hiking trip in Norway. First I reduced the resolution of the original picture in order to lower the amount of pixels to approximately 450x200. For the next step I converted this image to one that consists only of colors available in the color chart of the yarn I use, the image can be seen below (my girlfriend is standing on the rock):

This may seem like an insane project but time is not an issue, even if it takes years to complete.

The stitch type I am planning to use is corner-to-corner (c2c). I tried several other things as well but I think c2c is the best option for this as it results in nicely stacked squares resembling the individual pixels. To make sure this tapestry is not going to be larger than the wall in my living room I will use the smallest possible version of c2c (with two hdc stitches). Using the Scheepjes Maxi yarn and a 1.5 mm hook this will create squares of 5x5 mm.

I started in the lower left corner with black yarn and I will work my way to the top right corner. The biggest challenge here will be the numerous color changes. In c2c you can carry yarn, but not too far. I am wondering if I can safely start a square with a new color and immediately finish it off or will it come loose easily?. I guess I have to figure this out by just doing it. 

Please let me know if you have any tips or suggestions! If you find it interesting I can post pictures of the progress now and then, and again sorry if this is the wrong place to post this. 

Best,

Marco

 

[Tampa Doll]

Oh wow.  We are always glad to see what you are working on and what it looks like when it is finished.

Beautiful picture and it should awsome when done.

[Granny Square]

First, your photo is awesome, even in it's pixelated state.  Must have been an amazing trip!

Second, a suggestion.  Corner to corner, this would reach from where I live (west coast USA) to Norway.  Ok, maybe just to Chicago.  Still kidding, but not by a lot....

A hypothetical 'swatch' in US SC using US medium weight yarn, using the suggested gauge on the ball band of Red Heart super saver yarn:  12 sc across, 15 rows, make a 4" square.  This means 1 stitch across is 4 divided by 12 is .33", and 1 stitch high is .267".

Your height is 200 pixels, so 200 x .267 which is 53.4 inches high. (4.45 feet).

Your width appears to be 450 pixels, so 450 x .33 which is 148.5 inches high.  (12 feet)

The above is using 1 sc as the unit of scale, versus your stitch which is 3 DC which is roughly the size of 3 sc across in 3  rows.  So, you are talking something like 36 feet by 13 feet using the c2c stitch and US medium weight yarn.  You might want to re-think this...maybe in crochet thread?

 

Edited September 22, 2023 by Granny Square
edit for clairty

[Lacycrochet]

That is a beautiful picture.  Very ambitious and impressive project you are about to start.  I myself am interested to see your progress and would love to see pictures.  Granny Square is right, the stitches you chose will make for a very large tapestry.  If that was my project, I would use crochet thread.

[Amiguru44]

Hello everyone,

I started with the project. The progress so far can be seen in the image below.

It may look like a mess with all the threads but I am currently using 5 colors at once. I am working with a 3-block edge around the image in order to keep the edge of the actual image nice and clean. I had to change the colorscheme a little bit beacause not all colors were available so it looks slightly different than the image I posted before. 

These are all the colors the picture is composed of, 23 in total.

Best,

Marco

[Granny Square]

   Cheering you on, it's looking good so far!  Kind of mind boggling to see all of those colors you'll be using in that box.

 

[Tampa Doll]

Wow that is really beautiful.  Sometimes we do have to make changes in color.  I hate to ask, but is that C2C and what size thread or yarn are you using.

It really looks good so far.

 

[Courtney0508]

Wow, this is probably the most amazing project I've ever seen undertaken in crochet!

Please keep posting pics!

[Amiguru44]

@Tampa Doll, This is actually mini-c2c. Each square is made by doing 1 slipstich in the neigbouring square then chain 1, followed by 2 hdc. The regular c2c is usually chain 3 followed by 3 dc, which in my case would make the squares too large. The yarn I use is lace thickness and I am using a 1.5mm hook (I believe its hook size 7 in US standards). 

I found it really difficult to get the tension right with this type of yarn so in the beginning the corner had an angle smaller than 90 degrees (as you can probably see in the picture). I blocked this first piece to get the angle right and I continued with more 'loose' stitches so for now this problem seems to be solved. I will soon post a picture of the current state of the project.

@Granny Square, your calculations are correct and with normal yarn this would indeed lead to a massive tapestry. That is why I chose really thin yarn and the smallest possible c2c. I have ~5mm (0.2 inch) squares now, which will eventually result in a tapestry of approximately 1x2 meter (3.3x6.6 feet), probably slightly larger.

Edited November 1, 2023 by Amiguru44

[Granny Square]

Ah, I'm not familiar with the brand of yarn you are using ("Scheepjes Maxi" sounded big to me, I guess), and I overlooked the small hook size (which is in the doily-thread hook range).  Now that I see your in-progress photo, it makes a lot more sense--and looking great so far!  

[Tampa Doll]

Thank you for pointing out the c2c.  I thought that is what it was, but I was not sure.

I can't wait to see the end product.

[Horsy]

Best of luck to you in this sure-to-be-magnificent  tapestry.  1.50mm hook, huh?  Wow.  I can't wait to see the finished product!  I hope you will submit photos along the way.  

By the way, you would not find me standing on that rock, not for a million bucks. 

[Courtney0508]

13 hours ago, Horsy said:

Best of luck to you in this sure-to-be-magnificent  tapestry.  1.50mm hook, huh?  Wow.  I can't wait to see the finished product!  I hope you will submit photos along the way.  

By the way, you would not find me standing on that rock, not for a million bucks. 

Right?????

[Amiguru44]

Thanks for all the positive comments! Like I said earlier, the first image is not up to date anymore since I had to make some minor changes to the color scheme. Hereby I provide the correct image with the progress indicated in red (in the lower left corner). This red area is magnified in the second image. The third image is the actual tapestry so far.

I am carrying yarn for no more than 5 squares. This means that I have a lot of loose ends at the back of the work where I finished off and started again with a new color. For now I just leave them (2 inches) and this seems fine and it all feels quite firm but I am still worried about how this will be after a few months since the loose ends might start fraying at some point. Do you have any ideas? The back does not have to look nice since it is not a blanket.

[Tampa Doll]

I have never made anything this intaled.  Even with the c2c, I would carry my yarn up to the next row.  So you count over to when you will use the yarn on the next row and make sure it is there for when it is needed.  That way there is very little ends to sew in.

Your work is looking great.

[Amiguru44]

Hello everyone,

Hereby I am posting a progress update of this project (in reality the colors are a little bit darker than in the photo):

[Granny Square]

Wow, you are moving right along!  Hang in there!   

[Tampa Doll]

WOW looking good.  It is amazing.

[Amiguru44]

Hi all,

It has been a while so time for a new progress update. I started using a new color (green, as you can see in the top corner) and this has been a great releaf, as working with the same colors for weeks is getting really boring. As you can see rock formations can already be distinguished.

[Lacycrochet]

Wow, this is really impressive, great work.

[Tampa Doll]

It is really looking good.

 

[Courtney0508]

I'm so glad you posted this! I have been wondering about it. It's coming along amazingly!!

[TATS]

Wow! Looking amazing! Thanks for sharing.🙂

[Amiguru44]

I almost reached a new milestone in this tapestry adventure: the top left corner. This means the rows will not increase in length anymore, I can finally start with a new set of colors (different shades of blue) and at this point I completed the tapestry for approximately 25%.

[Tampa Doll]

Looking good and good news on the no longer increasing.