Jane's Hooked on Crochet

A place to write about my crocheting, things I'm learning, book reviews, ideas, projects in mind, works in progress, patterns, photos, fair entries, whatever...

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Delta crochet



I signed up for another online class, this is Delta Crochet's "Learn How to Delta Crochet: Star Jasmine Doily". It was only $5 for the class, which started on Saturday, April 1st. Since I was in Slippery Rock for the weekend, Honors Convocation for daughter #2, I didn't get started right away. Came home Sunday with lesson plans to finish, papers to grade for Tuesday, taught Tues. then a tutoring session, Wed. tutoring sesssion, then working at the dance studio, Thurs. luncheon with daughter #1 and friends, then knitting class. So, Friday I finally got started on lesson #1.
Delta crochet reminds me to Filet crochet, beautiful threadwork. Filet is done with double crochet stitches and is worked in squares, open and solid. Delta is done with treble crochets and is worked in triangles, open and solid. The lessons have some written directions, and nice charts. They recommend you work as much as possible from the charts. And if you have to use the written work for the first practice piece, make another and rely more on the chart. So I'm learning a lot about reading charts. Now, remember this is not my learning style. I'm not at all a visual, give me a book, language, written words! The beginning stitches and patterns were easy and I picked up on reading the charts without too much trouble. The lessons introduce stitches and have you make practice pieces, then you make a nice, small ornament using the stitches. I made the first Star Ornament with no trouble. Then I started on the little corner blossom motifs, I finally had to make an extra copy of the lesson. I took this page, pencil with eraser and a set of colored highlighters to the couch with my thread and hook. I looked at the chart, counted stitches, made a few stitches, checked the chart, wrote some notes, made a few stitches, read the directions, did a little frogging, highlighted some stitches in red and made notes in red, made some more stitches, highlighted some of the stitches on the chart in green, made notes in green, etc. and after a full day, aha! moment. The little blossom finally bloomed in my thread work!! When I finished the practice piece I made the Blossom ornament. I'm hoping to block these 2 ornaments tomorrow, then I can put them on the scanner and get pictures up here. Next in the lesson is a blossom in the interior of a piece, then make a coaster.
The lessons on this technique are exceptionally well written and broken down into nice steps of learn a few stitches or a stitch pattern, make a little project, learn more stitches, make another little project. I highly recommend this, if you're interested in learning a new technique.