I know, the picture is rather large. The bows are quite small, though, and I wanted you to see as much detail as possible. Most small things aren't difficult, but they are fiddly. The directions will sound insane. The best I can offer is to read through once and then just jump in. Remember, just because it doesn't look like mine doesn't mean it's wrong. It's just a different way of doing it.
Bow One - The Tube Bow
Start with long tail.
Chain 15. dc in 3rd chain ridge and across. Connect with slip stitch to first dc made.
Work 5 rows dc. Leave long tail.
Sew ends shut. I pull tightly so that it "puckers" a bit and adds more depth.
-Here's where it gets funky. Find the middle, in this case the 3rd row. Push down a bit and squeeze in a bit. You should end up with a sort of boxy middle where the four points meet. Using a bit of yarn and a tapestry needle, sew through the POSTS of the stitches to shape the middle. Look, it sounds stupid complicated, but it's not. Just pick up the bow by the middle, squish it a bit until it looks right to you, and sew it in place. Make sure it's secure and either hide the end inside or use it to attach to your bigger item.
Bow Two - The Wee Bow
Start with a long tail - to use to attach to an item later.
Magic Circle, work stitches: chain 3, 3 tr, dc, 2 sc, slip stitch, chain 3, 3 tr, dc, 2sc. Do NOT attach. Pull Circle closed.
Chain 4, wrap around middle, attach in back with slip stitch (just wherever you can).
Bow Three - The Long Skinny
Begin with long tail.
Magic Circle, 10 sc, close Circle.
Chain 3, dc in next 3 stitches, turn.
Chain 3, dc in first stitch. dc in next 2 stitches, 2 dc in top of chain 3.
Slip stitch down the sides of stitches, slip stitch in 3 sc.
Chain 3, dc in next 3 stitches, turn.
Chain 3, dc in first stitch. dc in next 2 stitches, 2 dc in top of chain 3.
Slip stitch down the side of stitches.
-I use one tail to wrap toward me and the other to wrap away from me. I feel it makes it more secure. Weave in ends or use them to attach item to larger piece.
Bow Four - The Easily Adaptable
Begin with long tail.
Chain 10, skip 2 chains, dc across.
Turn, chain 2, dc in same stitch, dc across. Repeat.
-Use tapestry needle to weave in end to between stitch 4 and 5. "Squish" bow until shaped to your preference. Weave needle from top to bottom, pull tightly, then from bottom to top. Repeat until shaped the way you want and is secure.
**You could also wrap the middle. You could easily make this bigger or longer. Just add stitches or rows or both. I made mine by smashing the middle row between the edges of the top and bottom. Really, it's all about what feels right and what look you're going for.
Bows are a basic shape and they're everywhere. I needed a bow tie for a Doctor Who project, but you could easily use them for girls' bows or as bows on hats or amigurumi. A coworker asked if I intended to use them as ties for Christmas gifts. I hadn't, but it's a cute idea. I've also made some that used crocheted chains to wrap around the middle, but I couldn't get a good picture of it.
These came about during a road trip with far too much time and only two colors to play with. I'm partial to the tube bow as I think it looks most bow-like. I rather dislike the skinny one, but it might be just what you need. As always, have fun with it. Don't let the small things defeat you!
No comments:
Post a Comment