Mend-athon: Day 4

The Mend-athon project for Day 4 was to replace the little plastic ring that broke on a nightgown strap. It took a minute to find my mother's itty bitty crochet hook, since I almost never use it, but it was in its place, just hiding amongst the bigger hooks. It also took about 10 minutes to do this mend, because I had to experiment a little with how many strands of sewing thread to crochet into a ring (4 worked best). Then another 30 seconds to put away the thread, and I was done.

Avoiding Stiff Crochet

Working in front loop only.
Many folks feel that crocheting produces a very stiff fabric, which can be uncomfortable to wear and gives a less-than-desirable drape. If you’re in this camp, then read on!

I discovered that working in only the front loop or the back loop of the base stitch increases the flexibility and drape of a finished item. My grandmother used this approach, but she never explained it to me--I just noticed that we were doing the same thing. Also it helps to use a hook that is larger than the yarn label recommends, for making a flexible crocheted fabric. This is very important for the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet pattern, to provide the right amount of drape.

Of course, the first row usually has a length of chains as the base, so there’s no front or back loop. But subsequent rows of single-crochet, double, etc. will present two top loops, which are usually both worked through. Using just the front or back loops for a row helps the stitches move easier as the finished item is worn or draped. It also produces a nice-looking ridged texture in the work.


Working in back loop only.
For crochet tips and variations on the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet, see:
Scrappy Turban
Novelty Yarn-Trimmed Turban
Tying Off After Joining
Slip-Stitch Join