A New Name for the Turban Patterns

Fortune-Teller Turban

The G*psy Turban has a new name.  Thanks to a fellow pattern designer, I have been made aware that the Roma people currently consider "G*psy" to be a pejorative term.*  So I have changed the name to reflect the actual inspiration for the design: Fortune-Teller Turban.

Paintings of fortune-tellers from the Middle Ages gave me the images that served as models for the two patterns, which I published in 2009.  So voila--new name!

Now, the knitted G*psy Turban is called the Fortune-Teller Turban.

And the G*psy Turban in Crochet is now called the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet.

Done.  I feel better--do you?

Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet

* "...rejected by Roma organisations, who ask for the autonym ”Roma” to be used."

My Favorite Crocheter... Absinthia!

The Blog Week question for today is: Who is a great knitter or crocheter that you admire?


Absinthia's Dog
Here is my crochet answer: No, not the dog... I love Absinthia!! She is a brilliant Swedish crocheter, who is innovative, clever, and just a lot of fun. She has been a pattern tester for me on Witch Warmers in Crochet, and she suggested a huge improvement in the way the stripes join up. I had tried and tried to make those stripes jogless, and the combination of stitches just wasn’t allowing it for me. Absinthia to the rescue! She suggested a fix that was perfect... I would never have thought of it on my own. Check out her work on Ravelry.

The photo above shows Absinthia’s child-sized version of the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet, modeled by her little dog. How cute is that?? She made the turban for her kindergartener-niece, who wears it when she takes on the character of Scheherazade, spinning tales for her friends.

If you want to see more posts from other bloggers participating in Blog Week, click here to find links:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=knitcroblo3&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

(Blog Week Day 3 tag: knitcroblo3)

Scrappy Turban

Of the many fortune-teller turbans I have made so far, this is definitely my favorite. It uses the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet pattern, and the best part is that it's made from scrap yarn: 2 strands of sportweight held together. One is a continuous color and the other is tied-together scraps. Using a single color along with the scraps gives a pleasing continuity and has the added benefit of disguising the "teeth" that appear when consecutive rows are worked in different colors.

Here's how to modify the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet pattern for this variation:

1. Crochet a new flat gauge swatch--it is different. I got 13 st x 12 rows = 4"/10cm x 4"/10cm.

2. The yardage is about the same, but for 2 strands of sportweight yarn held together. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease sportweight for the turban pictured here, but Plymouth Encore DK is a fine substitute. For the scrap skein, you can use the "Magic Ball" technique, in which you tie varying lengths of scrap yarn together to make a long strand, and crochet or knit it like one continuous ball of yarn. For the knotting, I used a square knot, but I've read about an overhand knot made holding the 2 ends together.

3. With the 2 strands held together, make your beginning chain a bit loose, using the same size hook specified in the pattern. The number of chains should be 6 less than what the pattern lists for the various sizes. The pictures show a size small on a size medium head. It barely fits, and I will make a size medium for myself next time in the scrappy technique.

4. Work according to the pattern, crocheting the ends in as you go.

5. When finished, tie off and work in ends. There will be yarn ends showing throughout the work--to make them less visible, tug and trim each to about 1/4" or .5mm.


For crochet tips and variations on the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet, see:
Novelty Yarn-Trimmed Turban
Tying Off After Joining
Slip-Stitch Join
Avoiding Stiff Crochet
Swatch Wars

Sagefrost Turban

This variation of the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet uses acrylic worsted weight yarn and a fuzzy, white boucle yarn called "Snow White," a vintage yarn that I got from a lady in Canada. Any fuzzy or shiny or bouclé yarn in a contrasting color would work fine too. Here's how I made this turban:

1. Make the starting chain in the "frost" or white yarn.

2. Continue for 2 rounds with the main color, sage in this case, carrying the white yarn up the wrong side of the work.

3. Add a slip-stitch round of white.

4. Switch back to the main color and work a few more rounds.

5. Repeat steps 3-4 until you have finished the turban rounds.

6. End with a slip-stitch round of white.


For crochet tips on this pattern see the following posts:
Scrappy Turban
Tying Off After Joining
Slip-Stitch Join
Avoiding Stiff Crochet
Swatch Wars

Slip-Stitch Join

Here’s how to join the top of the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet, without sewing. It works great for other things, like afghan pieces, too.

1. Place the two pieces to be joined with their right sides facing each other on the inside and the edges to be joined lined up together. This will produce an invisible seam on the right side.

2. As in the Fortune-Teller Turban, if the working yarn is already attached at the beginning of the join, chain 1. If not, then insert your crochet hook through the first stitches at the end of each of the two pieces to be joined. Draw the end of the working yarn all the way through and tie a knot to secure.

3. Slip-stitch the upper edges together, pairing-up the edge stitches on each piece. When you slip-stitch, draw the working yarn through the back loop of the front-edge stitch and the front loop of the back-edge stitch (the inner loops of the front and back edges).

4. For a secure end, when you come to the last stitch of the join, slip-stitch through the front and back loops of the 2 edge stitches, and then tie off.

For crochet tips and variations on the Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet, see:
Scrappy Turban
Novelty Yarn-Trimmed Turban
Tying Off After Joining
Avoiding Stiff Crochet

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

Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet

This is a crocheted version of the knitted Fortune-Teller Turban pattern. It's easy to make and easy to wear--no sewing, grafting, or blocking. It is crocheted in a simple, unusual technique that makes it flexible and drapey. The design was inspired by paintings of fortune-tellers from the Middle Ages.

The Fortune-Teller Turban can easily be arranged to cover the hairline or cover the ears, as you wish. Make one in cotton for warm weather and another in wool for winter.

U.S. crochet terms

Materials: uses US I / 5.5 mm crochet hook; 1 moveable stitch marker (optional).

Yarn: 200-250 yds / 183-230 meters worsted weight cotton, wool, wool blend, or acrylic yarn. The pictures show Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton worsted weight yarn. Other American brands of cotton, Wool-Ease wool blend, and acrylic yarn work fine in worsted weight, as well.

Gauge: 16 st x 15 rows = 5"/13cm x 5"/13cm in cotton worsted weight yarn; 16 st x 13 rows = 4.5"/11.5cm x 4.5"/11.5cm in wool, blend, or acrylic worsted weight yarn

Skill Level: easy



You can find crochet tips and variations on this pattern in the following posts:
Scrappy Turban
Novelty Yarn-Trimmed Turban
Tying Off After Joining
Slip-Stitch Join
Avoiding Stiff Crochet
Swatch Wars

The Fortune-Teller Turban in Crochet pattern is available for purchase as a download here and on Ravelry. $2.00 USD