Crochet Diploma Level 1 :Presentation of Work

Here's the rest of the Diploma works shown as a first intallment yesterday.

On the left and right is a daughter modelling the first real project: a garment made from a pattern!

Now this requirement started a huge journey for me as I has NEVER made anything from a commercial pattern before! I had always muddled through and made it up as I went along : it was one of the things I loved about crochet when I was 15 ; the freedom! No restricting needles and stitches to cast on : with crochet you could always add a bit or lose a bit , go in any direction etc etc.

First it took me ages to FIND a pattern I actually WANTED to make! And that's where my collecting of crochet books , both UK and American started- in 2005 and I now have LOADS.

Over 50 at last count PLUS patterns downloaded from the internet....and pattern leaflets from Sirdar or Patons and lots of patterns in Crochet magazines too: Crochet Today, Interweave Crochet and Crochet!....as well as Dutch crochet magazines.

Anyway I digress : I found this pattern on the market in Thame and made it in a DK cotton, I had to follow the pattern to the letter to prove that I could and again that was a challenge for me as I always tweak something or change a bit and individualise it....

In the end I did it and my daughter- as can be seen by her antics- loves it.

Next Project was with a 3 ply thread and a finer hook than I prefer to use so again I was right out of my comfort zone.

It's NOT a doily : it's a shrug with a shawl collar and in an earlier blog you can see me wearing it.

I did use a pattern - from one of those obsessively collected books!- but this time felt free to tweak the edging which is more my own design.

The Crochet course also includes 3 types of crochet which are a lttle different: Tunisian, Hairpin and Broomstick.

I had done some hairpin and broomstick in my teens from a set of very good Dutch magazines called ''Ariadne'' from which I tended to teach myself as my mum doesn't crochet at all.

BUT I hadn't even ever HEARD of Tunisian and I found it very difficult to understand at first!

Also why give up the freedom of the hook with one stitch????This cross between knitting and crochet was eventually mastered and THEN Pauline had the great udea to suggest that I do one of my Projects in it!!!!Unbelievable.

But she was so very right because I did it and it worked out so very well and it's a cushion ( Pillow) that is much admired and loved and used daily- although the dog has now decided it's HERS-!

This is the Tunisian side and the other side has motifs, this time the pattern is entirely my own.

Except for the motifs which are in Pauline's book: How to Crochet.

The Final project was great fun and I was very sensible and used up a ball of fancy yarn bought on a whim but without any set plan.

This is a little hairpin bag - again entirely my own pattern- which is totally ideal for my daughter to take her ''missal'' book to church in.

It is a little book that helps her to follow the words of the Mass and to respond correctly.

Pauline thought the bag was a bit too small but she hadn't seen the use for which it was needed!

Below right are some of the files I have now accumulated all due to doing this course!

Inspiration from fashion magazines and catalogues featuring crochet in clothing, toys or items for the home, yarn supplier details, shade cards, favourite blogs and websites, research , etc.

New yarns tried out by sampling, motifs with beads, newstitches tried out or yarns combined in different ways.

The yarn blobs on the far right above are a pure cashmere 4 ply which I just can't wait to have a go with and PLAY!!!It's heavenly SOFT.


On the right are the 4 projects completed shown together.


The course included 35 samples some of which are shown on my previous blog and the remainder are as below:

Three tunisian samples are in pink/magenta top left.

Then there are 3 braids, lower row shows some broomstick , a pink sample with chevrons and a turquoise sample showing the effect of gradually increasing the hook size with the same yarn.


Then finally below are a set of hairpin samples - all in various pinks - showing a variety of spines, a variety of joining methods and a fringe or 2.

The blue include a shaped piece with a dc and crabstitch border, a piece of broomstick crochet and a few braids in a fine thread.

I started the course in June 2005 - I'm also a mum of 2 with a dog a part time job , a house to run and doing a diploma in machine embroidery also....And there is in addition a husband who would sometimes like some time too!!!

I almost completed the course by October 2006 , when I really wanted some time out to make what I wanted to make and that's what I did : I had a ''time out'' from October 2006 to January 2008.

Pauline is very supportive of this and puts no deadlines or any pressure on you and it worked really well for me.

I made all the babyclothes, scarves, sweaters ,hats , shrugs and so on that have appeared on this blog over time.

This month I completed the final samples which have been passed by Pauline!!!!

I also have to add that the course led me to buy Crochet magazines ( the hunt for a pattern)

which led me to an interweave crochet magazine in 2005 which mentioned Crochetville:

and this I found such a fun filled and inspirational as well as supportive site that I

wanted to join and contribute and THAT in turn led me to start this BLOG!!!!

Therefore ; a HUGE THANK YOU has to go to Pauline Turner who made me do all this by advertising her Diploma course in the back of a book I had just happened to buy...

I joined the course and the BLOG happened as well as all the above and more.

Once upon a time I could crochet a bit BUT my work wasn't straight , my edges would ''wander'' and I had no idea of turning chains.....I couldn't understand crochet patterns, I only understood symbols and I only worked with a 4mm hook, never did any texture, no ribbing , no bobbles.
Now there's a whole world of crochet stitches I can explore and understand!

Roll onto Level 2??! OK I'm thinking about it.