Day 14: Learning and Quilt Squares: Part 3

Shaping with Double Crochet

My first pieces worked in the Reversible Intarsia Technique were done in double crochets. Although half doubles are great for creating simple shapes with smooth lines, once you are comfortable with the double crochet stitches in the technique, the half-color stitches enable you to recreate any grid type pattern by counting one double crochet row as two rows of single crochet.



Square #9: Diamonds 

The Diamonds square gives you the chance to practice Double Crochet Diagonals using Increases and Decreases. This is done pretty much the same as when done in hdcs, except that the stitches are taller. The combination of carrying the yarn under the last stitch of the first color, and the 'Yarn Flip' after the color change hides the diagonal strands, making the fabric the same on both sides.



Square #10: Waves

Upright "Waves" are created by alternating rows of Double Crochet Half-Color Stitches with rows of regular upright double crochets. This is not the prettiest square, but it serves the purpose of practicing the Half-Color stitches which will be a new concept to many crocheters. By using 'half-color' stitches, you can recreate any single crochet grid pattern, counting each row of double crochets as two rows of single crochet.


Square #11: Arrows

Sometimes the new color of yarn you want to change to is coming toward your hook (as opposed to being ready to pick up under the same stitch as your color change). In this case, you have to work around that strand coming across your work. Although the stitch is basically the same as the Half-Color Double Crochet practiced in the previous square, I have listed the Reverse Half-Color Double Crochet as a separate stitch to show step by step how to work around that strand.


Square #12: Bulls-eye

This particular Quilt Square was one of my original 12 squares, meant to practice combining all of the double crochet stitches you have learned in the previous squares. When I started looking for more traditional quilt block patterns, I was thrilled to realize that the Bulls-eye is also seen in quilt blocks.

For more information on my book, see: http://www.interweavestore.com/reversible-color-croc...