How can I improve this?

This is what I have been trying to work on to start creating tunisian items done in a circular method.
The joining is done in the round and it's hard to tell in these pics (my camera doesn't want to cooperate) but it's all TSS, done in the round with no seaming to complete afterwards.
Anyone seen this before?
All instructions I could find for circular Tunisian Crochet start from a disk. I want to start from an opening and create a tube. Would be really interested if there are any tutorials available out there so I can see what they have to say and how the final look is compared to my attempts.
These aren't so bad though. The area where the join is made is a little wonky right now but is following straight up the piece as it's worked, so it's not a wandering seam. I would like to tighten the join area up though and make it less obvious.

Tunisian Scarf

I was just playing with a stitch, #24 from 101 easy Tunisian Stitches if you have the book, and made a scarf yesterday. The pictures aren't really doing it justice but I'm not the best photographer. It's a deep burgundy yarn and coming out slightly red instead of burgundy.

If you click to enlarge the image you will see the back doesn't look exactly like the front, but, the back isn't bad and very wearable.

You can see here the edges as they came off the hook. I haven't and don't plan to edge this as it's pretty much self edging due to the pattern stitch.

Cable Clutch Pattern

Cable Clutch (Images Here)

Materials:

6.5 mm Hook (I used a Boyes size K...gauge is not important here)

2.5 Oz any worsted weight yarn

large eye needle

1 yard 1/2 inch satin yarn

1-2 Stitch holder, second hook or scrap yarn on needle to hold stitches

chain 43

Row 1: Insert hook into 2nd loop from hook, yo and pull up a loop.* Insert hook in next loop, yo and pull up a loop.*

Continue from * to * to the end, you should have 43 loops on the hook.

TIP: if using a standard crochet hook place a rubber band wrapped many times around the unused end to keep loops from falling off

Work off loops:

Now yo and pull through 1 loop on hook, *yo and pull through 2 loops on hook* repeat from *to * until you have worked off all loops on hook

you will end up with 1 loop on the hook at the end and for each row through out

NOTE: This is the basic Tunisian Simple Stitch TSS that you have just completed

Row 2: You will be working the Tunisian Knit Stitch TKS across this row

On the front of the piece you should see vertical bars instead of the standard looking crochet stitch, there will be 2 verticals bars one on the front of the piece one on the back

Skip very first vertical bar on right hand side of piece

In second Vertical bar *insert your hook between these vertical bars, yo, pull up a loop*

Continue from *to* across, you will have 43 loops on the hook

NOTE: For every row through out when you do your forward pass you will end up with 43 loops on the hook

Work off loops:

Now yo and pull through 1 loop on hook, *yo and pull through 2 loops on hook* repeat from *to * until you have worked off all loops on hook

you will end up with 1 loop on the hook at the end and for each row through out

Row 3: Switching stitches to start the cable

TKS the next stitch

*Skip next 3 stitches and TKS the 3 next stitches.

Now remove the 3 stitches just made from the hook and place on a stitch holder

Go back and TKS the 3 skipped stitches

Remove these 3 stitches from the hook and place on a second stitch holder and hold to the back of the work

place hook in front of the 3 just removed from hook and now pick up the 1st set of 3 stitches you worked the TKS over

Now go back and pick up the 3 TKS you did 2nd starting with the one closest to the right hand side of your work.

You have switched stitches to start the cabling.

TKS next two stitches*

Repeat from *to* to end, you will have 43 loops on the hook and have switched stitches 5 times.

Row 4-7: repeat row 2

Row 8: repeat row 3

Row 9-12: repeat row 2

Row 13: repeat row 3

Row 14-17: repeat row 2

Row 18: repeat row 3

Row 19-22: repeat row 2

Row 22: repeat row 3

Row 23-26: repeat row 2

Row 27: repeat row 3

Row 28-31: repeat row 2

Row 32: repeat row 3

Row 33-36: repeat row 2

Row 37: repeat row 3

Row 37-40: repeat row 2

Row 41: repeat row 3

Row 42-45: repeat row 2

Row 46: repeat row 3

Row 47-48: repeat row 2

Row 49: Insert hook into 2nd vertical bar, yo, pull a loop through as if doing a slip stitch in standard crochet.

repeat the slip stitch across and finish off.

Hold right sides together lining up rows on the sides and sew up each side with what ever method you prefer.

I did a slip stitch down each side, but a blind stitch, whip stitch anything will work.

TIP: If you chose to line the purse add the lining now

I laid the purse on a piece of material to measure, folded material in 1/2 and sewed the 2 sides up to form an envelope

then I hemmed the top of the liner and inserted it into the bag wrong sides together

I then used a machine and stitched around the top just under the last row of stitches

TIP: Use a walking stitch method on the machine or do this by hand. If you use the foot the yarn will stretch and end up with the lining not matching up correctly

Adding the Handle:

*Pattern Stitches Needed*

Decrease you will need to use: To do a sc decrease insert hook in next stitch, yo and pull up a loop. Insert hook in next stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo and then pull through all 3 loops on hook.

This will make 1 decrease.

Now you should be able to find 86 stitches around. Count 43 stitches on each side and mark the sides with stitch markers.

So you should place a marker in, count 42 stitches to the left after this and place another stitch marker in the 42nd stitch you count to mark off the 43 stitches that belong to one side

Handle Row 1:

Attach yarn on right hand side of bag where 1st stitch market is located with a slip stitch.

Chain 1 Place stitch marker back to mark this as the

Work 6 Decreases using the first stitch where you attached as the place to begin.

NOTE: once you do the 1st decrease mark this stitch as the 1st stitch with one of the stitch markers.

sc in the next 10 stitches

work 5 decreases to next stitch marker. Place stitch marker back to mark this as the side

Work 6 decreases

sc in next 10 stitches

work 5 decreases

sl into top of 1st stitch

You now have 64 stitches around

Handle Row 2:

chain 3 (counts as first hdc and chain 1 space)

skip next stitch

*HDC in next 2 stitches, chain one and skip next stitch*

repeat from *to * around until there is 1 stitch left unworked

HDC in last stitch

slip stitch to chain 2 space of beginning chain 3

Handle Row 3: chain 1

sc in this stitch and each stitch around

slip stitch to first stitch and place stitch markers in to mark corners.

Handle Row 4-5: repeat row 3

Handle row 6: chain 1, sc in same stitch

sc in next 9 stitches

chain 12

skip next 12 stitches

sc in next 20 stitches

chain12

skip next 12 stitches

sc in next 10 stitches

slip stitch into beginning sc

NOTE: You can remove the stitch markers now, they will no longer be needed

Handle row 7: chain 1 sc in same space

sc in next 9 stitches

sc in each of the next 12 chains

sc in next 20 stitches

sc in each of the next 12 chains

sc in next 10 stitches

sl into starting sc

Row 8-10: repeat row 3

at the end of row 10 finish off.

Finishing: Weave in all ends with a needle

Thread 1/2 inch ribbon through the spaced made on Handle Row 2 and tie in a bow

Copyright 2007

Please do not publish or use for items to sell

I appreciate a link back to my site if you make one for yourself or a gift and wish to let people know

Butterfly Bag

The above image is because people always ask what graphs look like in progress, how to manage all the bits or yarn etc. I have posted these before but figured another wouldn't hurt.

This is the finished product. It was for one of my kids most beloved teachers. They all had her for 2nd grade and we all loved her! She retired this year, which is a huge loss for future students as she was just one of those great teachers! So I wanted to make her something extra special. We all knew her love of butterflies, she even once flew to Florida with a butterfly that hatched late in her class and would not have made the trip to Mexico before the snow hit.

I wasn't even looking for a lining fabric for this bag but just happened across this embellished velvet on a clearance rack at Jo-Ann's. It's embellished with flying butterflies. I attached and sewed it in so that the bag is now completely reversible.

This was just a bit brighter image of the front. She sent us a thank you letter stating how much she loved the bag and how shes currently using it as her book bag for the library. I was happy to just do something special for a special woman.

Mad about bags

This is a slightly image heavy post but I haven't had much time to work on my blog lately and had things waiting to be downloaded from the memory cards.
Ok for the end of the kids school year I decided to make bags for all the teachers. I searched all over and decided to make this one and that and then changed my mind on them all, of course LOL. I unfortunately fell and sprained my wrist the night I was finishing all the bags, because, I always leave finishing until last and then I was up until 3 am working on the and washing them all to get them to the school the next day and just didn't take pictures. But, I had made some for myself as well, you know practice pieces like trying the cake before feeding it to loved ones just incase! So here is some of what I had been working on.
This one is still unfinished because I have attempted a handle twice now and not liked the finished product. I originally wanted a knit i-cord in the grey cotton I used, but, I wasn't getting a thick enough i-cord using the needles I chose. I went up in needle size but then the i-cord itself didn't look good because the needles were too large. So I am still thinking this out.

This is one side of the bag that was designed by Angela ‘ARNie’ Grabowski .
She was experimenting with a tunisian illusion technique and created a pattern for a small clutch. I used the technique and the idea of a purse but changed the pattern to the size and shape I desired.
On this side when you look straight at the purse you see the grey and red intermixed (the camera picks up the detail of the stripes in the left hand picture but you don't see them in person like this) and then when you lay the item down and look at it from the angle in the right hand picture youget the effect of solid grey and red stripes.

This is the other side of the bag. Looking at it straight on you again see a mixture of grey and red but no noticeable stripes in person. The picture on the right shows that when viewed from an angle you see solid red stripes running vertically up the bag. It's really neat in person and people do a double take when they see it as they aren't sure if they really saw stripes or not.

Here is a Market bag made from 2 strands of #10 thread held together. I found the pattern here. I altered the bottom to be just mesh as I made a few for teachers I knew liked to go to the beach and thought this would be perfect for holding beach items and with a mesh base most of the sand would fall out before making it back to the car.

The pocket on the front is there so you can fold the bag up and it becomes self storing. I can't personally slip this in any of my purses (if you've seen any you'd know why) But, for those that carry luggage you could easily slip this in your purse and have a handy market bag for a farmers market or the store. I do actually use this now to go shopping and love this thread one for boxes of cereal, paper products and produce.

Now I love the thread bag but it took too long to make. I won't say how long because long for one is short for another and I don't want to prevent anyone from trying it, it really is worth it! But, I wanted a bag I could more so mass produce. So I took the pattern for the thread bag and altered it to make my own out of ww cotton. Instead of a beginning chain of 87 I did a beginning chain of 45 and went on from there following the pattern just making sure to keep to 45 stitches on a side.

I had just enough cotton left to make a granny square for the front. I don't fold the bag up and stick it in this square because the square is not big enough to hold it, but, it makes a great place to stick your car keys so when you walk out with all your bags you can press the unlock button or find the keys easy. I have been sticking my other market bags in this one and then stick coupons into the pocket as well so I recall to bring them to the store with me.

Now I had to try a recycled plastic bag bag as well and just had to take a picture of what the target bag states.
If you can't see this it states ways to recycle your target bag......they left of crochet a new bag though. I think we should email them.


Well to start we gathered all the plastic bags in the house. I mainly had bags that were white with a red logo, CVS, Target, my local grocery store. So the executive decision was made to do the bag using ONLY white and red bags. I had 120 to start. I cut the bottom open on each bag and then cut the handles off if need be (some had no handles and that was great! less waste!) Made my ball of "yarn" and got going with a size M hook. I just winged it chaining how many I wanted to achive the width I thought would be good.

after running out of bags twice and then finding more as we went to the stores, this is where I am at. I would like to add a few more rounds to the top if the bag to reinforce the handle more. At this point there are about 160 plastic bags in here to make this one bag that's about 18 x 15 inches. My daughter has now "borrowed" this because it goes so well with her duct tape wallet...

White Cable Clutch

This is my rough draft of cables. I am still working on the technique and couldn't take a picture to really show what I'm seeing but these aren't bad.
I made the bottom portion in white cotton doing the Tunisian Cable technique and then I lined the bag (Thinking about this lovely pink silk ribbon I had but now it seems to have grown feet and run off)
I then finished off the top by creating a channel for the ribbon and then added the upper portion and handle in sc.
The image with the candle gives a reference as the candle is a basic jar candle like any Yankee Candles, this is just one from a local store but same sized jar.

But, it holds everything I generally carry out and about with me. I ended up using a blue satin ribbon even though in the pictures it looks more acetate it is a very soft satin.