My Search to Be Square - Part 1

I love to cross stitch on crocheted fabric and I had made an afghan several years ago that featured our family name and a cabin graphic with some pine trees. So when I came across this free KG Chart for Cross Stitch program I got excited and downloaded it. In no time I was able to easily create graph patterns. It is a simple program to master. I drew out a "J" monogram by hand and scanned and imported it into the program. What's great is that this program will create a chart from any image and it is easily editable for stitch placement and color changes. You can also view the chart in "real view" and it looks like an actual cross stitched piece!

Having this program got me to thinking about the crocheted fabric that you cross stitch on and I remember having read somewhere about a "square" crochet stitch. Of course I can't remember where I read that, and searching online was no help. What I do remember from what I read is that using the seed stitch will give you a truer square. Single crochet is fine, but is not truly square being wider than tall. So I worked up a swatch in seed stitch (or the seed stitch as I know it to be). And while I was at it, I decided to work up a simple stitch chart for it using Inkscape which is also a free program.



Here is my swatch pattern:
With a size H (5.0 mm) crochet hook and worsted weight (medium) yarn.
Row 1 (RS): ch 24, sc in 2nd ch from hook, *ch 1, sk next, sc in next. Rep from * across. (23 sts)
Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in next, sc in next ch1 sp, ch 1, sk next, sc in ch 1 sp. Rep from * across to last, sc in last sc.
Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc in next, *ch 1, sk next, sc in next ch 1 sp. Rep from * across.
Rep rows 2 and 3 alternately for pattern.

Abbreviations used in pattern:
RS - right side, or the side of the fabric you want to show (or face out)
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
sk - skip
sp - space
rep - repeat
My swatch is 23 rows high, and is square - Yay!






Now all I have to do is figure out where the cross stitches should go. To me it doesn't look there is a square pattern in the fabric. *sigh*
I will continue and stitch up some other swatches too; in single crochet, "square" single crochet, and also a Tunisian swatch.

So for now my search to be square continues . . .


Links - KG software - http://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/kgchart/
Inskscape - http://www.inkscape.org/

Holiday Weekend Crochet - yay!

With the Labor Day weekend gearing up I am hoping that I will have some time to work on new projects! I have a pretty placemat pattern I am working on and a cute Halloween project. I have quite a few books I want to read too.

Speaking of books, I have been looking at Robyn Chachula's Blueprint Crochet. What an awesome book! It is geared toward visual crocheters and has symbol crochet patterns for her lovely designs. I myself have designed a symbol pattern as a bonus to go along with my Star Wash Cloth and Face Scrubbie pdf, and I can honestly say that I haven't found an easy way to create these charts. Kudos to Chachula for her awesome and fresh designs! I think that symbol charts are making a comeback!