tutorial – Solomon’s knot aka lover’s knot

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

In this post, I want to introduce you to a very lovely crochet stitch: The Solomon’s knot stitch. This particular crochet stitch is also known as the “Lovers Knot.” This stitch is ideal for scarves and shawls with an open and airy structure.

The Solomon’s knot stitch gives a beautiful result when worked in a very thin yarn, as well as when it is made in a thicker yarn. And because the stitch is very “airy”, it also gives very quick results. Perfect for when you need a last minute present!

Do not be put off by the many steps, this stitch is easier than it seems!

Solomon’s knot step by step

In this example, I used a relatively thick acrylic yarn, to be able to show you well how to work it. However, as said, the result is also very nice when using a very thin and light fluffy yarn like a kid-silk type yarn. These instructions are written in American English crochet terminology.

Row 1

1. Crochet 2 chains.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

2. Make a single crochet in the first stitch of the chain. Insert your hook under both loops of this first stitch.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

3. Make the loop on the hook bigger, with this it is important to maintain a constant size. I used my finger to assist with this. Next, make a yarn over and loosely pull up a loop through the enlarged loop.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

4. Insert the hook from front to back through the enlarged loop you just created. Yarn over and pull up a loop through the first loop on the hook. You now have two loops on your hook.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

5. Again make a yarn over and pull through both loops on the needle. You have now created one elongated loop.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 for a multiple of 2 + 3 times. When starting with Step 2, insert the hook in the single crochet (the “knot”) that has been made last. In this example, I repeated steps 2 to 5 for a total of 7 times.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Row 2

7. Turn piece, skip the first four knots, insert the needle in the middle of the next knot (the fifth from the hook) and make 1 single crochet.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

8. Make 2 elongated loops by working steps 3 to 5 as before, followed by steps 2 to 5 once more.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

9. Skip 1 knot, insert the hook in the middle of the next knot and make 1 single crochet.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

10. Repeat 8 and 9 until the end of the row, finish with 1 single crochet in the last knot.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Row 3

11. Make 2 elongated loops by working steps 3 to 5 as before, followed by steps 2 to 5 once more. Turn the piece.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

12. Make 1 single crochet in the next knot.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

13. Make 2 elongated loops by working steps 3 to 5 as before, followed by steps 2 to 5 once more. Skip 1 knot, insert the hook in the middle of the next knot and make 1 single crochet. Repeat this until the last knot of the previous row.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

14. Make 2 elongated loops by working steps 3 to 5.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

15. Then insert the hook into the knot of two rows below and make an extended loop. Then, make a yarn over and loosely pull up a loop through the enlarged loop. Next, repeat steps 4 and 5.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Row 4

16. Make 2 elongated loops by working steps 3 to 5 as before, followed by steps 2 to 5 once more. Turn the piece.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

17. Skip 1 knot and crochet 1 single crochet in the next knot.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

18. Repeat steps 16 and 17 until the end of the row, and finish the row with 1 single crochet in the last single crochet/knot.

Crochet the Solomon's knot - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until your work has the desired height.

And this is how to work the Solomon’s knot stitch!

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old school gaming hat

Old School Gaming hat by La Visch Designs

Old School Gaming Hat is a simple hat with a folded brim and fun stranded color work depicting old school gaming characters. With only two colors for the color work, this hat knits up super quick and is a great first stranded project for anyone who has never attempted this technique before.

This pattern contains instructions for three adult sizes when worked in an aran weight yarn. Use a DK or light worsted weight yarn instead for sizes suitable for children from 3 months old and upwards.

The Old School Gaming Hat is completely seamless and knitted from the bottom up. The color work pattern for the body of the hat is provided charted only. All other instructions are in written form

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Difficulty level

The Old School Gaming Hat is seamless and knit in the round from the bottom up. This pattern involves following a color chart and working in stranded knitting. An alternative technique for creating the design is to duplicate stitch this design onto the hat after knitting.

Stitches used include knit, purl, k2tog and the M1 increase. This pattern is suitable for the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Adult sizes S (M, L) to fit size: 46-53 (53-60, 60-67) cm, 18-21 (21-24, 24-27) inches.
Children’s sizes 3M (6-12M, child-teen) to fit size: 33-38 (38-43, 43-48) cm, 13-15 (15-17, 17-19) inches.

Pattern details

  • Worked in the round
  • Gauge for adult sizes in aran weight yarn: 17 sts / 24 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, knit with larger needles and measured after blocking.
  • Gauge for children’s sizes in DK or light worsted weight yarn: 19 sts / 26 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, knit with larger needles and measured after blocking.
  • Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 3 pages (A4 size)

Materials

  • Yarn: In the adult sized aran weight sample Peruvian Highland Wool by Filcolana [100% wool; 100 m (109 yds) per 50 g skein] was used. Substitute any wool aran weight yarn for a similar teen/adult sized result. For a child sized hat, choose a DK or light worsted weight yarn instead.
    • Main color: 100 (125, 150) m (110 (135, 165) yds) / 50 (62, 75) g in gray.
    • Contrast color 1: 21 (26, 32) m (22 (28, 33) yds) / 27 (30, 32) g in pink.
    • Contrast color 2: 21 (26, 32) m (22 (28, 33) yds) / 27 (30, 32) g in yellow.
  • Needles in your preferred style for small circumference knitting in the round in the following sizes (or to match gauge):
    • Adult sizes knit in aran weight yarn: Size 4 mm (US 6) and size 4.5 mm (US 7).
    • Children’s sizes knit in DK or light worsted weight yarn: Size 3.5 mm (US 4) and size 4 mm (US 6).
  • Yarn needle
  • 1 end-of-round stitch marker
  • 3 (4, 5) differently colored stitch markers (optional)

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tutorial: horizontal 1-row buttonhole

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

Many projects are not really finished until buttons and buttonholes are added. A simple buttonhole for small buttons is made by making a yarnover, followed by knitting 2 stitches together. This decrease is needed to keep the total number of stitches the same. For larger buttons and a firmer and neater buttonhole I very much like a horizontal 1-row buttonhole, which basically is a buttonhole knitted over 1 row.

In this post, I’ll show you how to make such a buttonhole. If you want to try it yourself, be sure to practice first on a swatch. It may take a few times to make nice consistent buttonholes!

The horizontal 1-row buttonhole step by step

1. First, you must decide where you want to place the buttonhole and how big it should be. Make the buttonhole just big enough to be able to just pass your button through. Much bigger and it will loosen too easily, smaller and buttons are difficult to open and close. This is also a matter of trying out. In this example, I will be placing the buttonhole somewhere in the middle of the sample piece.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

2. Once you get to the point where you want to begin the buttonhole, bring your yarn between the needles to the front. Then slip 1 stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle. Next, bring the yarn to the back of the work again.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

3. Slip 1 stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

4. Pass the second stitch on your right needle over the first stitch.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as often as necessary to get the correct number of cast-off stitches for the size button chosen. In this example I repeated steps 3 and 4 twice.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

6. Now slip the first stitch from the right needle back to the left needle.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

7. Turn your work and pull the yarn tight to prevent holes and loose stitches next to the buttonhole.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

8. Now cast-on stitches, for example by knitting them on, or by using the backward-loop method. Cast-on the number of stitches you have cast-off earlier, plus 1 extra. In the example I cast-on a total of 4 stitches.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

9. Turn piece again and slip the first stitch purl-wise from your left to your right needle.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

10. Pass the second stitch on your right needle (the last cast-on extra stitch) over the first stitch.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

11. Now slip the first stitch from your right needle back to the left needle and continue knitting according to your pattern.

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

And this is how your horizontal 1-row buttonholehole will look:

Tutorial horizontal 1-row buttonhole - by La Visch Designs

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enigma

Enigma

Enigma is a cozy layering piece, perfect for those times that you just want to wrap up in warm woolens. With its easy construction and textured stitch patterns, Enigma is an interesting but relaxing knit.

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Difficulty level

Stitches used include knit, purl, k2tog, skp, yo and a centered double decrease. This pattern is suitable for the beginning knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

This pattern includes 5 sizes: XS (S/M, L/XL, 2XL/3XL, 4XL). For more sizing information, please see the data page in the picture gallery below. The pattern is written for an over-sized relaxed fit. Instructions are included to customize the fit of the garment.

Pattern details

  • Worked flat
  • Written for a gauge of approx. 14 sts / 20 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over in Double Moss stitch using larger size needles, after blocking.
  • Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie).
  • Digital PDF has 4 pages in the English version and 5 in the Dutch version (A4 size)

Materials

  • 720 (790, 840, 850, 900) m (790 (860, 915, 930, 980) yards) / 360 (395, 420, 425, 450) g or 8 (8,9,9,9) balls of Ístex Létt-Lopi [100 % wool, 100 m (109 yards) per 50 gram skein]. Substitute any aran weight single ply type yarn for a similar result.
  • Size 4.5 mm (US 7) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needle (because of the large number of stitches) or size needed to obtain gauge and a size 4 mm (US 6) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needle.
  • Yarn needle
  • Waste yarn for provisional cast on and holding stitches
  • 2 stitch markers
  • Crochet hook equivalent to the smaller size knitting needles (optional – for seaming using sl st only)

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tutorial – stripes in crochet

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Making stripes is the simplest way to use color in your project. This way you can give it that little bit extra. This works especially well with a simple stitch pattern, such as single crochet, half double crochet and double crochet. But what are the things to pay attention to when making stripes in crochet?

In this post, I will tell and show you some things with respect to striping technique in crochet. Please note that American crochet terminology is used in this tutorial.

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Changing colors the tidy way

When you crochet your rows as usual and switch colors after completion of a row, you will see that a bit of the old color appears in the new row. To prevent this, do the following:

1. Crochet to the very end of your row, but do not complete the very last stitch. In this example of hdc fabric, it means that I have three loops left on the hook and have not finished this last stitch by pulling the yarn through these stitches.

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

2. Next, pick up the yarn in your other color and pull through the last loops to complete the stitch.

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

Stripes in crochet without breaking your yarn

Weaving in ends is something most people do not find pleasure in. Therefore, it is good to know that it is also possible to crochet stripes without breaking the yarn. To do this, you just let the yarn in the color you are not using for that stripe alongside the edge of the work. This method works best with an even number of rows and using only two colors.

1. Work as usual until the end of your row, but do not complete the final stitch as described above. Pick up the other colored yarn from the side of the work, where you left it. Finish the last stitch with the new color. Make sure not to pull this thread too tight!

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

2. In the case of a wider stripe, you do not want your contrast color yarn to form a long loop on the edge of your piece. To avoid this, do the following: Whenever both colors of yarn are on the same side of your work, you twist them. This “catches” the thread of contrasting color behind that of the color where you are currently working with.

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

3. When switching to another color, do it the same way as described above under 1.

Stripes in crochet - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

And this is how to work stripes in crochet!

One last tip: Only crochet stripes without breaking the yarn if the stripes are not too wide. With wider stripes, it can be difficult to keep the tension of the thread running along on the side just right. Often it just gets too tight or too loose. The result in these cases is usually better if you indeed just break the yarn.

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tutorial: contrast in color

Pijl hat a design bij La Visch Designs

It seems so simple, but contrast in color really is a thing for color work projects: one combination of colors can very much differ from the other. One aspect of color theory in relation to knitting and crochet consists of the contrast of the colors chosen. You can go for big contrasts, or just for subtle differences if you so desire.

But how can you tell what kind of contrast you have with the yarns and colors chosen?

Luckily there is a very handy trick to determine whether a particular color combination has big contrast or only a little. To do so, just take a photo of the yarns together and make the picture black and white!

Take for example the yarns below, quite different from each other, don’t you think?

Contrast in color - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

The black and white version, however, tells a different tale!

It turns out that the light blue version combined with the lilac hardly differ in contrast. This means that when you combine both in a project, the colors won’t really “pop”. An excellent choice, if that is your intention. If on the contrary a lot of contrast is desired, the dark blue combined with the light blue or the lilac would be a far better choice.

Try finding the contrast in color out for yourself!

Want to try some simple color work yourself? Take a look at the Pijl hat (also pictured above) and the Bloem hat!

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tutorial: Russian bind-off

Tutorial on how to work the Russian bind-off - La Visch Designs

You probably already know that there are many different ways to bind off. A problem that sometimes occurs is that the bind off too tight. That is when you get the sweaters were no head fits through the neck opening, or those toe-up knitted socks where no foot can be put in and lace shawls that can’t be blocked out to reveal their patterning.

Of course, you can choose to go up in needle size when binding off. However, a too loose bind off is not pretty either… What to do? In these cases, my go-to bind off is the Russian bind-off. This is an elegant way to get a very elastic edge on your piece. This is often important to me because I knit a lot of lace shawls.

In patterns you may encounter the following instructions for this type of bind off:
Russian bind-off: K1, * k1, slip stitches from right-hand back to left-hand needle and k2tog tbl. Repeat from * to end.

The Russian bind-off step by step

1. Knit the first stitch.

Tutorial on how to work the Russian bind-off - La Visch Designs

2. Knit the next stitch

Tutorial on how to work the Russian bind-off - La Visch Designs

3. Slip the two stitches on your right-hand needle back to your left-hand needle.

Tutorial on how to work the Russian bind-off - La Visch Designs

4. Knit these two stitches together through the back loop.

Tutorial on how to work the Russian bind-off - La Visch Designs

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 until you have reached the end. The result on a piece in stockinette stitch will look like this:

Tutorial on how to work the Russian bind-off - La Visch Designs

Tip

The Russian bind-off can for example also be used to bind off in rib pattern. You only need to adjust step 2 of the above instructions: Knit the knit stitches that you encounter and purl the purl stitches. That’s all there is to it!

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paris pillbox hat & cowl

Paris Pillbox Hat & Cowl by La Visch Designs

Happily Hooked Magazine Issue 20 is all about Vintage-Inspired Designs with Contemporary Flair. And both my Paris Pillbox Hat & Cowl are an exclusive feature!

The hat in this set is in the pillbox shape reminiscent of the Forties and Fifties of the previous century. A most stylish way of keeping your head warm! To complete the set there is also a matching cowl.

These designs are now also available directly through La Visch Designs.

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asymmetrical wedge shawl

Asymmetrical Wedge Shawl by La Visch Designs

In the December 2015 issue of I Like Crochet the magic of the winter season is captured in sparkly new patterns to crochet your dream Christmas. For the “baby it’s warm inside” section in this issue, I have designed the Asymmetrical Wedge Shawl. Pictures courtesy of I like Crochet Magazine.

This pattern is now also available through La Visch Designs!

This wedge shawl has a distinct asymmetrical shape, setting it apart from more traditional crochet shawls. Make a fast, large and cozy shawl in an aran weight yarn as described here, or make it a scarf in a fingering weight yarn. Because this wedge shawl is worked in a single piece from the tip up, it can easily be made in any size you want.

Asymmetrical Wedge Shawl by La Visch Designs
Asymmetrical Wedge Shawl by La Visch Designs

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brocaat

Brocaat Scarf by La Visch Designs

Brocaat is an elegant and fast to knit scarf, designed to use only one ball of super bulky weight yarn with long color runs. Make it nice and long so it can be worn doubled up.

The description of the lace in this pattern is provided both fully charted and written out.

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Difficulty level

Stitches used include knit, purl, k2tog, skp, yo and a centered double decrease. This pattern is suitable for the beginning lace knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

One size – measurements: 18 cm (7 inches) wide and 170 cm (67 inches) long, excluding fringe.

Pattern details

  • Brocaat is worked flat.
  • Written for a gauge of approx. 11 sts / 15 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over lace pattern, after blocking.
  • Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 3 pages (A4 size)

Materials

  • 184 m (201 yds) / 100 g Scheepjes Vinci [60% wool, 40% acrylic; 184 m (201 yds) per 100 g]. Substitute any super bulky weight yarn with long color runs for a similar result.
  • Needles in your preferred style in size 8 mm (US 11).
  • Yarn needle
  • Crochet hook to attach fringe

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