Embellished Crochet Academy Lesson 2: Rick Rack

Last week, we used Puff Balls to embellish a bag, tote or garment that needed a little "more" after it was finished. This week, we will try our hand at rick rack. Rick rack can be very useful, you can use its valleys and peacks to "hang" a lacy ruffle, you can use it as is to just edorate around your bag or garment without having to unravel a single stitch to sproce things up.

Here's a simple rick rack you can make, which is very flexible and can be used in various decorative ways:

With yarn of your choice and H hook, ch 3.

Work 3 hdc in 3rd ch from hook. Ch 3, make 3 hdc in 3rd ch from hook. Rpe until you have the desired length.

How to use it:

You can sew this rick rack to your bag or garment in various ways, using it as is, or you can bead it or sew a decorative pearl or button to each "peak" of the rick rack.

You can make 2 rows of rick rack in contrasting colors of yarn or thread (depending on the project and the time of the year) and sew them with the peaks either facing away from each other of 1 up, 1 down, or all facing one another. This rack rack is very, very flexible and you can turn it easily in whatever direction you like.

You can sew it either forming two horizontal rows around a bag or the front of a grament, or two vertical rows.

You can also sew them in a V or U shape or form a half square, leaving the top opened and fill the inside with beads or buttons of any size. Even giant buttons look good.

You can also form a heart shape or a diamond with it. Simply, pin it down in the shape you have in mind and sew in place. If you form a heart, for example, you can eaither leafe it as is, or fill the hollow center with beads or buttons.

This will give a fresh look to your a favorite pattern for a bag, tote, purse or garment.

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Precious Thought:

" 'I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil.' This the message that, in the light from the cross, may be read upon all the face of nature. The heavens declare His glory, and the earth is full of His riches." Lift HIM Up, 255.

Embellished Crochet Academy Lesson 1: Puff Balls

Embellished Crochet—After The Fact Embellishments: Puff Balls


This course is for those who have a favorite pattern that they can make in a jiffy, almost with their eyes closed. A pattern they love and would make over and over again, if only it didn’t look the same! There is a solution to that and this course offers you many ideas you can apply to your simple patterns to spruce them up and give them a different touch, taking from the that “sameness” that has stopped you from repeating them till now! But it is not restricted only to bags. The embellishments you will learn can be applied to a variety of crocheted items such as tops, cardigans, shawls, hats, and many more! As many as your imagination and creativity lead you to use them on. Once you have learned these embellishments, you can work out your favorite patterns and just embellish them at the end.

So let's assume you have just finished a tote bag using your favorite pattern and you want to make it look different. Puff It! This is especially fun if you are making two or more of the same pattern and want to make each bag turn out different.

Let's Puff It Today- You already made your bag, (have not lined it yet) top, beanie, beret, scarf, or cardi, but you want to add "something" to it, so let's "puff" it!
You can make tone on tone puffs, or use a variety of contrasting colors, or you can make all the puffs the same color but of a color that contrasts beautifully with the bag or garment. You can also use a texture (novelty yarn,funfur, eyelash yarn, frisee or boucle yarn of your choice)or you can make them in pure wool (even if the original purse or garment is in acrylic yarn)and needle felt them before you add them for a different effect.

Materials needed:Yarn of your choice
Finished purse, tote, bag or garment
Blunt needle
Scissors

Make the Puff Balls as Follows:

With yarn of your choice and H hook, ch 3.
Work 5 dc in 3rd ch from hook, leaving last loop of each dc unowrked on hook, yo and pull yarn through all loops on hook. Move all the dc towards the back to form a ball, turn the puff around and look below it. You will find what is rest of the foundation loop where all the dc where made, insert hook there and make a slip stitch. Fasten off, leaving long tail to sew your puff with.

Repeat this procedure until you have all the puff balls you want to add to your bag or garment. When you have all the puffs you want done,thread a blunt needle with the tail you left when you finished each puff and sew them to the bag or garment one at a time where you want them.
You can scatter them all over your project or place them only at the bottom or center of it. For example, if you are using them to embellish a beanie or beret, you can crowd all your puffs aorund the center top of your beanie or beret. It you want to use them to embellish a scarf, add to the bottom ends of it. If you want to dot a purse, bag or tote, you can use them all ovedr or just down the front in a vertical line, around the bag on a vertical swath, you can use them only at the bottom on a thick row, you can also use them to worm a pattern linke a zig zag. The uses are as endless as your imagination!
If you want them for a cardi or top, you can place them at the bottom and edge of sleeves, down the front, as a horizonal line around, dotted all over, and in any way you want it!
You can use the tufted feel by making your puffs of funfur. Follow your creativity!





If you wish to contact me concerning one of the lessons of the CAL, please do so using the form below:

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If you would like to contribute your photos to the Academy, use this form to let me know and I will sen dyou an email address where you can send me your pics, for me to post them with your name, and whatever info you would like to add.

Precious Thought:

"Let the tenderness and mercy that Jesus has revealed in Hiw own precious life be an example to us of the manner in which we should treat our fellow beings." ---My Life Today, 235.

Announcing! Embellished crochet Academy

Many of you have told me how much you love my bags. Thank you for your kind words and support. I have been thinking for a while how I could share with my supporters something that would enhance their efforts to make beautiful bags (and I will also be doing it in such a way that you can also enhance THE REST of your crochet as well: tops, hats, shawls, cardigans, etc.) And I have decided to come up with the Embellish Crochet Academy. This will be a school-type of sharing. I will post an embellishment techinque that you can use in your bags or to enhance the appearance of a favorite garment pattern so that the same will not be the same, same old ever again!