Thanks! plus some BELTS...!

and thanks to all of you for your generous, excited responses to the idea that Artisan Knitworks will now be housed on the other side of the city.  We now have a nice, big, outrageously talented staff, including two delightful, very young women of Filipino heritage, thanks to responses to this blog and announcements at local guilds.  [On the Filipino point, see entry for August 25].  We will be moving the weekend of the 17th -- don't miss the big moving sale that's going on right now!  see previous post -- to 23616 (I think that's right) Farmington Road in downtown Farmington.  We even have a back-door patio!  So look for us, and know that we will try to open within a week of the move. Now I need to get back to footnotes (the book I've not yet finished) and  then to the Wool and the Floss (in search of some ribbon yarns -- I don't have enough colors to make some belts that I'm working on).  Jean has wonderful novelty yarns.

Here are two of the little wonders that YOU TOO can make with vintage buckles and novelty yarn (in this case, Trendsetter ZOE for the yellow one and Checkmate for the other).  I'll then download my little pattern -- I suppose you could use new belt buckles -- just get BIG ones.  And take off the metal keeper.   svb

RETRO CROCHETED BELT

By

Copyright 2013, Sandra VanBurkleo, Artisan Knitworks LLC

This belt can be made any length, almost any width, and in almost any non-animal fiber light-to-medium weight yarn.  Animal yarns stretch too much (though some animal blends would work – test for elasticity).  You can substitute any semi-flat pattern stitch (including plain SC or HDC)  for the simple pattern stitch used here.  I used this one to introduce a slight bit of texture.  Crocheted seed stitch would work as well (rep SC, DC across all rows, ending DC).  Consider a simple row of SC with shells worked on either side of the row.  You could also work several rows of trellis stitch and run ribbon, fabric, or leather through the spaces.  And so on.  The belt shown tapers at one end by increasing in the first stitch on every RS row.  If you prefer a blunt end, simply omit increases.  Or, if you prefer a pointed end, increase for half of the width and decrease for the remainder.  For the adventurous:  Wear the belt on a tunic of the same yarn, knit or crochet, with belt loops at each side, or use the belt yarn for trim or as a second yarn for a tunic made in a two-yarn pattern stitch.    

Materials:

2-3 inch vintage belt buckle (no metal keeper) with enough space for two layers crocheted fabric

1 skein Trendsetter “Zoe” or other DK/heavy fingering yarn, not 100% animal fiber

Size D-G crochet hook (test to assure a firm but not armor-like fabric)

Measure waist.  Loosely chain as many inches as the desired waist, plus 7 inches.  Turn.

For simple texture stitch:

Row 1:  Beg with 2^nd ch from hook, SC across row.  Ch 1 to turn.
Row 2:  Rep row 1.
Row 3:  Work 2 SC in 2^nd ch from hook, * ch 1, skip 1 in row below, SC in next st, rep from * to * across, ending SC.  Ch 1 to turn.

Rep rows 2 and 3 until belt is wide enough to fill the central bar of belt buckle with a bit of room to spare (no more than 1/8 inch more), ending with Row 2.  Break yarn leaving a long end for sewing (10 inches).

Steam-block belt on WS (hold steamer at a two-inch distance).  Let dry.  Tightly wrap square end of the belt around the buckle’s central bar.  Using darning needle, whipstitch in place on WS.  Darn in ends with tapestry needle, backstitching to secure the ends.  Do not use crochet hook to darn in ends.