Trying out a new-to-me Japanese crochet method I found on YouTube, called “Zigzag Crochet”. See betibettin’s projects here on Ravelry.
Using this (at 0:46) flat join under both loops for the least visible seam.
Started (magenta swatches) with 10 stitch, flat crown, worked in spiral fashion, hdc3rd-lp (Camel Stitch). Then worked one round of scBLO with no increases, ending with a flat join. Switched to “zigzag crochet” for the straight rounds. (And maybe the Camel Stitch is too much texture, and I need a plainer stitch to show off the Zigzag crochet…)
Makes a very stretchy fabric horizontally, not as much stretch vertically. Squishy and dimensional like knitted brioche, but reminds me of the Japanese crinkly, stretchy Shibori polyester fabric they make bags out of now. The surface pattern is waffled, looks kind of like Tunisian Honeycomb or Smock Stitch.
Totally screwed up my seam, frogging back again… Trying this video method this time, working the flat join under BOTH loops. (And this time I’m going to mark the start of the round because apparently I’m blind -- just found TWO “join and turn” locations on the round I frogged back to -- was paying too much attention to the TV, and not good enough light last night, I guess…)
02-05-2022
Decided that hdc3rd-lp was too busy to work well with zigzag stitch pattern. Also decided zigzag looks better as a ribbed hatband, and to continue crown stitch pattern all the way thru hat body. But I still want to try top-down all zigzag…
02-06-2022
Finally experimented with working this stitch pattern without turning the hook to twist the live loop before each stitch. It’s easier to crochet, but changes the fabric, of course. (See beige swatch on left.)
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With the hook twist, the fabric texture looks like smocking (diamond shapes), and is less dense
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Without the hook twist the fabric looks more like a herringbone pattern (small chevrons), and is denser. Row gauge is definitely shorter, although stitch gauge might be the same -- hard to tell with a swatch this small. Seems to be the same amount of horizontal stretch, but possibly less vertical stretch.
05-21-2022
Green & Gold hats shipped to HFS 5/22.
This magenta hat is “Zigzag Everywhere”? Hanging onto it for reference right now.