Thursday, September 1, 2005

Question from Reader: What is this?


Thank you for all the wonderful posting about helping with Katrina. Also, I really enjoyed your web sight and blog. Particularly interesting were all the different types of crochet. If you have time I would appreciate your comments on how you think a bracelet was made in the Anthropology Catalog.

If you look at the picture under the computer zoom feature, it looks like a diagonal brick pattern. I cannot conclude that it is macrame since I am quite familiar with those stitches. Got any ideas at all? I am sooooooo curious.
Sincerely, Jan


After exchanging a few emails with Jan to figure out the exact bracelet she was referencing (in my defense I had not had my morning cup of coffee!), we narrowed it down to item #54400.  You can see it pictured to the right here ...  of course, if you'd like to see a better image then please visit the anthropologie website.

In examining the picture it is my opinion that the technique used is what is known as Romanian Point-Lace.  It is a technique of building single crochet stitches, one on top of another with a twisting motion.  This creates a cord that is then pinned into the desired shape followed by thread & needle to attach into it's final form.  In the bracelet example, they added beads while they were creating the cord.

There is good news for those wanting to learn this technique.  Interweave Press still has back issues of the Jan/Feb 2001 issue featuring a beautiful butterfly that was created with this technique!

To the left is a little "dabble" I did using the technique with a flat ribbon fiber in 2002 (Berroco's if memory serves me correctly).   I've used the technique many times since to create beautiful pull strings and straps for various projects I've crocheted.

In my humble opinion, once you start crocheting the cording you should continue doing it until it's your desired length.  My experience in working with this cording technique is that any stop/go in it's creation will be noticeable.  So do it when you know you have a good amount of time to dedicate to it.  Once it's off the hook and in it's pinning stage, there's no problem. 
 
Great question, Jan!  Thanks for writing in!  :D

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