3 Ways to Use Crocheted Twirls
By A Guest Writer – 22 CommentsA Guest Post by Merry.
Twirls are a simple crochet construction. They can be quick to make and can be used in a variety of different ways.
- As a decoration: in white, twirls can represent icicles which can be used for seasonal decorating. Made with green yarn, twirls easily stand in for foliage and fronds.
- As a scarf: worked with mohair or a similar textured yarn, just 3 – 4 rounds result in a fantastically light weight scarf, adding lots of flair to any winter outfit.
- As a bag strap: when made with double knit/worsted yarn, twirls are a stylish way to add straps to a bag.
But first let me take you through twirl-making, so that you can get crocheting wonderful twirls in all lengths and widths to use in any of the ways suggested above. So, if you’re in the mood to try out some twirls, grab yourself a hook and some yarn and twirl through the following steps:
Note: For left handed pictures, roll your mouse over the image and it will change for you.
Note how the twirl is growing even more curved than in the first step. Once you reach the end of the row, twist your twirl on its own axis (i.e. on itself) so it looks like so:
It’s as simple as that!
NOTE: If you wish, you can carry on and complete another row in exactly the same way as the last one but unless the yarn is very light, more than two rows of double crochet will make the twirl heavy to wear.
Now you’ve made your first twirl, what to do with it? Here’s a reminder of 3 ways to use crocheted twirls:
Use your twirls to decorate floral embellishments. In this example, I’ve used two pieces of twirls in place of leaves, adding both color and texture to my simple red flower:
Alternatively, make longer pieces of twirl (simply start with a chain length to match the desired final length). Once completed, twist the twirl around its own axis several times to achieve a denser structure and stitch to the sides of a bag as a unique and stylish handle:
The third way to use a twirl is to start it as a 1.5 mter long chain and work for 3 or 4 rows to make a wearable piece of twirly glamor! Here you see a twirly scarf I made for my daughter. I used cream yarn with a variegated peachy yarn. I love the unusual look of the finished piece. If made using a soft merino-wool (or a similarly soft fiber) the result will surely be extremely ‘strokable’ and glamorous-looking. This can take some time to complete but for sure, the finished scarf is worth the patience and perseverance!
TOP TIP: For an extremely soft twirly-scarf, use a larger hook size than is recommended for the yarn so that the stitches are loose.
My final word on this fantastic scarf is that it looks good worn 2 different ways: on the left you see the spirals twisted in the same direction so that it looks like a stack of scalloped shells; on the right is the funky way to wear the same twirly scarf in which the scarf is left to take on random twists and turns. The two-coloured yarn combination is very effectively shown off in this second formation.
So there you have it: 3 ways to use crocheted twirls.
Feel inspired to try making these easy pieces? Then get a hook and yarn, and twirl!
Merry is a MAKER. She makes unique jewelery and accessories using a variety of materials. She also loves to make health-sensitive foods, amongst other things. Merry blogs about her extra-curricular interests over on http://merrymakes.blogspot.com
Hi Merry! Thanks so much for the post! The twirls look like fun! They would great on the top of some of the hat’s I make. 🙂
How neat!!
Excellent
I love the red flower. Posie? Are directions to make it somewhere?
“In the second row, dc in same stitch as the ch 3. 2 dc in each dc from the previous row ” Does this mean to do a dc in the chain that started the ch 3 or the first ch of the 3 ch that I just did? If not, I can’t figure out how to get from there back up to the dc of the previous row. Thanks in advance!
If it is dc in the first of the 3 ch for the 2nd row, then I did it and it looks great! Thanks for this! I am super excited to atach my spiral to something now!
The two color twirl reminds me of the ribbon leis I learned to make while I was in Hawaii. For those you hold tow pieces of ribbon together and run a gathering stitch along one edge. As the stitch is pulled tight the ribbons curl and twist.
Beautiful.
@Amanda – hi!
It’s dc in the last chain from the previous row. If you’ve done it a little differently and you’re happy with the result, then that’s great!
As for the red flower, it’s made as follows: leaving a 10cm yarn tail, ch8, slip stitch to form a ring. *ch2, in the ring hdc, 4dc, hdc, ch2 then slip stitch into ring**. For the other two petals, repeat from * to ** and then cut off yarn and tie a knot between the two strands which you can then use to stitch the flower into place.
@Angie, Jackie, Veronica and Valorie – hi and thanks! Glad you like the twirls and hope you find plenty of creative uses for them 🙂
@Valorie – I have ribbon in my supplies and am intrigued to know how to make’ ribbon leis’. Maybe you could write a post, too? 🙂
I recently learned how to make twirls that I used to top a baby cap in the form of a pumpkin. They’re easy and fun to make, and look terrific.
You can also make more narrow twirls by making a chain and crocheting single crochets in it all the way back to the beginning of the chain. If you don’t make a second row, the single crochet row will nicely curl just like the one demonstrated above. I’ve used this to embellish a lot of different things…and even made key chains out of multiple single crochet curls! Oh yes, this technique makes the best curly doll hair you ever saw. Just make a long curl every inch or so around the spiral and you are crocheting the head, staggering the curls on each row so that they don’t all line up. I also made a Rasta doll this way too, using good ole stiff Red heart super saver for the hair…It was so cool. I made this doll as a graduation gift for one of our Library student workers who had been with all 4 years of school. Custom made and dressed it to look like him…he has always worn long dreadlocks! He loved it! It was blast to make!
@Peggy – a pumpkin baby-hat must have come out totally adorable! Curling twirls would be the curled tendrils on a pumpkin vine.
@Metta – Yes, using single crochet stitches will give a much narrower twirl if you want to make more dainty-looking embellishments. I am a little impatient when crocheting and can barely wait to see the results so wider twirls are my preference 🙂
I think using twirls to make doll-hair is a wonderful idea, the Rasta doll sounds fantastic!
Great looking “twirls!” I use this idea with single crochet and create “spiral” necklaces. Thanks for sharing, Donna
@Donna – You’re welcome! I’ve made some necklaces in the same way, too.
You can see them here:http://merrymakes.blogspot.com/2010/10/oya-inspired-beaded-twists.html
I made these back in the late 70’s for my daughter’s dance class to be worn on the “pigtails” or “dogears” (hair parted in center all the way down and gathered in hairtie on each side). All the mothers would sit at competition and make them in the colors needed for a certain costume. As I recall, we even sold some to other dance studios. I have often thought of them, but just could not remember exactly how they are made – now I know. Thanks.
Merry
On the two color yarn scarf, did you use two yarns together?
thanks,
Gaynelle (texasgigi)
So to end the second row, do you do two DC in the turning chain? This is a great pattern and looks great on a keychain. I’ve already made three so far and wanted to make sure. I planning on making earrings out of two of them and seeing how they turn out.
@Gaynelle – no, each colour is a separate row. You may want to experiment with up to three or four colours, doing only one row of each colour.
@Sabe – yes, that’s right. End each row with 2dc in the last dc. Twirly keyrings and earrings sound great! I wonder what else you’ll come up with 🙂
@Awesome Person – what an awesome username! 🙂
Yes, the finished look is definitely fancy-looking, though the technique is very simple and easy to do. Where do you plan to use your crocheted twirls?
How do you do the handles of the purse? Btw love the tutorials.
@A Moms Choice – hi there! the handle is made of exactly the same structure, a twirl. As I explain in the post:
‘make longer pieces of twirl (simply start with a chain length to match the desired final length). Once completed, twist the twirl around its own axis several times to achieve a denser structure and stitch to the sides of a bag as a unique and stylish handle’.
My mom use to make twirls at both ends and chains in the middle for hair ties. I have also used them for bookmarks.