Have you ever seen a crocheted item displayed wrong side out? The worst case I ever came across ironically was inside a craft store. I came across a crocheted doily, and it was displayed wrong side up! I cannot believe my eyes; the doily even had Irish crochet roses on the border. It should have been too easy to tell the front from the back, with a three-dimensional design element.

So how do we tell the two sides apart? It can be difficult, specially when the item is made in the round–the two sides could look identical at first glance. Let’s take a look:

Sc in the round - Front

Sc in the round - Back

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Make a scarf fit for royalty! This lacy little number makes use of fans spaced with varied sizes of picots, making the scarf look like it is edged with crowns. Using worsted weight yarn makes this project go fast, making for generous length and using up only approximately 330 yards or 300 meters. Skill Level: Finished Size: 88″ long x 6″ wide Materials: 330 Yards of Medium Weight Yarn Crochet Hook J (6.00 mm)

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The word picot originates from the French verb for “to prick.” Picots have been used not only in crochet but in other crafts as well–to add decorative points and interesting dimension. And yes, it is pronounced pk or p-k (I know I had trouble deciding how to say it the first time).

Picots in crochet are done by making 3 or more chains, and then making a slip stitch or single crochet into the first chain. This slip stitch or single crochet can be made into the V of the chain, or into the back ridge of the chain. There is also a relatively new technique, where the slip stitch or single crochet is made on top of the stitch made before the chains made for the picot.
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Tired of purses that slide down your arms as you move? This classic hobo bag drapes over your shoulder perfectly–the strap won’t slip from your shoulder because of the bag’s shape and construction. It is also sturdy because the bag is made in one go (yes, no separate pieces to sew together!). Using worsted weight yarn makes it a fast project, too.

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Adding tassels or fringe to crocheted creations can transform them from ordinary to unique. Tassels can also be added to knitted items, or even cloth (just make sure to make perforations neatly and evenly). They are a popular addition to scarves and wraps. Did you know that one of the easiest ways to attach fringe or tassels to craftwork is by using a crochet hook? This step-by-step tutorial shows you how exactly to do that.

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Surface crochet, surface slip stitch or surface chain–the name pretty much explains itself. This technique involves slip stitches made through crocheted fabric, to make designs directly onto crocheted pieces. It is also used to smooth out the outlines when the design involves color changes. It’s a little like drawing, except we use yarn and hook instead of pen and paper–ain’t that cool? Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for surface crochet, or surface slip stitch. Mousing over the images will show the photos for the left-handed tutorial.

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Make a scarf for your pet! A houndstooth scarf, to be more appropriate and stylishly classy. If your pet has any sort of fashion sense, they will surely love this! Changing up the length and width of this scarf is extremely easy, too–you can even make it for yourself, to match with your pet.

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Here’s a quirky potholder for you: a potholder using the popcorn stitch, shaped like a tub of yummy popcorn! The textured popcorn stitches prevent pots and pans from slipping away from your grip. Skill Level: Materials: Medium Weight Yarn in Red, White, Yellow and Black Crochet Hook H (5.00 mm) Gauge: 8 hdc stitches x 5 hdc rows = 2 inches Notes: Ch 2 and ch 3 at beginning of rows counts as stitch. Color changes are made by carrying yarn from the very start of the work–doing this makes the potholder thicker and sturdier.

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The reverse single crochet stitch, also known as the crab stitch, is made by doing single crochet stitches. With one major difference: the stitches are done in the opposite direction. So right-handed people work the reverse sc from left to right, and left-handed people from right to left.

This stitch is pretty distinctive; it looks ridged and makes a nice finishing option for crochet items. I personally love using this stitch for bag handles and baby things–it makes items sturdier. And it looks like a hand-sewn edging, too. It looks great when worked as an edging using a contrasting or coordinating color.

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for the crab stitch, or reverse sc. Mousing over the images will show the photos for the left-handed tutorial.
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For the longest time, crocheters have envied knitters’ cabled creations. Guess what? Crocheters can make them, too! The cables are made by using front post stitches and back post stitches. Different looks are achieved by crocheting around the stitches directly below the current row, or by making crossed stitches by skipping a few stitches first. The swatch on the right shows three different cables: the rightmost is the basic cable, the middle is the crossed cable, and the leftmost is made with a combination of the two.

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