Adventures in crochet (a hobby as relaxing as mosaic)

my first set of washcloths

a closer look
(made with brown cotton yarn and white recycled fabric)

I know this post doesn't exactly fit in a mosaic blog. But I am posting this anyway because working with yarn is known to have amazing relaxing qualities just like mosaic art. A while ago I happened to come across some fantastic washcloths made of thick cotton yarn and I said "let me give it a try". Needless to say, I have become addicted to it. All you need to get is yarn and a hook. It's the best hobby for those in need to relax and be creative at the same time (and who don't have space and time for mosaic making).

Cable knit and the mosaic guilloche pattern

I love the cable stitch. I think most people love it. Intricate, gives a wonderful texture on your knitwear, adding a polished and sophisticated note. Difficult to make of course.

As for the guilloche pattern you will see it everywhere in ancient mosaics. It acts as a border to emblemas and other figurative work and it highlights the entire mosaic because it is a powerful pattern considering not just the design but the blend and contrast of the colours used.

I have to confess I love knitting. Not more than mosaic of course. My heart beats for mosaic art more than ever at the moment but it is all a matter of SPACE and TIME. Until I figure these two aspects out, I am knitting some stuff. The great thing about knitting is that it does not require a workshop and special space-working conditions and the time scale is a whole different scenario. I knitted a scarf in 4 days. A mosaic needs a lot more time to be produced. Space-wise? The perfect place is the couch. With mosaic that is out of the question.

If you want to learn how to knit I suggest you go and see the video tutorials by Wool and the Gang and by Judy on Youtube. Also the dummies crafts guide is really good. I have links of everything on the right column of this blog.

The mosaics illustrated here are via the joy of shards where you can learn how to design the guilloche pattern as well as discovering more on mosaics and techinques. Go and see for yourself. They also have a fabulous gallery on ancient mosaics.