Transferring motifs onto a grid and then crocheting them

Hi :)

I happened to hear about a technique where you transfer any motif onto a grid and then crochet it onto something like a pot holder.
The pot holder part makes sense to me in this context—after all, pot holders are only two-dimensional and fairly simple to crochet in terms of shape. But things get complicated when it comes to the motif itself.

Do you use something like greaseproof paper for the grid—the kind you used to trace things as a kid—and then place it underneath the crochet piece so you can always place the stitches correctly? Is it helpful to have a grid on the greaseproof paper, like on graph paper, so you don’t get confused with the rows and stitches? I’ve never tried this and can’t really picture what it would be like yet.

I just think it might get a little complicated if, for example, you want to make a flower and use orange and yellow for the petals, and for the part in the center of the flower—I’m not exactly sure what it’s called (like, for example, where the seeds are in a sunflower)—maybe add a little brown as well. And then you’d need green yarn for the leaves, so that’s four colors—or four balls of yarn.
And then there’s the background: let’s say blue for the sky behind the sunflower on a sunny day, and then another color for the border, which you’d also use to make the loop for the pot holder.
That would make six colors for one pot holder.

That might look fine from the front, but what about the back if you have to keep weaving in ends because you have to work in rows and then change colors within the same row? Or can you, for example, finish a petal completely without first finishing the entire row from left to right or vice versa?

I hope this isn’t too confusing to read right now—I just can’t quite picture it yet—but I’d be very happy if someone could comment on this and perhaps back it up with their own experience.
 

Hi there,

I created my first embroidery patterns using this technique before I moved on to designing and offering my own original ideas.

At first, I used “Word” and Excel for this. But I quickly switched to software specifically designed for embroidery patterns. There, you create a “board” of a specific size and can then place an image behind the grid or import one and have it resized to fit the grid, so you end up with a template. With the first method, you have to “color in” each dot one by one; with the second method, the software does that for you. You can also limit the colors your pattern should have.

For my embroidery designs, I work with PC Stitch and CrossStitch Professional. I purchased both versions. There’s also a free trial version for each one, which lets you test all the features (except printing and saving).
But there’s now free software available for this purpose that works just as well for your needs.

Here are a few links:

Stitch Creator http://stitch-creator.softonic.de/
KG-Chart https://www.iktsoft.net/kgchart-en/kgchart/
WinStick http://www.kreuzstich-software.de/
PC Stitch http://www.pcstitch.com/
Cross Stitch P. http://www.cds-designsoftware.de/sticken_details.php
Crosti http://www.soft-ware.net/crosti


There’s one thing you should be clear about with this technique—since you mention using popular motifs—and that is that you may only create them for your own personal use and may not distribute them, either for free or for money (this is just a heads-up—not meant to spark further discussion ;) )

Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s for cross-stitch. Crochet motifs, like the ones you have in mind, are worked as follows. For the white areas (the outer edges, so to speak), crochet dc-ch-dc to create a “hole.” For the colored areas, use the corresponding color; for solid-color crochet work, work dc in dc of the previous row—dc in ch-space/dc of the previous row—dc in dc of the previous row.

If, as you mention, you’d also like to make the backgrounds colorful—like the sky—I’d work in the desired color, but to “lighten up” the crochet piece and keep it from looking too dense, I’d still use the “hole method.”

I’d always start each color fresh and not use too many colors. You can create borders by crocheting just 1 double crochet in a darker color.

Best wishes, Nici

Hi Nici

Nice to hear from you :) I hope your final exam went really well.

First of all, thanks for the tips, and before the copyright debate starts up again:
when I said “any pattern” above, I didn’t mean popular patterns; I wanted to draw the flower and background myself so that it fits into a grid and then crochet it. I think you know that my crocheting skills are still at beginner level. So selling or distributing it would be absolutely out of the question for me anyway.

Since I have zero experience with this grid technique, I don’t want to use the computer for it just yet.

Hey there :)

Tomorrow is my last exam ;) That’s probably why I left out the letters. Sorry about that ^^

Tracing paper would be one option. But it’s also really time-consuming because you have to draw the grid first. Or you could create a grid on the computer and print it onto the tracing paper—if your printer can

handle it. Waves, Nici

No pressure :)
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you tomorrow, and I really believe you’ll nail it.
Printing the grid on the computer and then tracing it—I think that’s a great idea. Thanks for that :)
I’ll have to see if my printer can handle it.