Hidden Starting Chain Technique in Planned Pooling Crochet
Planned Pooling Crochet: Hidden Starting Chain Technique
Photo Tutorial by: RockinLola
Marly has demonstrated how to moss stitch around the starting chain for Row 1. This photo tutorial takes it one step further by showing you how to flip your work upside down and moss stitch around the other side of the starting chain for Row 2.
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Materials for Tutorial:
YARN: Red Heart Super Saver in Sunrise
HOOK: Susan Bates Bamboo Handle Silvalume Crochet Hook size I hook, 5.50mm (this may vary for you depending on tension and yarn dye lot)
STITCHES USED: chain (ch), moss stitch (single crochet, ch1)
Planned Pooling Crochet Tip:
Make a swatch to determine the proper hook size you should use as well as to determine how many stitches per color are in your color sequence. This may take a few times through the entire color sequence. If you aren’t sure how to pick the best hook size you can learn more on Marly’s blog post about selecting the hook size for your planned pooling projects.
Purpose of this tutorial:
Marly has demonstrated how to moss stitch around the starting chain for Row 1. This photo tutorial takes it one step further by showing you how to flip your work upside down and moss stitch around the other side of the starting chain for Row 2. This technique has several benefits:
1) It makes the starting chain virtually invisible.
2) There are no colors that stand out where they shouldn’t belong. The edge colors are aligned with the rest of your project.
3) Your finished product comes out looking cleaner when adding a border or fringe.
4) The first row and the last row will look similar and make your product appear more finished looking, even without adding a border or fringe.
5) When you crochet around both sides of the chain, it helps to better secure the starting chain in place.
Let’s begin!
Hidden Starting Chain in Planned Pooling Tutorial:
Using your pooling yarn, make a chain long enough for your project, either single or multiple sequences. You could also use a separate solid color chain if you prefer. For this tutorial, I am demonstrating working through one color sequence. There is already a great tutorial on how to do planned pooling with multiple color sequences on Marly’s blog that you will want to check out before getting started.
Make a single crochet in either the 3rd or the 4th chain from the hook (I prefer the 3rd chain from the hook). Crocheting into the chain for the first stitch will help to lock the starting chain in place so that it will not slip out when working around the chain for the remainder of Row 1.
Chain 1 and continue to moss stitch around your starting chain.
When you reach the end of Row 1, you should have the color that you started with on Row 1 on your hook. Now flip your piece 180 degrees upside down. You will now be working Row 2 on the opposite side of Row 1.
After you flip your work, chain 2. You will now moss stitch around the starting chain and in between the stitches on Row 1. Your first stitch on Row 2 will go between the last 2 blue stitches on Row 1.
Continue to moss stitch until you reach the end of Row 2, maintaining your correct stitch counts for your color sequence.
When you reach the end of Row 2, chain 2 and continue to Row 3.
When you reach Row 3, you should be able to see the color shifting over one stitch from Row 1.
Continue to the end of Row 3 and chain 2.
Notice how Row 3 has shifted one stitch over from Row 1.
Continue to Row 4. You should now be able to see the shift in both directions. Row 1 and Row 3 have shifted over by one stitch. Row 2 and Row 4 have also shifted over by one stitch in the other direction.
The white line shows where the starting chain lies- between Row 1 and Row 2.
Continue your project until you have reached your desired size.
This is my project after 5 rows of moss stitch. Notice how the starting chain is almost invisible.
Here is a close up detail of the starting chain. It is not perfectly invisible, but it is pretty clean. If you look closely, you can see the blue yarn of the starting chain peeking through.
If you are a perfectionist like me, you could take this another step further and avoid this issue by using a separate solid starting chain (not your pooling yarn). While it makes sense to use the same pooling yarn for thin projects like scarves, you may not want to waste your pooling yarn on larger multiple sequence projects such as blankets or clothing.
I tend to plan ahead to the end of my project and make my starting chain in the color that I intend to use for the border. Here is an example of a separate solid chain that I made using Red Heart Super Saver in Cherry Red.
Here is a close up of this same section. Notice how the Cherry Red starting chain is not as noticeable as the pooling yarn starting chain.
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and learned some of the benefits of the hidden starting chain technique. Happy Pooling!
WHO IS ROCKY:
My name is Rocky and I am owner and designer at RockinLola. I taught myself how to crochet when I was in middle school by reading patterns in magazines and crochet books. I love color and find myself drawn to bright colors and rainbow themes. I began to design baby blankets and clothing for friends of mine having children and I haven’t stopped since. I work in the public school system and am able to incorporate teaching children how to crochet as part of my job. When I get home after a long day of work, I get to play with yarn and design new things. In October 2016, planned pooling became my new obsession which opened a ton of new possibilities and design concepts. I love to be able to share things that I’ve learned along the way and always hope to inspire the creativity of others.
PLANNED POOLING CROCHET BLOG POSTS WITH MARLY BIRD:
Thanks so much to Brenda-Leigh for sharing with us planned pooling crochet basics. If you want to learn more about Crochet Planned Pooling you can view my other posts on the topic. Prefer learning through video? On the Marly Bird YouTube Channel you will find an entire Planned Pooling Playlist. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a new video.
- The Best Crochet Planned Pooling Argyle Tutorial
- 10 Secrets to Perfect Planned Pooling in Crochet
- Planned Pooling-Finished Starting Chains
- How to create Crochet Planned Pooling Argyle Charts
- Multiple Sequence Planned Pooling Crochet
- Granny Stitch Planned Pooling Crochet
- Planned Pooling Crochet: Choosing the Best Hook Size
- Planned Pooling Crochet: Color Placement
- Planned Pooling Crochet: Deciding Where to Create Your Offset Shift
- Basics of Planned Pooling
- Planned Pooling Basics: Crisscross Pattern
Yarn Pooling Made Easy by Marly Bird:
Did you know that Marly has published a book on Planned Pooling Crochet? In this book, published by Leisure Arts, you will find 10 beautiful designed patterns that you can create using Red Heart yarns.
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Marly….You’re a Genius…..
Thank you…..