You probably heard about the rain we had in Texas over the last month. One big question at our house was, “Where did we put the umbrellas?” We haven’t really needed them for the past couple of years. I’m not convinced they would have kept anyone especially dry, with all the wind we had…
Considering the rain and hail and winds, it was much better to be inside crocheting an umbrella, rather than outside using one. This Umbrella is from Cute Crochet World, pages 78-79. Here are some tips and photos to supplement the instructions in the book.
Cute Crochet World’s Umbrella has a lot in common with the traditional Irish Crochet leaf (find instructions for this modified version in Crochet Bouquet: Easy Designs for Dozens of Flowers). You crochet them using a Turn-and-Twist method (my name for it). At the end of a row, you turn and crochet the first part of the next row. In the middle of the next row you rotate (or twist) the piece, work down the other side of the piece, then turn again to begin the next row. Confused? Here are pictures.
Row 1 is finished in the photo above. It includes the U. S. htr stitch, which is a little taller than a dc and a little shorter than the tr. Read more about it here and here.
I put a safety pin on the right side of Row 1, so you can easily see when we’re turning for a new row as opposed to rotating or twisting in the middle of a row. After Row 1, TURN to begin Row 2.
I am a few sts into Row 2 in this photo. The sts are worked into the Back Loop, which creates the ribbed look of the Umbrella. The arrow points to the ch-2 loop at the top of the umbrella. The dots show where to place the remaining sts of Row 2.
Alright, in Photo 3, I’ve placed 3 sc into the ch-2 loop, ROTATED the piece, and I’m ready to crochet the rest of Row 2 into the foundation chain of Row 1.
Row 1 had 7 sts, and there’s a chain loop at the base of each of these sts. Those chain loops are where the remaining sts of Row 2 are worked. There is an increase still to go, so watch for it in the instructions. Don’t worry about crocheting into the back loop here, because there aren’t any true back loops.
After Row 2, TURN to begin Row 3. The arrows show how the sts will go: across, over the top, ROTATE to work along the other side of the piece. All sts are worked into the Back Loop.
Row 4 begins with a joined tr. You’ve probably noticed how the ch-4 turning ch of a tr row often flops around loosely at the start of the row. The joined tr solves the problem. The ch-4 turning chain is considered a tr-st, so it counts as the stitch in the first st of the row.
Photo 5 shows ch 4 (turning ch), yo, draw up a loop in 3rd ch from hook, draw up a loop in next st. The result is 4 loops on the hook, just like a regular tr. Work off the loops as you would for a tr.
Row 3 is finished. See how crocheting into the Back Loops has created an impression of umbrella ribs? Now TURN to begin Row 4.
In Photo 7, Row 4 is finished, and I have TURNED to begin Row 5. Row 5 starts with a ch-3 turning ch, which counts as the first stitch of the row, which we consider being placed into the first st of the previous row. Place the next dc of Row 5 into the next st.
In Row 5, the ch-2 at the top of the umbrella creates a little bump. In the instructions, we’re at the middle column on page 79, where it says “Rotate piece to work points…” in the direction of the long arrow.
As you finish Row 5, you’ll make the picot points of the umbrella into the sides of the sc-sts indicated by yellow dots. The magenta lines point to the sides of the long sts or turning-chains where you will place sl sts.
Here’s the umbrella’s handle and point. Leave a long end for sewing.
To place the umbrella point, insert your hook from right side to back through the ch 2 space of Row 5, then hook the tip of the umbrella point.
With the point on the hook, pull the hook out of the ch 2 space, stopping just before the ends come through.
Arrange the handle to emerge from under the middle of the umbrella. Use the long sewing end to sew it in place on the wrong side of the umbrella.