A table runner becomes a net curtain

My 92-year-old Dad moved into residential care last autumn and my brother and I had the job of selling his bungalow. I started to make a filet crochet runner for the lovely dark wood dining room table, thinking it would help to brighten up the place while the bungalow is being viewed by potential buyers. Once the bungalow was sold, I intended to find a home for the runner in our house. However, the bungalow sold more quickly than I expected so I didn't have time to get very far with the project. In fact all I had was a number of Japanese flower style motifs joined into a strip.

The table runner languished for some months. I was busy with Christmas projects and also wanted to finish a blanket for me to use while the weather was still cold. It didn't help matters that we don't really have a suitable place to display it as a table runner, so motivation wasn't high. And then, realising the Easter bunnies and baskets (see next post) were almost complete and wondering what to make next, I had a rummage through the bags of yarn and unfinished projects and found the pretty flower motifs I had made. My first though was to finish it as a table runner, but then I had a better idea. A net curtain!

I removed a couple of motifs and managed to improvise a way of joining the filet crochet onto the floral strip. Once I'd put some different sized stitches in to level up the row, the filet part became very straightforward.

I contemplated placing the another band of motifs part way up the curtain, but then rejected that idea and instead I'll place them randomly on the net. This is a venture into the unknown for someone who, until now, has always religiously followed patterns! :)

As spring is here and sometimes -- like today! the sun streams through the window on the landing outside my study-cum-workroom, I think a new curtain should look good and it will kick start the next round of cleaning and decorating. I went round the whole house a few years ago, but the décor is looking a bit tired and grimy because it was quite a few years ago now.

Anyway, I'm delighted to have found a good use for the motifs. Progress has therefore resumed and crocheting the filet net is a nice mindless project to do for relaxation.

Learning a new form of crochet

Until a few months ago, I didn't even know there was such a thing as Tunisian crochet, but I saw it mentioned on the Creative Crochet Crew Facebook group and I was intrigued. As I had an Amazon gift voucher still left over from Christmas, I decided to treat myself to a couple of books and a set of the special hooks that you need.

Of course everything arrived in the wrong order!

The first thing to arrive was Kim Guzman's Tunisian Crochet Stitch Guide, which of course made no sense to me whatsoever because Tunisian crochet is very different to ordinary crochet.

The second thing to arrive was Ultimate Beginner's Guide To Tunisian Crochet, also by Kim Guzman. I looked at it. I wanted to get started right away -- but I only had ordinary crochet hooks. So I improvised. :) A small rubber band wrapped tightly around the end of the hook prevented the stitches falling off and I could try my first piece of Tunisian crochet.

Here is my entire output of Tunisian crochet to date. As you can see, I kept losing and gaining stitches! The sides wend their way in and out. It's like being 7 all over again and learning to knit. :)

Anyway, after doing this practice piece, though I wouldn't say that I have mastered Tunisian crochet yet, I think I'm ready to try making something using this new (to me) technique.

Now I just need the proper hooks so I can do things that are more than 15-20 stitches wide...