Crochet has always been popular among people of all ages, in addition, sometimes it is a favorite pastime of a strong half of humanity. Each has its own priorities in this type of needlework - someone is limited to decorative napkins, someone to toys, and some knit clothes, rugs and bedspreads. It all depends on desire, perseverance, the availability of free time and materials. As a rule, for any product you can always find a pattern, be it a pattern or shape, and usually there are no special problems in repeating a pattern already developed by someone.
Products acquire the necessary shape, and the pattern is easily guessed even by beginners. However, there are situations when the finished scheme does not help. For example, there is no source at hand where you could look, or if you don’t want to copy someone else’s once again, you don’t have the ability to read schemes, or just any scheme that is very meticulous takes an absolutely wrong look or shape (there are such cases). What to do? To create! To create masterpieces even without the possibility of subsequently repeating them, knitting everything and how you like? "Nonsense!" - many will say. No, the freeform technique!
What it is?
Freeform (literally from English) - free form. The essence of this technique is to knit products without patterns. As a rule, this is a modular or pseudo-modular creativity, each detail of which, unlike the classical version, can have a different shape, texture and pattern. The combination of fabric, leather, crocheted and knitting elements with the addition of beads, beads and rhinestones is actively used. In general - what is enough for fantasy.
A feature of this technique is that you can knit products in any direction, it is not necessary to tie the row to the end before you deploy the work. This is what allows you to make the elements of the necessary form.
Materials
The freeform crochet technique is the perfect way to recycle leftover yarn. Moreover, its advantage is that it is not necessary to select threads of the same thickness for the product. It even encourages the combination of thin and thick, smooth and fluffy, natural and synthetic threads. This gives the product an interesting texture. That is why one of the methods of applying the freeform technique is knitting sensory rugs for the development of the baby.
The main thing to remember is that using threads of different thicknesses in the same pattern makes the elements different in size. It is especially important to take this into account if the product modules are not fastened together at the end of the work, and each next element is knitted on the previous one. Elements from multicolor threads look interesting. A smooth transition of colors allows you to limit only to these threads, and their combination will help facilitate the choice of yarn for other elements. Also, these threads are very convenient to connect the modules to each other.
Receptions
As such, there are no special crochet techniques. It is enough to know the principle of knitting the main types of columns. Those who decided to take the hook in their hands for the first time will help this workshop to get to know them.
The freeform technique often allows you not to use elements such as lifting loops, and columns of different heights can adjoin in the same row. In addition to simple columns, you can also use decorative ones - lush, crossed or twisted. The latter are especially popular, since when using them, the density of the product changes slightly, and they look very attractive.
Forms
Forms are also not regulated in the freeform technique. For beginners, knitting can be started using elementary figures and stripes. If you have certain skills, you can move on to more complex elements - flowers, leaves, shells and more. However, this does not mean that it is necessary to specifically search for circuit elements, clearly enough to present the desired shape of the element.
There are two ways to achieve compliance:
- Knitting from the center. It consists in adding rows of certain columns to achieve the desired result. For example, for a flower it is necessary to alternate RLS, CH, C2H 3 times, CH, RLS. Moreover, in each row, the RLS should be above the RLS, the rest in quantity can vary, but the overall sequence must be maintained. For sharp tips C2H is knitted only 1 time and it is just as compatible as in the case of RLS. For shells, you can use a smooth transition from half columns to C2H. This method of crocheting in the technique of freeforms for beginners is preferable to the second.
- Perimeter Filling This method is convenient for knitting complex shapes, but requires some skill. Initially, it is necessary to draw an element on thick cardboard, then tie the VP chain with a length equal to the perimeter of the element, after which it is fixed with needles along the outline of the figure. Then fill the entire interior in random order.
rules
I blinded him from what was, but what was, then I fell in love
The words of the famous song by Alena Apina very accurately convey the main mistake when crocheting using the freeform technique. The desire to make a product bright and memorable sometimes leads to the fact that it becomes vulgar, and the abundance of various forms makes it tasteless.
Despite the fact that this technique does not have a strict framework, you should still follow a few rules:
- When choosing a yarn color, it is better to dwell on 3-4 types, if you want to diversify them, you can use their shades (darker - lighter). It’s convenient to use the circular compatibility table.
- The product must have an idea. It will be either a floral motif, or a marine theme, or a mosaic, or waves, and so on. No need to do everything together without any systematization. As a rule, one motive is taken as a basis - a flower, a shell, a circle. It can be of different colors, but the same size or vice versa. And already around them a general composition is being built.
- If the product will consist entirely of elements, then first you need to make a pattern on which the modules will already be laid out. Thanks to this, it will be possible to control their number and size.
Assembly
If the product consists of different elements, the final step will be their connection. They can be sewn with a simple thread or crocheted. They must first be laid out on that surface, the shape of which must be given to the finished product, and then proceed to stitching. Usually 2 modules are fastened first, then all the others are attached to them in turn. It’s best to start at the center of the product.
A photo
A few photos of finished products using the freeform technique for inspiration.
This product uses many colors, but they are all the same saturation. That is why the shawl looks harmonious.
The product in this technique can be monophonic, while it looks original. The main thing is to choose the right size of the elements and the thickness of the thread. In this case, the yarn is too thick, due to which the pattern turned out to be somewhat rough.
You can create not only flat objects, clothes and toys, but also whole volumetric-spatial compositions.
Crocheting in the technique of freeforms for beginners on the one hand is an interesting experience and the opportunity to realize any ideas without special skills. However, after this it will be very difficult to learn to knit according to the patterns, clearly following each step and without adding their own elements. For experienced masters, it will be difficult to step back from the usual repetition and go beyond the drawn schemes. That is why knitting in this technique is an interesting experience for everyone.