What is Freeform?

[Raven]

I'm a newbie and just ran across this area.

What is Freeform Crochet?

~ Raven ~

[Reba]

I think (I might be wrong) that it's another name for scrumbling, where you don't use a pattern and make stuff up as you go along. I've seen some examples of this, it's kinda like abstract shapes and designs. There are some neat examples on this site: http://www.freeformcrochet.com/

Edit: I found a site with some GREAT freeform hats--this stuff is truly inspiring. http://www.anacam.com/hats/

[Raven]

Oh! okay, thank you Reba :)

Well heck I've been doing that for years LOL! I can't read those patterns for nothing ha ha.

~ Raven ~

[Chicki]

Wow, that hat site is crazy!!!! :eek


But in a good way lol

Those hats are ART....wow I bet they cost a bundle too.


And I am inspired. I have a lot of funky leftover yarn, and a hippie friend who loves hats.....


~Chicki

[Beth11]

Here are a couple more great sites of freeform.

http://gallery.knotjustknitting.com/ she has just beautiful stuff.


http://members.aol.com/elegantcrochet/freeformmainpage.html this one also has a "how to" section.

http://www4.tpgi.com.au/users/jdesigns/Freeform%20KnittingandCrochet.htm again some really interesting stuff.

http://www.freeformcrochet.com/designs.html this are items made by the members of this group.

Hope you enjoy. I know the sites really inspired me.

Beth

[tinker]

Cool!

Everything I've ever done has been freeform (I haven't gotten into anything too creative like on those pages though!) because I haven't learned to read patterns yet.:loco

[Cuddlefish]

Oh man, I'm in love! :manyheart

[Alosha]

WARNING! It is addicting, got scrumbles all over my design board:)
Alosha

[Cuddlefish]

I can't wait to finish my current project and get started. It must also be a good way to use leftover bits of yarn.

[paah-paah]

free-form. I get it! like when I was learning. to think of all the art I threw away!;):)

[cgd]

Wow, freeform looks exciting, but if I did it, it would look like chaos instead of art!

[blackpurl]

I rarely follow patterns. I love the idea of seeing what will take place as you just pick up hook and yarn and go for it!

[Calesmommy]

:clap I knew there was a name for all my porjects. And scrap yarn works great for this

[Happy_Hooker]

http://www.eject.com.au/prudence/

Call me crazy... but aren't free form pieces supposed to not be from a pattern??? How can they advertise for patterns!!! :) Kinda goofy... I mean these stitches aren't anything special... just basic stitches... I think they are charging a lot for just "ideas" and pictures.

[ChickieGirl]

Wow, I love this!!! I think I'd like to give this a try, but I have some questions first ...:think

Do you have to make the freeform fabric in one continuous piece? Or can you make a bunch of different scrambles then attach them? And maybe even attach the freeform pieces onto a flat crocheted fabric?

It looks to me as though you could do just about anything, but I thought I'd better ask instead of assuming. ;)

TIA!:D

ETA - Oops!!! I mean scrumbles, lol. ::blush::

[simonssez]

Wow, I love this!!! I think I'd like to give this a try, but I have some questions first ...:think

Do you have to make the freeform fabric in one continuous piece? Or can you make a bunch of different scrambles then attach them? And maybe even attach the freeform pieces onto a flat crocheted fabric?

It looks to me as though you could do just about anything, but I thought I'd better ask instead of assuming. ;)

TIA!:D

ETA - Oops!!! I mean scrumbles, lol. ::blush::

It doesn't have to be 1 continuous piece! If you check out www.knotjustknitting.com and view prudence's work you'll see some tips which, among other things, suggest keeping the pieces small and pinning them together.

[ChickieGirl]

It doesn't have to be 1 continuous piece! If you check out www.knotjustknitting.com (http://www.knotjustknitting.com) and view prudence's work you'll see some tips which, among other things, suggest keeping the pieces small and pinning them together.

Thank you simonssez for the link & info! :hug Prudence's work is amazing ... I am in awe ....

I have been thinking about freeform crocheting all day. I think I may give this a go. We'll see what happens, lol. But it looks like fun just to try. :hook

[simonssez]

Doesn't she do beautiful work? One of my fave pieces is the long jacket that starts in tan/gold at the top and fades into deep purples...just gorgeous! If I could ever finish up all the projects I'm doing for others I'd like to attempt freeform!

[Midds]

You and me both. All that wasted time. Just think we probably threw away millions! :lol

free-form. I get it! like when I was learning. to think of all the art I threw away!;):)

[ChickieGirl]

Doesn't she do beautiful work? One of my fave pieces is the long jacket that starts in tan/gold at the top and fades into deep purples...just gorgeous! If I could ever finish up all the projects I'm doing for others I'd like to attempt freeform!


I looooove that jacket! :manyheart It is truly a piece of wearable art!


I realized last night that I made a small handbag that I think would qualify as freeform (maybe). It looks a little like some of Prudence's handbags ... the ones that are felted and have only a few freeform leaves and such on them. The whole bag isn't covered with freeform, so you can see the felted bag as well as the freeform she put over it. Does that make any sense at all? lol. :P

[tisjewel_art]

Oh, wow, this type of crochet looks like it's right up my alley :) Thanks for the links!

[Sennight]

Awesome!:yay I have been looking at freeform all day and wanting to try it but couldn't find any tutorials or anything and you have all provided everything I needed once again! I can't wait to try it!

My handbag is dying so maybe a freeform crochet handbag is calling me?? hmmm...

[kambicon]

:think I just don't get this. Maybe it is because I am obsessively organized, and have to have everything in my life planned out. I live by lists, and follow all instructions and recipes exactly. I couldn't just do whatever. I have not looked at these threads closely, so have not seen any finished projects made like this. Maybe then I'll get it. Guess I'll go search that out now, maybe my mind will be changed.

[tamugrad02]

Does anyone know how to do that "block stitch ladder braid" that Prudence shows in some of her work? I think I'm going to Google it and see if I can find it. If someone knows how to do it, can you PM me with instructions? (If that's allowed.....I just kinda assumed sharing stitches was allowed and assumed that's not a trademark stitch, I could be wrong).

[sammimag]

Does anyone know how to do that "block stitch ladder braid" that Prudence shows in some of her work? I think I'm going to Google it and see if I can find it. If someone knows how to do it, can you PM me with instructions? (If that's allowed.....I just kinda assumed sharing stitches was allowed and assumed that's not a trademark stitch, I could be wrong).

Go here (http://www.eject.com.au/e-motive/prudence/patterns.htm) and you can purchase just the block stitch tutorial for $6. I recomend it! She gives instructions how to do it in the ladder, in a circle and a few other ways. I really like that stitch and it's MUCH easier to do than a bullion. Her instructions are really easy to understand too.

[knit1crochet2]

I cringe at the thought of freeform! I'm pattern challenged as it is. :no If one stitch is off, it's over. I could never be a tester! But, isn't freeform just another name for designing which leads to a pattern? :think I'll wait for the tested and corrected version. :hook

[thelittlewriter]

Oh, that sounds just like what I do! Except not so...everywhere. I make purses and such without patterns, mostly because I don't have enough patience to read the patterns. A lot of the things linked to were beautiful...I wish I could make things like that! But of course, mine would end up looking like a lot of random BS put together.

[Debbi-a1]

Thanks for the info and links. I found 2 others.
http://www.myrawood.com/pages/demo.html this has more step by step pictures

http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/Sample%20Freeform%20pattern.html more step by step ideas

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/elegantcrochet/my_photos looks like albums with free form in them (other albums too)

http://www.flickr.com/groups/freeformcrochet/ other photos from various poeple.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sammimag/sets/72157594169429362/ and some more

[ashura]

I tired to freeform a bag and ended up with a weird looking hat that had a point at the top of it!! :P I dunno how that happened!!!

[gerykho]

just discovered this thread. i think i'll try free form when i have enough scraps. i just used up the scraps for a patchwork table cloth

[dewbaby00]

Over at crafster.org there is a freeform crochet_along everyones things look pretty neat.

[Misty5054]

Oh wow, I didn't know there was a name for what I do. I never follow patterns for the toys I make my kids because they think normal baby dolls and the like are boring. *rushes off to look for her camera*

[grannyzkraftz]

free-form. I get it! like when I was learning. to think of all the art I threw away!;):)
LOL i have a closet full of *art*

[aquariusnow]

I make hats, working out the design as i go along, is that the same thing as freeform ?

[magiccrochetfan]

I make hats, working out the design as i go along, is that the same thing as freeform ?

Free-form is really hard to define. To me, it includes some randomness or irregularity in the stitches, or a quality of sculpture or mimicking a natural form.

If you want to look at examples, some freeformers to look for are Myra Wood http://www.myrawood.com/pages/fibers.html (personally I love her free-form lace), Prudence Mapstone http://www.knotjustknitting.com/ , James Walters and the late Sylvia Cosh http://www.crochet.nu/scjwc/#scrumbling , Jenny Dowde http://users.tpg.com.au/users/jdesigns/ lots on info here http://www.freeformcrochet.com/