Tumbling Curls
October 2023 Crochet-A-Long
This repeatable swirl design tumbles and curls across your project. Use Tumbling Curls to crochet a scarf, a cowl, a bag, a pillow, a blanket or more!
This Crochet-A-Long (CAL) is being hosted in my Ravelry group and begins October 12, 2023. Find the discount code and more info here: https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/ashlee-brotzell-designs/4277295/1-25.
#TumblingCurlsCAL
Interlocking & Mosaic
As usual, you’ll receive the full written pattern and charts for two techniques: interlocking crochet and overlay mosaic crochet.
But, for this pattern, you’ll be receiving three files! There will be two mosaic crochet options: one that uses the original interlocking crochet chart and another that uses an adjusted, solid chart just for mosaic crochet.
Plus, you’ll be happy to know that the mosaic charts have X’s!
Tumbling Curls
October 2023 Crochet-A-Long
This repeatable swirl design tumbles and curls across your project. Use Tumbling Curls to crochet a scarf, a cowl, a bag, a pillow, a blanket or more!
This Crochet-A-Long (CAL) is being hosted in my Ravelry group and begins October 12, 2023. Find the discount code and more info here: https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/ashlee-brotzell-designs/4277295/1-25.
#TumblingCurlsCAL
Interlocking & Mosaic
As usual, you’ll receive the full written pattern and charts for two techniques: interlocking crochet and overlay mosaic crochet.
But, for this pattern, you’ll be receiving three files! There will be two mosaic crochet options: one that uses the original interlocking crochet chart and another that uses an adjusted, solid chart just for mosaic crochet.
Plus, you’ll be happy to know that the mosaic charts have X’s!
Tumbling Curls
I had this design nearly ready for publication in October 2021 but life got in the way and I got busy with everything else. Every now and then I’d think, “I should really just finish that”.
When Ravelry announced they’d be making a list of Make Alongs being held in October (2023) I jumped at the chance to be featured on their main page! I quickly finished the pattern off and got a Crochet-A-Long (CAL) ready!
Months
I’m shocked at myself that I let this design sit in my drafts for 2 years!
Why This Tumbling Curls Blog Entry?
I hope this information helps you decide what type of project to make (cowl, scarf, bag, etc), which technique to use (interlocking, mosaic, or adjusted mosaic), and what yarn weight to use (fingering, worsted, or something else?)!
I can’t wait to see all your projects! Use the tag #TumblingCurlsCAL on social media so that we can all check out the beautiful options! I did also use #TumblingCurls on a few instagram posts before I remembered that I should include the “CAL” part.
You can see all my Tumbling Curls projects on Ravelry and I hope you’ll create a project page too! Everyone loves scrolling through inspiration (especially when that inspiration also has details like yarn used).
Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified about new pattern releases (and get special discount codes)!
You’ll also have access to my Doctor Who blanket pattern!
Crochet-A-Long (CAL)
I’ve done a few CALs over the years. There are so many ways to do them and I always stress myself out trying to do it the “right” way.
I’ve done paid CALs and free CALs. I’ve created step-by-step videos (ahem, Summer Direction). I’ve tried shorter timelines and longer timelines. Most of the time I do a single pattern of mine but I’ve also joined with other designers in group CALs.
I think I’ve finally accepted that there’s no “right” way but it’s still nerve-wracking to announce a CAL. Plus, there are a few designs (namely, my “Year of…” series, that become a sort of CAL even though they aren’t included in this list).
You can check out all my past CALs here: ashleeslint.com/cals
My kitten, Popcorn, is a big helper (otherwise known as a distraction).
Ashlee Brotzell Designs
Just in case this is your first adventure with me, let me introduce myself.
I’m a mom of three (Alice, Remington, & Melody). They are 9, 6, and 4, respectively. I’ve been married 14 years (whoa, that makes me feel old). Mitch is a mechanical engineer, officially. But he’s currently doing part-time mechanic work so that he can be home more often in support of my crochet business!
We homeschool the kids (for lots of reasons; least of which is that Mitch was homeschooled) and while that does take a bit of my focus at times it is another task that I enjoy and can do on a schedule that works for us.
We live in a teeny, tiny village in the middle of Saskatchewan, Canada. I’m learning how to garden and canned my first jars of pickles this summer!
I started creating interlocking crochet patterns in April of 2020; the mosaic crochet option was added a few months later and is a vital staple in my skill set now. Learning how to have a business and deal with all the social media platforms has probably been the hardest part of it all. The learning curve has been high but the challenge has been worth it!
I now have over 300 patterns, lots of tutorials, and I’ve been published in Crochet Now magazine twice! I have a tendency to jokingly ask if I’m famous yet because this all feels surreal at times.
This photo is from my 36th birthday! I’ve got my yarn!
Two Techniques
Almost all of my designs can be done using interlocking crochet OR overlay mosaic crochet. Offering two techniques for every pattern does take more time but I really love having options.
Tumbling Curls actually comes with three options! There is the interlocking crochet option, the original overlay mosaic crochet option using the same chart as the interlocking, and an adjusted, solid overlay mosaic crochet option. The adjusted chart has had the interlocking crochet mesh dots removed because they aren’t actually required when you use the mosaic crochet technique.
Read more about the types of colorwork I offer: https://ashleeslint.com/tutorials/interlocking-and-mosaic-crochet/
Each option always comes with the fully written pattern and charts (the mosaic charts have X’s).
Some designs seem more well-fitted to one technique or the other but Tumbling Curls is great no matter which technique you use.
LFM (Locked Filet Mesh)
When I first started designing, my patterns were all interlocking crochet. I called it Locked Filet Mesh (or LFM) because at the time there was some confusion on whether anyone could use the term “interlocking” or not. You’ll find that most designers have their own catchphrase for referring to this technique because of that.
With interlocking crochet you create two layers of mesh that get woven as they are crocheted. The wrong side can sometimes create an entirely different design!
The wrong side of my interlocking crochet sample.
Overlay Mosaic
Mosaic crochet can be categorized as “overlay” or “inset”. My patterns all fall into the “overlay” category.
Typically, this means you’ll crochet each row on the chart once and cut your yarn at the end of the row. But, if you choose to work in the round you don’t have to cut your yarn.
Tumbling Curls comes with two mosaic crochet options.
One uses the same chart as the interlocking crochet technique, so you’ll notice there are dots in the solid areas. This will save you on yarn usage and can create a more flexible fabric.
The other uses an adjusted chart where the interlocking mesh dots have been removed because they’re uneccesary. The solid areas are actually solid.
My two samples above also use two different yarn weights (fingering versus worsted weight).
Tumbling Curls Yardage & Sizing
I always include an Important Details section at the beginning of my patterns. Nearly always this section uses worsted weight yarn for the yardage and sizing. For wall hangings I’ll put the information for fingering weight yarn instead. This time I’ve put two gauge options for each technique!
If what I’m saying is confusing, brush up on your yarn weight knowledge by checking out the information from Yarn Craft Council.
Quick Links Again
For Tumbling Curls I have a different gauge swatch for each colorwork technique:
Yardage Options
I’ve also listed a fingering weight option and a worsted weight option for each technique.
So that’s 6 gauge options.
And it’s possible you will match none of them becauseI haven’t listed anything for any other yarn weights and your individual tension can change the final result.
Use these numbers as a starting point!
What’s the Difference?
I tried to do a mega-bulky scarf. The yarn I grabbed from the clearance bin turned out to be a bit more bulky than I expected and called for a 19mm hook! I don’t have a hook of that size yet – but I just ordered one.
I used the biggest hook I could, with the loosest tension possible (and I still split the yarn quite a few times). And then I realized that even with 4 balls of yarn I wouldn’t have enough yarn to even do one full repeat of the chart!
Whatever yarn you choose to use, use an appropriate hook size and do a gauge swatch first to make sure you like the way it drapes. If it’s too stiff, go up a hook size.
Using a larger hook will also use more yarn and make your finished piece larger.
Yarn Brands
I’m not sponsored by any yarn brands which means I can talk about all the options!
Generally, you’ll want to use the same yarn weight for the two colors in your project. This doesn’t always mean the same brand. In fact, the colors in a single brand’s yarn are something slightly thinner or thicker than each other!
Usually this isn’t too much of a problem, but it is something to be aware of, especially if you’re going to insist people use the same yarn brand for their project.
I’ve listed a few brands in my gauge lists below, but you can find comparable options by using yarnsub.com.
This photo shows an interlocking crochet foundation trellis made using fingering weight yarn vs mega bulky yarn!
Important Details for Interlocking Crochet
The design would fit in a chart half as tall, but then when you go back to repeat at row 4, you’d be facing the right side and you’d have to read the written pattern backwards. Instead of making everyone figure that out I’ve written out the full 63 rows (which will visually look like 2 repeats in height).
If you’d like to cut the height down, you can end your project sooner. At any time when you’re about to do a section with the WS facing you can put your AC tails to the front instead. Do the MC row as written and then skip to row 65 and 66 to finish off.
Yardage listed is for the full chart (two visual repeats).
Important Details
- US crochet terminology
- Chart is 57 x 67, repeating section is 49 x 59
Fingering Weight Yarn
- Yarn: Hobbii Unicorn Solid: 437 y / 400m per 3.53 oz. / 100 g
- 3 mm hook (D-11)
- Gauge: 14 (dc, ch) x 14 rows = 4”
- Each repeat: 7” / 18cm wide x 9” / 23cm tall (visually, 2 repeats tall)
- Main color (MC) / background – 72 yards / 16.5g
- Contrasting color (CC) / swirls – 68 yards / 15.5g
Worsted Weight Yarn
- Yarn: Phentex Worsted: 867 y / 792m per 14 oz. / 400 g
- 5 mm hook (U.S. H/8)
- Gauge: 8 (dc, ch) x 8 rows = 4”
- Each repeat: 16.75” / 42.5cm wide x 14.25” / 36cm tall (visually, 2 repeats tall)
- Main color (MC) / background – 180 yards / 83g
- Contrasting color (CC) / swirls – 160 yards / 74g
Important Details for Mosaic Crochet (original, with mesh dots)
This option uses slightly less yarn than the solid, adjusted option listed below. The fabric you create can also be slightly more flexible with this dotted option.
This sample was my first one and I’ve adjusted where the repeats start and stop since then – so your project will start 2 rows up.
The strap on this bag used almost as much teal yarn as in the body of the bag!
Important Details
- US crochet terminology
- Chart is 50 x 33, repeatable section is 50 x 31
Fingering Weight Yarn
- Yarn: Hobbii Unicorn Solid: 437 y / 400m per 3.53 oz. / 100 g
- 3 mm hook (D-11)
- Gauge: 28 sc in BLO x 29 rows = 4”
- Each repeat: 7.5” / 18.5cm x 4.5” / 11.5cm
- Main color (MC) / background – 33 yards / 7.5g
- Contrasting color (CC) / swirls – 28 yards / 6.25g
Worsted Weight Yarn
- Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable: 285 y / 260m per 4.5 oz. / 127.5 g
- 5 mm hook (U.S. H/8)
- Gauge: 15 sc in BLO x 15 rows = 4”
- Each repeat: 13” / 33cm tall x 9” / 22.5cm wide
- Yardage / grams per repeat
- Main color (MC) / background – 63 yards / 28g
- Contrasting color (CC) / swirls – 56 yards / 25g
Important Details for Mosaic Crochet (adjusted, solid)
I planned on making a small cell phone bag with this fingering weight yarn and then realized it fit my wrist perfectly! I’ll definitely be making a second tube for my other wrist – the cell phone can stay cold instead.
Spoiler alert: she did NOT make a second tube.
I don’t use any fancy reversible stitches or locking stitches when I do mosaic crochet – so the wrong side shows a faint illusion of the right side.
Important Details
- US crochet terminology
- Chart is 50 x 33, repeatable section is 50 x 31
Fingering Weight Yarn
- Yarn: Hobbii Soft Alpaca: 180 y / 165m per 1.75 oz. / 50 g
- 3 mm hook (D-11)
- Gauge: 28 sc in BLO x 29 rows = 4”
- Each repeat: 5.5” / 14cm tall x 8.5” / 21cm wide
- Main color (MC) / background – 40 yards / 11g
- Contrasting color (CC) / swirls – 30 yards / 8g
Worsted Weight Yarn
- Yarn: Phentex Worsted: 867 y / 792m per 14 oz. / 400 g
- 5 mm hook (U.S. H/8)
- Gauge: 15 sc in BLO x 15 rows = 4”
- Each repeat: 9” / 22.5cm tall x 13” / 33cm wide
- Yardage / grams per repeat
- Main color (MC) / background – 79 yards / 36.75g
- Contrasting color (CC) / swirls – 63 yards / 29g
Project Options
Most of my designs are blankets. They are designed as a single chart image. But this design, Tumbling Curls, is a small repeatable motif.
This means you have a lot more freedom when it comes to what type of project you want to do!
Projects I’ve made:
- a mosaic crochet cowl using fingering weight yarn, worked in the round, 4 repeats wide
- a solid mosaic crochet scarf using worsted weight yarn, 4 repeats long
- a mosaic crochet bag using worsted weight yarn, worked in the round, no repeats
- solid mosaic crochet wrist warmers using fingering weight yarn, worked in the round, no repeats
- an interlocking crochet shawl / extra wide scarf using fingering weight yarn, two repeats wide, two repeats tall (which is 4 visually), unfinished
- an interlocking crochet bag using worsted weight yarn, worked in the round, no repeats
Mosaic Crochet Project Options
The first thing I made with this pattern was a cowl.
I had this fancy merino blend yarn and it’s starting to get cold here, so a warm item that was quick to make felt like a good starting point!
I also needed something quick to use for my CAL announcement photos. And since I was hoping to garner interest from being on Ravelry’s CAL list I also thought it would be good to see me.
Plus I really wanted to do mosaic crochet in the round to avoid cutting the yarn and not waste my fancy merino blend (honestly, it wasn’t that expensive but it’s probably one of the most expensive yarns I’ve ever bought – I usually do cheap acrylic).
My 6 year old son claimed my bag as soon as I was finished. I’ll have to shorten the strap for him since I was planning on it being for someone taller.
Comparing Mosaic Projects
I needed to show off the difference between the two mosaic crochet options.
So I’ve got a bag made using the original mosaic crochet version (with the mesh dots all over) and a wide scarf (see below) using the adjusted mosaic crochet version (solid areas that are actually solid).
New Video Tutorial
While making the cross-body bag I created a tutorial video for working in the round.
I used the mosaic crochet technique for this one. Working in the round is great because you don’t have to cut your yarn at the end of each row. You can use this for a cowl, bag, or pillow!
Tutorial video: Mosaic Crochet in the Round.
Oops, the scarf is upside down in this picture! Your swirls will face the other way when you’re crocheting.
Scarf or Cowl
I used fingering weight yarn for my cowl and worsted weight yarn for my scarf. Both options are 4 repeats wide and a single repeat tall! The chart doesn’t care what size yarn you use!
You could also add more rows to the cowl if you wanted more height. There’s no rule saying you must do a full repeat of the height – you can stop whenever it’s convenient!
For the scarf, the opposite might be useful: you can do less than a repeat in height if you think your scarf is getting too large.
See below for the important details on Yardage and Sizing.
A Bag or Some Wrist Warmers?
I was thinking this soft alpaca yarn is a bit too nice for a little cell phone bag, but I don’t have many other fingering weight yarn options here at home so I grabbed what I had.
Halfway through making this tube (for a cell phone bag), I realized it would fit my wrist perfectly!
I’m definitely going to skip the bag and make a second wrist warmer instead.
Update!
I changed my mind again and decided to stick with my original plan of making a little cell phone sleeve. This bag has a wrist strap and a small loop closure. The vintage button was chosen by my kids from the stash of random buttons we have here.
I also used this project in a BONUS TIP video! It’s a very short video with no introduction rambling and no ending scene. Just a quick trick for making sure the seam stays as invisible as possible when you’re working in the round! 🙂
Interlocking Crochet Projects
I started an interlocking crochet sample using more of this merino wool yarn because I really like the subtle colors together. It might have been better to choose a smaller project, like another cowl, but I really wanted to wrap myself in this yarn!
I’m not entirely sure if it counts as a stole, a wrap, or just a wide scarf.
I promise to update this with my finished project when I’m done. I’m sorry I just can’t crochet fast enough! Updated photo included now!
Interlocking Crochet In The Round
I started this bag using worsted weight yarn. A single repeat around gives me a bag large enough for a cell phone, keys, and some snacks.
However, I did not complete the full chart in height. I only did up to row 29 and decided it was large enough.
I added a tunisian knit stitch strap. This is very similar to the strap I used on the mosaic crochet bag, except you insert your hook through the stitch to the back instead of just under the front bar.
TAKE NOTE: working in the round with interlocking crochet requires some changes to the written pattern because it’s written for a flat repeat. Tutorial coming soon!
NEW TUTORIAL: Interlocking Crochet in the Round (Tubular)
I’ve created a cheat sheet that is free to download so you know what changes need to be made when you want to work a flat piece in the round.
The free download is a 7-page PDF because I’ve included an in-depth explanation as well. Just print page 3 if you’re only looking for the cheat sheet.
If you would prefer, you can watch my YouTube tutorial along with the downloadable PDF.
Check out all the details and get your free PDF at https://ashleeslint.com/2023/10/22/interlocking-crochet-in-the-round/
That’s All
I hope this information helps you decide what type of project to make, which technique to use, and what yarn weight to use!
I can’t wait to see all your projects! Use the tag #TumblingCurlsCAL on social media so that we can all check out the beautiful options!
You can see all my Tumbling Curls projects on Ravelry and I hope you’ll create a project page too! We all love scrolling through inspiration (especially when that inspiration also has details like yarn used)!
