Colorwork and Scrumbles

Colorwork and scrumbling are my two favorite techniques to work in crochet and it is time to bring them together. I've worked out how to do stranded colorwork, carrying my yarns across the back (or inside) of my project as a knitter would. Then I taught my fingers how to do it more quickly so that I can move along at a more satisfying rhythm. For this hat, I graphed out a small, jogged pattern of three vertical stitches crossing three horizontal  ones. In crochet, it almost looks like polka dots. I worked back-and-forth in the round, joining with a slip stitch and making a turning chain that didn't count as a stitch. Then I  created a border of small scrumbles, challenging myself to start each one with a small circle and to make each one different. Each piece is sewn on separately. They are somewhat more regular in shape than we usually think of as scrumbling but they are non-representational, worked without instructions and a little bit quirky. As with the wrist distaff, a few French knots pull the colors together and add the finishing touch.