17 December,2023 06:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Christalle Fernandes
Pic/Shadab Khan
It's the time of the year when the Christmas doilies are whipped out of cupboards, washed, and set aside to be placed over delectable plates of marzipans, jujubes, or shell cream. While these are available in abundance at street stalls, there are a few who like to DIY. Like Shilpa D'sa, a self-taught crochet artist.
D'sa, who's perfected the art of Christmas cookies and macarons, is also a prolific crocheter. She learned the basic stitches nearly 25 years ago, but it's just been two years since she picked up her hobby full-time. "It's my favourite thing to do when I'm free, or in the mornings: just crochet away an hour or two," she tells us. She shows us how to crochet a snowflake coaster.
Start with six chains and loop them into a circle. Next, do 11 double crochets. Crochet three chains, then loop the thread over the needle, pull it under the circle, loop over the needle again, and pull it first through the first stitch, then yarn over and pull the thread through the final loop. When you reach the end, do a chain slip stitch: this is done when you finish each row. D'sa recommends using pure cotton yarn instead of wool, which makes for finer patterns and less breakage. She uses a 1.75 size stainless steel needle to make her intricate designs.
The second row involves something known as a front-post double crochet. Yarn over once, push the needle through the first post, loop the thread and pull through, and loop the thread and pull it through the stitch again, and make two chains. Repeat the process till the end of the circle, and end with it a slip stitch.
Start with two double crochets like the ones in the first step. Then, crochet three chains, yarn over, insert the needle through the chain loop of the previous circle, and pull the thread through the stitch. Leave two stitches on the needle, and yarn over again. Then, pull the thread through two stitches, and then, finally through three stitches, to make a two double crochet cluster.
The snowflake is now beginning to take shape. Now, make three single crochet stitches, and loop the thread through the second row of crochet stitches. Loop the thread twice around the needle, insert it under the second-row chain, and pull the thread first through the first stitch, yarn over, and pull it through the second stitch, and then the same for the last stitch.
Now, make seven chains. Insert the needle under the triple crochet chain made in the earlier round, yarn over, and pull the thread through the stitch. Then, crochet four single crochets in a line, following the circumference of the earlier circle. Next, simply go back to the seven chain stitch, and then repeat the process.
Start with two single crochets, then two half-double crochets, and one double crochet. Now, do a "picot" - made by stitching three chains and looping back to the base of the chain. Continue until the end of the circle, and watch your snowflake come to life!
