Advent-ure 2015: Slip Stitch Crochet Cork Pine Trees Tutorial

 Some time ago I came across pjoning and my interest was instantly piqued.

Slip stitch crochet looks remarkably like knitting and creates a fabric that is very similar. It avoids the feel of having a bunch of knots which is essentially what crochet is. Slip stitch crochet fabric ends up being thicker because you are laying the slip stitches (basically chain after chain after chain) on top of each other rather than next to each other as in knitting.

Think of laying bricks. Small chain stitch bricks.

So when I saw these little knitted cork pine trees, I decided to try my hand at making them using slip stitch crochet. Because I am not a knitter. I am a "Grrrr-The-yarn-keeps-sliding-off-the-needle" kind of girl.

 

Download the pdf pattern here. All of the trees follow the pattern although the dark green tree had some rounds skipped because I was running out of the yarn which is why it is shorter.

The taller trees were made with a variegated thick and thin yarn so they create a nice wave within the stitching.The little pink one is the same pattern but different yarn so it came out smaller. The lime green tree had some color changes which are noted in the pattern.

The first project I used slip stitch crochet for was this wool rag rug made from strips of wool suiting fabric. It's about one yard square. Makes a great zabuton, which is the mat under the meditation cushion, because it's thick and springy and warm. Slip stitch is so easy, it's ridonkulous!