Crochet lanterns!

One of the things that I love about crochet is the way that you can use such a range of different stuff to crochet with. I was tying up my tomato plants the other day & got to thinking that the garden twine I was using might be fun to create something with. For starters, I love the smell of the stuff - it reminds me so much of being little & pottering around with all the bits & pieces in my dad's potting shed. I remembered that Katherine Sorrell has a section on crocheting vases using jute thread in her Home Guide to Craft. The writer uses small, cheap glass vases & creates a crocheted 'skin' of jute to go around them. They look fab, but I have plenty of vases & anyway the hairy hemp twine I had available wasn't quite right for such a sophisticated project - but fortunately inspiration struck & I decided to have a go at holders for nighlights to hang outdoors.

I started by crocheting a flat circle using half-treble (US: half-double) crochets - increasing on each circle to keep it flat. I crocheted into the back of the stitch only in order to create a ridged effect (also much easier with the thick twine!). To build up the body I did a decrease row & changed to the more open stitch of double-trebles (US: trebles) so that as much light would shine through as possible. I also thought it would be fun to leave little 'windows' so that a bit more light would be able to escape & to create a twinkly effect, so I incorporated them by leaving some gaps in my rows of double-trebles. I finished off with a row of trebles (US: doubles) & did a couple of decreases to fit the jam jar I was going to use very snugly. I created a LONG hanging section (don't want any fires!) with short rows (3 stitches) of double trebles (US: trebles). Then I popped in a jam jar, lit a nightlight, dropped the candle into the jar & hung the little lantern on our plum tree. And then I thought I'd make another one...