Welcome! The goal of my videos is to help YOU learn more about CROCHET!
Join me, Susan Lowman, as I teach you crochet stitches & techniques, share tips & tricks, host crochet-a-longs (CALs) and more. I’ve been a crochet designer, technical editor and teacher for many, many years. I LOVE crochet and thoroughly enjoy learning, as well as teaching, all kinds of crochet techniques. I enjoy analyzing things, and crochet stitches are no exception!
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Thanks for watching and Happy Crocheting to all of you!
I agree that this stitch is difficult to learn, Carolyn. But once you learn it, you'll be glad you did! It creates a really thick potholder that protects your hands wonderfully! I've been crocheting for about 50 years and I just learned it 5-10 years ago (from one of my crochet students!). I'm so glad I did! These potholders make great gifts for many occasions, including weddings. I hope you're successful learning this stitch from my video. You can always slow down the video, if that helps (it's "playback speed" under the settings). Happy crocheting to you now and always!
Thank you for your hard work and details. ❤ I am amazed at all the different variants of mosaic crochet styles! I wonder which technique is the warmest?
You're very welcome! I'm glad you like my comparison of mosaic crochet techniques. As far as the warmest mosaic technique, I think they're all pretty warm. If you're using the anchored dc and my COM technique, they will make the project a little more dense and eliminate gaps in the work, which would make it a little warmer. Also, which fiber of yarn you use would make a huge difference in warmth. Wool should be warmer than acrylic. Happy mosaic crocheting to you!
I don’t know if you can help me but I have a pattern that calls to work the graph (rows 1-141) in BLO. Then it calls to repeat the graph starting at the opposite side of row 1 (but don’t turn) and follow rows 8-275 according to the chart again FLO. It leaves fringe on both sides. This was a DL pattern from a company (so no designer listed to ask). I don’t understand how you can work full the opposite side w/o turning and why you would skip the first 8 rows. I know that this is a long shot but I thought I would ask. It doesn’t say it it’s mosaic, tapestry, or what. Thank you!
Hi Rena. Without actually seeing the pattern or a photo of the finished project, it's hard to say what they're asking you to do. It sounds like it's probably Tapestry Crochet (if it's all sc worked in the BLO). I think the rows worked in the FLO are worked on the wrong side in the FLO, which is essentially the same as working right-side rows in the BLO. They may have done this to save extra work writing the pattern for Rows 8-275. It sounds like the repeat of Rows 8-141 are a mirror image of the first Rows 8-141, so it's easier to write the pattern repeating those rows, but on the wrong side. Can you share a link to the web page where I could look at a photo of the finished project? Also, sometimes companies don't have the time or resources to have patterns tech edited to find and correct errors before they're published. It's hard for me to say if this is a mistake in the pattern or just something that should be explained further in the pattern to make it more clear how to work the FLO rows.
I’ve always wanted to learn this stitch , had problems with other tutorials! This time with you , I tried , didn’t work three times till I finally got it !
I'm so glad that you were able to learn the Thermal Stitch with my tutorial, Reveca! I hope you enjoy using it for many years! Happy crocheting to you!
Hi Goldy. My COM technique isn't for everyone and for every crochet project. However, I find that using it gives my crochet blankets/afghans more structure and actually uses less yarn than having to work a double border to hide the ends. I hope you'll give it a try for some of your smaller overlay mosaic crochet projects. Happy crocheting to you!
You can use some of them, but maybe not all of them, Donna. It depends on the pattern. Some mosaic crochet patterns have many dc in succession. I think some of these techniques won't work for those. The finished size of the project may be impacted by changing the technique, too. I hope this helps. Happy crocheting to you!
I would like to make a microwave cosy that fits a large dinner plate with handles. Could this circle be made into that but then once the plate size is done would you do corners like you do on a bowl cosy?
Yvie, Yes! You could make a microwave dinner plate cozy by working 8 increases like in the first 9 rows of the bowl cozy (increase rnd, then even rnd) until it's close to the size you want it, then work some of the rounds with corners (3 inc in each of 4 corners). You may want to work your corner rounds closer together (with less even rounds between them) so the edges don't come up to fit a bowl instead of a plate. Happy crocheting to you!
I love love love using this yarn! It’s like a puzzle to me and I find it so relaxing. I use a 5.5mm for mine with my own “pattern”, & it works great for me. I am so glad I wrote it down! 😂 I’ve also noticed the yarn feels really, really different texture-wise. Glad I stumbled onto your channel! Thank you! ☺️🫶🏻🧶
Thank you for this technique. I'm finding it also had the added benefit of helping me find the next stitch to go into. Sometimes I have trouble finding that next stitch.
You're very welcome, Sherry! It helps me find the next stitch after the Adc, too. If I don't use the Adc, then I have trouble finding the next stitch and keeping my stitch count even. Happy crocheting to you now and always!
I can not wait to try this. Thank you so very much for sharing this. Do you have a video and pattern how to crochet a cross body cell phone case with a flap closure? I am constantly losing my cell phone. That’s a real problem with my 771/2 year old self. Lol
Gracie, You're very welcome! I hope you enjoy crocheting many thermal stitch potholders! They make great Christmas gifts!!! Unfortunately, I don't have a video or a pattern for a cross body cell phone case with a flap closure. It probably wouldn't be too hard to make, though. Just decide if you want the flap on the top or side of the cell phone and pick what stitch you'd like to use (probably something that can breathe more than the thermal stitch so your cell phone doesn't get too hot). Then measure your cell phone and make a rectangle that will fit the cell phone with a little extra room in it, but not much. Fold the rectangle to form the case with the flap and seam the edges. Decide how you'd like to close the case (with a button and button hole crocheted into the flap or added with an edging, with a snap, etc). Then decide how wide you'd like your strap and where you'd like it positioned on the cell phone case. Crochet the strap with tight stitches, such as the thermal stitch or sc and secure it to the case. Or you could make a case and strap with fabric instead of yarn so it doesn't stretch too much. Unfortunately, women's clothes typically don't come with pockets big enough to fit cell phones like men's clothes do! Happy crocheting to you now and always!
Hooray finally found an easy crochet 🧶 pattern to make my Rasta scarf for my son , thankyou so much for sharing your video,God Bless you,so easy to understand and I needed this because I'm going to be changing colours happy crocheting ❤❤
My friend is leftie and originally learned to crochet backwards and switching between her hands. It looked so bad and took her forever and we begged her to learn how to do it properly. Shes pretty awesome, she learned how to do it with her right hand and she said shes okay with it snyway because so many tutorials are just righty. Im now teaching myself how to crochet left handed and (separately) how to crochet backwards, like the video. I think itll be a while before i crochet backwards with my left hand 😅
You're very welcome, Rita! Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy crocheting many Thermal Stitch potholders! Happy crocheting to you now and always!
Your videos are always interesting and free from attempts to make people buy this or that. I very much appreciate your approach. The tip about making the turning chain face you is something I will use immediately, on another project. Perhaps the woven technique could work for a sweater too if one chooses thin yarn and a bigger hook to add some drape. Thank you very much for sharing your clever ideas 😊
You're very welcome, Anna! I'm glad you find my video helpful. I think a woven sweater would be fabulous! The only drawback might be having to make the weaving chain very, very long. Happy crocheting to you!
I agree! That's why I frog it very slowly so it doesn't stick together and frustrate me. But I love the colors, so I continue to use it from time to time. Happy crocheting to you, Gwen!
This is your second video that I've commented on. It seems like any problem I might come across while crocheting, you've already solved. And you really are just a joy to watch demonstrate these techniques and tricks.
❓❓❓❓ This is great!👍😀 Thank you so much! This isn't exactly what I was trying to find but it is a really good substitute. I found a listing for super thick 8" CREATIVE CO-OP POTHOLDERS being sold on Amazon and other sites. I want to make some for personal use but I don't know what stitch is used. It appears to be a modified form of a thermal stitch that creates sort of a "twisty/wavy" appearance" (Google the CO OP Potholders for a visual description). ❓❓❓Does anyone know what stitch it's made with and/or how to make them?❓❓❓ Again, thanks so much for the tutorial and for any info you can share about the stitch I'm looking for! 😊
You're very welcome! I hadn't heard of cop-op potholders. But I looked them up on Amazon and over 90% of them are knit, not crochet. That's why they look twisty/wavy. They're made with rows of knit stitches, which is essentially garter stitch (in knitting terms). Happy crocheting (and/or knitting) to you!
Hi Susan. I just started crocheting a few months ago. I came across your tutorial video for a bowl cozy and decided to give it a try. Thank you for your slow, clear, precise, easy to follow instructions. Can't wait to try your thermal stitch potholders.
Wow Lisa! You're a new crocheter and already tackling projects in the round! Way to go!!! You're very welcome. Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the thermal stitch as much as I do! Happy crocheting to you now and always!
Hi Sonja. Unfortunately, I can't do a tutorial for the heart hot pad (at least not for several years). The heart hot pad is done using the same alternate spike sc mosaic crochet technique as I demonstrate in this video. The paid pattern includes complete written instructions for each row of 2 heart hot pads and charts to follow for each of the 2 heart hot pads, detailing where to work the spike sc to make the project reversible. If you're interested in purchasing this pattern, you can find it on my website here: thecrochetarchitect.com/downloads/heart-mosaic-hot-pads/. Happy crocheting to you!
I learned to do mosaic crochet with your very well made and clear video instructions. I've made a few baby blankets and purses. I'm about to embark on a large blanket, but the chart is for interlocking mosaic. Can I use the same chart for the inset technique? I fully understand reading charts for inset thanks to your amazing videos, but I can't find an answer to this particular question. Thank you for your time and great videos.
Hi Sandra. You're very welcome! I'm so glad that you've been able to learn mosaic crochet from my videos! I think it might be easier to convert interlocking charts to overlay mosaic crochet, not inset. But you could always try to do the blanket with inset mosaic crochet. It would probably turn out somewhat taller than the pattern for interlocking crochet, though. Happy crocheting to you now and always!
I would work 1 round of single crochet stitches around the edges of each square, then join them together with whip stitches or your favorite joining technique. Happy mosaic crocheting to you, Karen!
You're very welcome! I have more information about the Wiggly Crochet technique, such as what weight yarn to use for a Wiggly Crochet rug on my website here: thecrochetarchitect.com/wiggly-crochet-tutorial/. Happy Wiggly Crocheting to you!
Yes, Karen. You would follow the pattern normally, but work an anchored double crochet on the wrong side on the next row above each of the double crochet in the pattern. You also need to work an anchored double crochet on the right side (instead of a front loop double crochet) on the last row to complete the project. Or you could do a different reversible mosaic crochet technique, such as spike single crochet following the pattern exactly. If you'd like to learn this technique, it's in my video #45 here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Inx7Qjd2Gtw.html. Happy crocheting to you!
