Freeform Crochet

Freeform crochet is just that.....crochet that is “free of form”. There is no pattern to it. You simply make random shapes. (And sometimes even non-shapes.) The individual pieces can be sewn together with seams, or crocheted together with stitches or stitch combinations. It is a great way to use up all those bits and pieces of yarn you have left over from other projects.

Shaping Your Crochet

• Use decreases and increases to narrow and widen your work.


• Use a slip stitch to move along your fabric without adding any height.


• Use the chain stitch to add “branches” to a round or a square.


• To the Right
  When you want to increase your stitches at the end of a row, add some chain stitches after the last stitch. You can slip stitch back down them if you don’t want any height, or use other crochet stitches to add width or height.



• To the Left
  To add a branch or extend your stitches from the beginning of a row, crochet into the stem of the last stitch. This will create more stitches. Insert your hook in the stem of the last stitch on the row. Yarn over and pull through. Complete the stitch as needed. If you need to add more, you can continue crocheting into the stems of the stitches after you make them. This will add stitches to the left of your main work.

• Use circles, half circles, and ovals to add to the mismatched effect.

Once you get going, there is no limits to what you can do with freeform crochet except your imagination!!

Granny Squares

In my opinion, granny squares are a type of freeform crochet, too. The concept behind granny squares is that you work up a bunch of square crochet fabric in equal sizes and sew them all together. One thing that’s cool about making something out of smaller squares is you can make a sampler of a bunch of different stitches, colors, and fibers. All you have to do is make sure that your finished squares are all a uniform size, or that once a few are put together, they create a uniform size. That way, once all the squares are sewn together, you get a nice square or rectangle finished piece.

While granny squares are not exactly “free of form”, they do follow the freeform crochet concept of putting a bunch of different pieces together to create something new.

Want some freeform crochet patterns?

I know.... I know.....

I said freeform crochet had no pattern, (which it really doesn’t), but to help get you started, I’ll give you some pattern ideas.

Make a Freeform Crochet Bag or Purse

Make up a bunch of different shapes and sizes of crochet fabric. This is the perfect place to use up all those last little bits and pieces of your favorite yarn that you love too much to just throw away. This would also be a good project to use granny squares, since you want your final product to be square or rectangle in shape.

Connect all the pieces with single crochet, other crochet stitches, lace pattern stitches, or just simple seams. Form all the pieces into two uniform squares of fabric the size you want your finished purse or bag to be. Seam up the sides using the desired seaming method. You can attach a handle and add a liner, if you would like.

Make a United States Map Blanket

You get to use artistic license here!! Using the above shaping methods, make shapes that are approximately the same as all of the states. Before you start to crochet, make sure to spend some time graphing out and planning the states and stitches. That way you can make sure they all end up the right size.

Sew all of the pieces together into a rough shape of the United States. You can then crochet around all the combined states which will create one big U.S. shape. You can fill in the spaces and work your way to a rectangle blanket shape. Use taller stitches to fill in dips and slip stitches across the higher points as you work your way around. Or, you could just continue enlarging the existing shape and have a freeform finished edge. Either way, it’s your choice. This would be perfect for a child trying to learn their states. You could even add each state’s name, abbreviation, and/or capital, if it’s large enough, to your finished project.

Did my ideas help get your freeform crochet ideas flowing? Here's a couple more suggestions, just in case it didn't.

Make a Freeform Crochet Bear Face

Face:

Crochet a single crochet circle. You can use any method you would like. A hole in the center will not matter.... Every bear needs a nose!! Besides, if you glue or sew on a nose, the hole will be hidden anyway.

If you used the spiral method, situate the circle so that the ending “bump” is at the top or at the bottom. If it’s at the top, turn it to the left or the right, just a bit. That way, it will be against the side of one of the ears, or under the bow and easily hidden.

Ears:

You can make either two (2) separate circles, or two (2) half circles. If you choose the half circle, you will have to use the even circle method.

Assembly:

Sew both ears onto the top edge of the face. Placement is completely up to you. Glue or sew on eyes, nose and bow. Use embroidery stitches or a straight stitch to sew on a mouth with yarn or embroidery floss. You can use buttons, beads, googly eyes, doll or stuffed animal noses, ribbon, etc... to decorate your bear face. It is entirely up to you.

Try making other animal faces. Just break them down into basic shapes, crochet up the shapes, sew them together, and off you go!! Sew or glue them to a clip, pin or hair barrette for cute and unique accessories. Glue a magnet to the back for fun fridge magnets. The possibilities with freeform crochet are endless!!

You could even try your hand at one piece freeform crochet. Figure out the different shapes you will need. Then using all of the different stitches and shaping techniques, see if you can figure out how to crochet all the shapes at one time.

Example:

You could do a picot stitch on a circle to start a pointed ear for a cat. Work back and forth around the ear until you are happy with the size. Each time you get back to the main circle, connect your row with a stitch into the circle. (Each ear round will start and end with a stitch into the main circle.) End at the top left or right (depending on which ear you did first) of the first ear. Continue a few stitches past top center, and begin the next ear. Once the second ear is done, you can either slip stitch to the bottom center of the circle, or start from where you are. Work one more round of stitches all the way around the edge of the circle, including both ears. (Make sure to use increases and decreases when appropriate to maintain the desired shape.) You just made a one piece freeform crochet project!!

I think freeform crochet gives you license to remove all the rules. (Which I love!!) If you can imagine a shape, you can crochet it. It may take some practice and a little tweaking, but keep at it and you’ll have a great unique gift when your done! And guess what’s even better than that? You did it yourself!! So have fun, and get creative!!

Looking for more free patterns? Click here

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