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Yesterday I posted a picture of a scarf I’m working on for friend. I’m really loving this scarf and it’s my first project from a Japanese pattern. Japanese, people! A language I don’t speak, can’t read or understand. It’s pure magic that I can create a scarf from an unreadable pattern!
It all started when I fell in love with a crochet e-book that Cornel of Craftshare shared on her Facebook page. The Facebook page she shared, had an album of all the beautiful patterns available in the e-book, but no charts, and only a link to a dodgy download website. This is the cover, and two of the projects in the book. Can you see why I fell in love with it?!
Stunning isn’t it?
Thanks to Google I found Craftebook on Etsy which sells this pattern e-book for only $5 (Zycee emails you the whole book in PDF)!!!! Zycee calls the book Ondori crochet motif: Japanese cloth. I also found the hardcover book available on Amazon here in case you prefer real pages and something to put on the shelf.
I have my eye on a beautiful pullover that I just HAVE to make, but for now I’m doing Scarf #17.
The scarf consists of 6 rows of 18 motifs per row – you can see the motif at the top left corner of the picture – that you join as you go. It’s a nice and easy way to ease myself in to Japanese crochet patterns and reading crochet diagrams. The yarn I’m using is a 4-ply variegated sock yarn by Garnstudio, called Fabel in shade 911, with a 4mm crochet hook.
So far so good and I’m enjoying my venture into Japanese crochet. It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be. If you can read crochet diagrams, you’re good to go for Japanese crochet patterns. The iPhone app I blogged about here, was a great help. Alternatively you can use this very handy guide on how to read crochet diagrams from MyPicot and this for a list of all the crochet diagram terms for UK and US.
Have you ever crocheted something from a Japanese pattern? I’d love to hear from you if you have.
crochetime 
Never attempted to follow a diagram yet. So obviously no Japanese patterns but I know there are some beautiful ones around. Rachell has some lovely books. Your scarf looks gorgeous… More pics please 😉
Fab post – I am so intrigued by Japanese crochet but terrified by my inability to decipher a single word! Will defo check out the app and diagram guides, thx xx
Stunning, I especially like the first one! Can’t wait to see your finished project!
I can certainly see why you were inspired. The patterns are beautiful. Japanese really do have some amazing crochet books although I have not yet bought any….
I don’t know what it is about Japanese crochet patterns, they really just look different than UK or US patterns. If I get the hang of this Japanese crochet thing, maybe I can inspire you to buy a book or two and get hooking 🙂
Your scarf is very inspirational!
Nice work! I prefer Japanese patterns more than English and Dutch ones that are written out step by step. The Japanese ones are charted and you can see in one look how it will turn out. Even the colour changing is included in the circle. No reading, just follow a few symbols!
I’m a crochetoholic when it comes to amigurumi and it is simply addictive. Time to sell the whole crocheted bunch 🙂
Was this your first attempt with a Japanese pattern?
Xoxo Marlou
Marlou I never knew/realised that colour changes are also indicated on the Japanese charted patterns. I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that. Yes, this is my first attempt at Japanese crochet. The scraf is a warm-up for what I actually want to make from the pattern: loads of sweaters and cardigans!
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I ordered a Japanese crochet book from eBay this weekend! I have read charts before — one was an Interweave pattern that also had instructions. I could.not. figure out the written instructions, then I realized it had a chart, and bingo, no problems. So I hope I can do these patterns, too.
Oh I’m sure Japanese patterns will be an absolute breeze for you!
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maybe in the future you can organize a CAL for these Jap patterns?
Nice idea Jinky!
Fear had kept me from attempting a charted pattern. Then I promised all the ladies in my family a crochet shawl. I let them pick what they wanted and got busy making them. My nephew’s girlfriend found a beautiful one from the Drops site….and it was a chart pattern! I didn’t let her see the panic I felt and told her that I would work it out. I finished everyone else’s shawls and had no more excuses. That night I unraveled so many rows attempting to get it right! Then my brain rewired and it all fell into place! Now I actively look for charted patterns! They are SO MUCH EASIER to follow!
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I fell in love with this scarf (navy blue) while searching through the internet and bought the ebook from etsy. The only problem I am having is joining the circles (motifs). I am a beginner so I don’t have much experiencing with joining circles or squares. I tried translating but had no luck. Just wondering how you went about joining your circles?
I used this method to join the motifs together. http://speckless.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/join-as-you-go-method-for-crochet-motifs/
I hope that you’re aware that those “Ebooks” are illegal scans of copyrighted books (the real books you mentioned on Amazon). Just wanted to let you know
When I purchased the e-book I wasn’t aware that it was an illegal scan. I only found out later when someone on Ravelry pointed it out. I now only refer to, and buy, the hard copy books on Amazon and Etsy.
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