Cat Mad Crochet

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

I’ve gotten very energetic and finished up the Pushing Daisies series. I ended up watching much of it while not exercising, though I am still at the exercise. I hate it but lifting the big thing of cat litter was easier today, so something is happening. I present to you the rest of the crochet I could find in Pushing Daisies and how I would make it if I decided to knock it off. 

Episode 8 – Bitter Sweets

These mittens are crocheted but I hate them with my whole everything: They are the moistest of greens; they are a chunky yarn; the colors remind me of the 1970s in a very bad way. They are crochet, though, so we will let them stay but only grudgingly. 

I’m not discussing remaking them because I do not know the ins and outs of working with bulky yarn as I never do it. I’m sure there are tricks that I would leave out and, thus, spoil the project. You’re on your own on this one. I’m just here to tell you there is crochet. Behold. There it is. 

Moving on . . . 

Episode 9 – Corpsicle 

I think both of these scarves are crochet, but I am not sure of the stitch pattern in the bumpier scarf. The smoother scarf looks like very tall stitches, linked perhaps, to create an interesting but solid all over texture. The other scarf is way more open and might have a thick and thin type of yarn. Could it be handspun? Wait! I’m upset with myself for saying that. I hate that handspun is always equated with an uneven, weird yarn. For generations everything was handspun and we don’t see bumpy, uneven yarn in sails or mummy wrappings. Yes. Those were handspun. Google it. 

If you can see it on the right, the fringe on the more solid scarf is made up of fabulous little crocheted twirls.

If I was to remake the smoother scarf, I would definitely use linked triple crochet stitches or crochet triples together (in which the together stitch starts in the same stitch the last stitch ended in so the fabric is solid but the stitch count per row stays the same) for that more solid look. I might throw a row of single crochets between the tall rows. I would add the little twirls at the end for the tassels and then swear about having to weave the ends. Perhaps there would be a way to make the tassels as one piece that is attached to the end of the scarf? Less ends would be nice.

As per the more open scarf, it would depend. If I had a thick and thin yarn, I would probably pick a stitch pattern very heavy in chains so I could use those to even out the pattern as I went. If I had an all one size yarn, I would likely use something lacy but with a clear-ish grid structure as the original seems to be done in clear rows/columns.

For a chain heavy pattern, I like “Net of Flowers” from The New Crochet Stitch Dictionary because it is mostly chains and it would be easy to adjust the chain numbers to account for thicker or thinner yarn, allowing me to keep the same row heights and widths. I’ve used this stitch pattern before and I enjoy it so long as I have a lot of quiet to count in and I feel rich in patience. Also good to know: This stitch pattern is a yarn hog.

For open, lacy patterns with a grid-like look to them, I like “Crazy Picot Mesh” from The Crochet Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden. It has a nice open look with repeating cells. It reminds me of the lacy tendrils of vines or the edges of frost on windows. It would make a very nice scarf.

Season 2 

Episode 4 – Frescorts

I’m not sure about this hat. Are there little picots at the edge? Maybe. It could be crab stitch though.

Whether this hat is crochet or knit is too hard to determine from the really quick view we get of it. I could work it out in crochet with a nice single ply merino, perhaps a worsted weight, which would feel odd given the wisps of yarn I normally use, but I think it would work for this hat.

As for stitch patterns, if I was going to try to recreate this hat, I would go with “Raised Waffle Pattern” from The New Crochet Stitch Dictionary to keep it closer to the original.

Or the “Cable Lattice Stitch” from Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia if I wanted to branch out and use the original as inspiration for my own design.

Episode 5 – Dim Sum Lose Some

I don’t know if the hat is crocheted or not. I’m imagining it done in single crochets with novelty yarn. Of greater interest is the little decoration on the side. I think that might be crocheted. It’s hard to tell and we don’t get a good view of it. See how focused I was on the show to try to forget I was jogging between sets of weight lifting?

Episode 7 – Robbing hood

I have no doubts about this shawl, though! Look at it! This is gorgeous. It’s an open mesh with beaded fans along the edge. Beading takes a lot of time, from stringing the beads to working them into the project. I love beading but I don’t use it often because it is fiddly and slow. Someone took their time making this piece, and it is beautiful. 

For the mesh, I would use the “Simple Trellis Pattern” from The New Crochet Stitch Dictionary. It is what it says it is: A simple mesh of chains and singles. With a lace weight yarn, this would be open and drapey and sheer and beautiful. Choose some light gray or blue color and in the right light it could look like a shawl made of mist.

Or I might go wild and use “Solomon’s Knot Net” from the same book. I love Solomon’s knots. I need to make another project with them. They always bring me joy.

For the fan border, you have to choose something that will allow copious use of beads. I’m pretty basic in my beading skills, so I would likely choose a border pattern that already had the beadwork figured out for me. I like “Dancing Fans” from The Beaded Edge 2. They reflect the same shape but they don’t have near as many beads nor the depth of the fans in the original wrap.

“Popping Soap Bubbles” from the same book is a fan shape and has a lot more beads and depth, so perhaps it could work. I like this pattern better anyway, so if I was recreating the look, I would use it.  

There is so much crochet in Pushing Daisies! I bet it’s everywhere in movies and television and we just don’t notice it unless it hits us over the head in afghan form. I think I will continue to pick a show and actively watch for the crochet to distract myself from my daily exercise regime. I wonder how people’s perception of crochet would change if they realized how many awesome garments they see on their televisions are actually crochet?

Happy crafting! And watching! And exercising, I guess!