Using Lucet Tool for Braided Cords

I sew purses, pouches, and bags and am always looking for ideas for different types of straps, especially for different fabrics, such as felted bags, for example. When I saw a Lucet demonstrated a few years ago I was so intrigued and had to give it a try. It’s fun and a quick way to create uniquely braided cords.

The Lucet is an old tool, dating back to the Vikings. The Vikings used it to create braided cords for lacing up clothes and creating cords for a lot of uses around the old village and on the ship. The Lucet definitely makes a strong cord.

Depending on which way the yarn, leather, or string is wrapped around the forks of the Lucet will determine the style of braid.

I had some metallic yarn that I got to make a shawl but I really did not like it so I decided that it would serve better as cording. With the metallic yarn I wrapped the yarn straight across the forks and flipped the tool around as I worked. This creates an almost flat braid, much like a shoelace.

The Lucet tool is a two-pronged fork shape with a hole at the base. The hole is totally optional but is handy to keep the growing cord in control and out of the way.

With the wool, I wrapped the yarn in a figure eight as I worked, keeping the tool in the same position.

In the photograph below the cord has been worked a few inches. Start by inserting end of yarn in hole and wrapping a figure-eight on the tool. In the photograph, the next step is to pull the bottom loop on left Lucet leg up over the top loop. Snug up the yarn but not too much because you need to have some slack for working room.

Next, bring the yarn under the right Lucet leg and up and over. Now pull up the bottom loop over the top loop and snug up a bit. I like to hold my thumb on top of the growing cord to hold it down a bit, which helps keep the braiding consistent. 

It's really a simple process. It just takes a little practice to learn the tension and gain a rhythm. Be sure to snug up the bottom loop before passing it over the top loop. This gives nice tension and also working room to allow the loop to pass up and over.

The metallic yarn is flatter. For this result I just held the yarn across the top of the Lucet legs and twisted the Lucet around and around as I worked each fork leg.

Sorry, the metallic yarn doesn't work well under flash and it was such an overcast, gloomy day when I took the photograph but I think you can see here that the resulting cord is flatter than the wool cord. It's smaller because the yarn is thinner but it's also flat compared to the squarish shape of the wool cord.

The wool cord is intended for a purse strap for a small cross-body bag I have planned. The metallic yarn cords are intended for wrist straps for some small clutches I made already.

You would think that with all the straps and cords I make and have made over the years I would not have an old bathrobe tie functioning as my curtain tie-back in the craft room. I keep thinking that I really need to make an actual strap or cord for that curtain but it always gets put on the back burner. The bathrobe has long been retired and I just happened to grab the tie one day to hold back the curtain and it's still there, all these years later.

Fox and Wolf Christmas Hoods Were a Hit

For Christmas I made the fox and wolf hoods for my grandchildren. The girls in Texas got a lighter version since it doesn't really get cold down there. The kids in Alberta, Canada got warm, heavy-duty hoods since it gets really cold up there.

I just love these hoods. They are so cute that the kids are excited to wear them and they help keep them warm and cozy on those brisk winter days.



The middle child has been in a stage of refusing to look at the camera so getting her to engage with a photographer and smile are small miracles. It's hard to tell but she was so excited about the dark wolf hood. She ran to the mirror to see herself and when she saw her reflection yelled, "I am so cute!" Very cute.

They have been wearing them while out on their outdoor activities (they are in all the pictures I've seen since Christmas) so I think they are well-loved. In these cold winter climates, staying warm is a priority. Making staying warm fun is that extra step. Looks like I've succeeded.

I must confess, when making these last autumn in preparation for gifting at Christmas, I made an adult version. The adult version is with a wool, too scratchy for little faces, but all right for an adult. I actually laugh every time I see myself in it but it's because it's so stinking fun to wear an adult wolf hood. And it's warm. It keeps the cold at bay.

Scrap Buster Burst of Color Inside a Hexagon Afghan

It's not that fiber artists are hoarders. We're just very frugal. That bit of yarn is too nice to toss into the garbage when it has the potential to serve a purpose. Here it is, the perfect scrap afghan to use up even minute amounts of our favorite yarns.



I was looking for some inspiration for crocheted owl motifs when I stumbled onto a tutorial of how to make hexagon (six-sided) motifs that are attached as you go instead of seamed. I just love the little bursts of color within the neutral beige.



I made some minor changes. It's a really, really simple, basic pattern. On the third row I added a chain 1 between the pairs of double crochet stitches and then worked the fourth row shells in the chain 1 space instead of between the two dc stitches.



What a wonderful way to use up scrap yarn.

The first round is just 12 dc inside either a magic loop, magic circle, or the space within a ch4 slipped to join. I ch2 then ignore the ch2 and slip into top of first dc to join. This helps prevent holes or gaps.

The second round is 1 dc and ch1 in every dc of first round.

I worked the first and second round in the same yarn for every motif. You could do separate yarns for each the first round and then the second round if preferred.

The third round is 2dc and ch1 in every ch 1 space from round two. This is the round that pops!

The fourth round is the hexagon (six-sided). Work 3dc in the chain space of round three, ch1 for the side and work 3dc, ch2, 3dc, ch1 for the corner.

Since this motif has 12 ch spaces to work in there will be 6 sides and 6 corners. So, *3dc in ch space, ch1, 3dc, ch2, 3dc in ch space, ch1, repeat from * 5 more times and slip into 1st dc to join.

To join motifs together as you go, work 3 to 5 sides of round 4 then sc into corresponding space of neighboring motif in place of the ch1 between the trio of dcs.



So looking at the photo above, the space between the burgundy/white motif and green/white motif will have 3 sides to work ahead of time and 3 sides to work by working a sc in the corresponding ch1 space. The space between the green/white motif and pink/white motif will only have 2 sides to work so go ahead and work 4 sides on the motif in progress then finish two remaining sides by attaching them to the two finished motifs.

I used very thin yarn and a size E crochet hook. This is the perfect project to keep in a project bag with a note or tag reminding of which size crochet hook to use and keep adding whenever I get a buildup of scrap yarn.

I was also thinking that since the centers are sort of pushed out that this would be good candidate for sunflower afghan. That means it would not be a scrap buster but a planned event since it would require brown centers and yellow and/or orange petals for round 3. But how fun that would be! Many shades of browns and gold and orange yellows. It could be a daisy afghan also. All white third rounds with either brown, green, or a variety of colors for the center (rounds 1 and 2).

Here is the original tutorial I saw.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WF7iQI3MPQ




I adore this bright and cheerful afghan and think that it is worthy of all the precious scrap yarn. I shall resist buying new yarn just for this. I shall resist. I will resist. We're not hoarders of yarn. In defense of all fiber artists who have a growing stash of yarn, there are so many pretty yarns and sometimes yarns go away so we have to acquire those lovely yarns while they are available even if we don't have a specific use in mind for them at the time when we buy them. There will come a time for all yarn in our stash, even the little leftover 1" ball of delightful color. This lovely afghan is the perfect example of that.

Adult Linen Stitch Slippers in Blue

Max approves of the adult version of the linen booties. I really like these. They are soft and cushiony and warm.

In the summer I go bare footed in the house most of the time but come winter I need to wear socks and slippers. The hardwood floors are a bit cold on the feet but not too bad because there is a basement underneath the house. The kitchen only has basement on one side. Half the kitchen has no basement below it. I am guessing there was an addition built on at some point years ago. That lack of basement sure makes for a cold, cold, really cold floor in the kitchen.



These lovely slippers keep my feet comfortable. They are worked flat and seamed. I used a whip stitch instead of mattress stitch to avoid having a seam to have to walk on. Once again, they are the versatile linen baby booty pattern made in chunky yarn with large knitting needles and an increase in original cast on stitches to match gauge for required length of foot.