My big aim this summer is to finish writing up my grandest and most complicated pattern that I’ve ever created. It’s my wool-hungry shawl – The Train Journey Home. This shawl has a number of filet blocks and techniques that you might not of seen or heard of before, so I wanted to include instructions and detailed diagrams for them here.
The pattern itself will be a paid for pattern, but I hope that you enjoy the blocks. If you make anything from them, I would love to see what you made!
Each block represents something I see on the incredible train journey from Glasgow to Oban, from the built up urban areas, to the wilds of the lochs and glens of Argyll.
This first block is called Curtains.
(All my blocks are based on 5 Treble Crochet as the full block. This is different from normal filet crochet which is based on blocks of 4. This was important to me so that I could have a central stitch to work into. This pattern is tested with Double Knitting wool and a 3.5mm crochet hook (E). Experiment with different weights and hooks to find what works for you!
The curtains block is 2 rows high and uses the negative space for the curtains, and the yarn for the dark of the window.
When the train first leaves Glasgow Queen Street station it goes through a long and dark tunnel, before coming out into the urban scenes of Glasgow. I always used to wonder as the windows and gardens flew past, what people were doing with their day, as I was sitting relaxing on the speeding train.
Curtains starts with a base of 5 Treble Crochet stitches.
Row 2, TC, CH1, Skip 1, 3TC in next stitch, CH1, skip 1, TC
Row 3, TC, CH2, 3TCTog across next 3 TCs, CH2, TC.
Row 4, TC across (5 stitches)
In this block I have not double chained in row 2. This is because having it pull slightly exaggerates the fan effect.
Gloamingology 