Escher's Horses Tote

I've had a love for M. C. Escher's work ever since I saw a gallery display when I was in junior high. The mathematics combined so uniquely to produce his art has always intrigued me. After seeing Carol Ventura's "For the Birds" tapestry crochet purse, I had to create my own M. C. Escher-inspired design.

Unfortunately I can't find any history about this Escher design, other than it being displayed in the gallery on http://www.mcescher.com/. Escher's work in symmetry has always captured my interest and I have long wanted to try my hand at converting a design into a project of my own.

This purse is made using the tapestry crochet technique. Carol Ventura has done a stellar job of describing this technique in her books “Tapestry Crochet” and “More Tapestry Crochet”. She gives you all the tools you need to design your own creations. If you don't have a copy of the book, her website, tapestrycrochet.com ,will get you started.

The body of this purse is crocheted in the round and the handles are made flat. The handles are reinforced with a thick piece of plastic between the layers of fabric to give it structure. I used a flexible cutting board. The pattern is made across 116 stitches so that there is no visible “seam” between rows. You can adjust the pattern to be tube-shaped, change the height of the pattern, multiply the width, and change the handle.

MC Escher's Horses Print

My version of Escher's Horses as a tapestry crochet chart

• [Ravelry Link]
• Finished Size:
  • Outer measurements: 9 1/4" wide x 9 1/4" high x 1/2" thick
  • Inner measurements: 9" wide by 6 1/2" high x 1/2" thick
• Materials:
  • 3 contrasting worsted weight yarns: I used 3 balls leftover from my stash: 1 skein cascade 220 in orange, 1/2 skein Araucania Nature Wool in green, 1/2 skein Patons Classic Merino in royal blue.
  • Size F crochet hook
  • tapestry needle
  • 1 flexible plastic cutting board
  • square ruler
  • permanent marker
  • scissors
• Glossary:
  • ch: chain stitch
  • sl: slip stitch
  • tc: tapestry single crochet stitch
  • sts: stitches
  • dc: double crochet stitch
• Pattern:
  • This pattern is worked in the round as a spiral.
  • Round 0: Using with the orange yarn, make a slip knot, leaving a 10 inch tail. ch 56 sts. Starting with the 2nd chain and carrying the other two colored yarns along, 54 sc, 4 sc into the last chain (total 59 sts). Continue to sc along the bottom of the original chain until last chain. 3 sc into the last chain (total 116). Mark beginning of round with stitch marker.
  • Round 1-36: [Download the Escher's Horses Chart (pdf)] Begin color work according to chart, starting at stitch 1, row 1 (in the lower right corner) Handle prep row: Due to the nature of tapestry crochet, the “start” of the row will have wrapped around to the back of the bag, add enough sc's in color pattern to bring you to the edge of the bag (about 6 sts).
  • 1st handle:
  • the handle is made with a mesh backing which will be sewn over a thick plastic sheet to strengthen the handle.
  • Row 1: with orange yarn and carrying one strand of other yarn (to give thickness to the stitch), sl 2, sc 54, turn.
  • Row 2-3: sc across, turn.
  • Row 4 (left): (split for left side of handle) ch 1, sc 15, turn.
  • Row 5-10 (left): ch1, sc across, turn.
  • Row 11 (left): ch1, sc across, draw yarn through loop, cut yarn.
  • Row 4 (right): starting at right edge handle, ch1, sc 15, turn.
  • Row 5-11 (right): ch1, sc across, turn.
  • Row 12: (rejoin handle) ch 1, sc 15, ch24, sc 15, turn.
  • Row 13-16: ch1, sc across.
  • Row 17: (begin mesh) ch2, * dc in front loop, ch1, skip next sc, repeat from * across, turn.
  • Row 18: ch2, * dc, ch 1, skip ch, repeat from * across, turn.
  • Row 19-22 (left): (split for left side of handle) ch2, *dc, ch1, skip ch, repeat from * 6 times, turn
  • Row 23 (left): repeat row 22, draw yarn through loop, cut yarn.
  • Row 19 (right): ch into right side of mesh handle. ch2, *dc, ch1, skip ch, repeat from * 6 times, turn.
  • Row 20-22 ( right): repeat row 22, draw yarn through loop, cut yarn.
  • 2nd handle:
  • Make as for 1st handle, joining yarn so that the handle is centered on the bag and lines up with the 1st handle.
• Finishing:
  • Block the bag, so you smooth out any uneven spots. Lay the plastic cutting sheet over the tapestry crocheted half of the handle and mark out the edge of the plastic handle. The handle should be about 1/8” to 1/4” smaller than the crocheted handle. The measurements used for my handle are given below.
  • Cut out both handles out of the plastic. Bevel each of the corners of the handle so that there are now sharp edges that could eventually cut through the yarn.
  • With a tapestry needle sew the mesh cover over the plastic handle, attaching it to the tapestry crochet handle.

Responses[3]

Posted by Jessica on June 4, 2009 11:18:00 PM EDT #